Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Abraham. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amanda , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
The road to purpose wasn’t always simple for me. In fact, I struggled a lot with understanding not only what it was that I wanted to do with my life, but also how I could make the difference in this world that I longed for. Growing up, and especially throughout my teenage years, I spent a lot of time longing. Longing for different friends, longing for certain outcomes in sports/academics, and longing for a place. I’ve always had a firm faith in Christianity, but as the world became increasingly distant and lonely, I began to see that, too, as less than enough.
I began writing because the page always listened. I began writing because the page never asked questions or waited impatiently for answers or ran out of time to hear my thoughts. I wrote short stories and “books” as a child, but I didn’t begin writing with intention until I felt trapped. Between a rock and a hard place; between outcomes and purpose.
I wrote and published my first memoir when I was sixteen. Since then, I’ve continued to write. It has helped me find my faith in a stronger way, and to feel more confident in myself.
Throughout my younger years, I believed that my calling and purpose were vested in medicine. My dream, all the way up until my first semester of college, was to become a Medical Doctor. And then I met something new. This something intrigued me. It horrified me, yet it grounded me. It allowed me to find something I was even more passionate about than medicine.
That something was American Sign Language and Deaf Culture.
Seeing the lack of resources and awareness toward these topics pushed me to pursue a different path, one of Public Health and Occupational Therapy. I struggled a lot with the feeling that my purpose “changed”, and questions such as “what if this change is a mistake?” infiltrated my mind. I can’t say that there’s one easy way to fix thoughts and questions like these, but I will say that both writing and my faith helped me through the process.
Maybe over time, my purpose will change again. Maybe someday I’ll find a new one. Maybe I won’t. No matter what, I am incredibly grateful and excited to have found writing, entrepreneurship, and ASL as callings and passions.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Alongside being a student researcher at the University of Toledo, I am a writer and Beginner-Level American Sign Language (ASL) teacher. I published my first book, entitled “Dear Writing” in December of 2022. Since then, I geared my focus toward writing fiction. I am extremely excited to announce that the first edition of my upcoming trilogy is in the publishing process, expected to release in the summer of 2025. The book’s title is “Wanted”. It’s intriguing, adventurous, compelling ,and even a bit thought-provoking. I am currently in the process of writing the next two parts to this trilogy, and I can’t wait to share them!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three most impactful qualities for me in finding and pursuing my purpose are motivation, excitement, and imagination. I firmly believe that nothing worth fighting for comes easily, and although the journey may be long and tiring, the destination is worth every moment. Be MOTIVATED to take that first step, then the second, then the third, and so on! The light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t always shine bright, but it never burns out either. Be EXCITED! Think about how you feel starting your journey, and how you will feel when you finish. Think positively about the world’s reaction to your work. Finally, be IMAGINATIVE! No two minds think the same, therefore the work of your mind can never be replicated. What an incredible gift! Let your mind wander, be observant, watch as stories and art and all types of new ideas flood your mind. Enjoy those moments!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I pray and I write. Prayer will always be my first reaction to mental distress like feeling overwhelmed or panicked, and thus far, it has never let me down in terms of making me feel better. After that, I sit down with my laptop and do the thing I love most. What’s amazing about fictional stories is that they help a person dissociate from their own lives. Even if it’s for a short amount of time, this dissociation from my own frustrations helps me grasp them. Once I grasp them, I can find ways to improve them. Stepping out of my own shoes and into those of a character grounds me. It keeps me from becoming too angry or upset at a situation, and it keeps me humble.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allabout.amanda?igsh=bW01MmE1MmphaXhx&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-abraham-735720314?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
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