We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anfernee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anfernee, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I can remember when I first learned what imposter syndrome was. It was like finding out something about yourself for the first time. I wasn’t sure what to think about it. Was I overly-impressionable? Was I a weaker man than I wanted to be? Why did I care about what people thought of me? I still don’t know why that was my default thought pattern. What I do know is that it took a lot of work to get to a point where I was comfortable in my own skin. I spent a lot of time in therapy and in prayer. I had to realize that it was OK to be myself.
At the time, I didn’t know who ‘I’ was. Maybe we’ll get to that.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m really trying to learn who I am as a person myself. I know that it sounds cliche or woowoo, but I’ve been very intentional about that lately. It’s been one of the most important things to me. When I realized that I shouldn’t try to bend and mold myself in order to fit in, I started looking for the real me.
As a consequence of that: I’ve gone to college, I’ve started an agribusiness, and I’ve learned who and why I am. I’ve learned that I love to garden. I love public speaking, and want to get better at it. I want learn gourmet cooking. I’ve also learned that I love to grow and develop as a person.
On the homestead, we’re gearing up to launch a coaching program to help others take the first steps to retake control of their own food, like we are doing. I’m excited about this because it means that more people can gain food sovereignty and become less dependent on the house of cards that is our food system.
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?
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but there are things that come to mind.
1. I had to learn that it was OK to be me. I spent so much time worrying about how I compared until I realized that it didn’t matter how I measured up to anyone else. I didn’t care if I had the conformation of the modern black man.
2. I had to learn humility so that I could be willing to admit my faults. If I couldn’t do that, I couldn’t grow out of them. This has been such a useful skill to have over recent years, and I’m glad that I took it up.
3. Becoming a homesteader and learning to grow food has brought peace, quiet, and stillness to my life. That was like a breathe of fresh air. A blank canvas for a new self-portrait.
I find myself advising myself and others to slow down. Be intentional and pay attention to your life.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book! The Bible has been a valuable treasure to me. When I first looked into the mirror, confused by what I saw, the bible was my Rosetta Stone.
1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
These are some of the nuggets that have been my light in the darkness.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bignuffhomestead_?igsh=MTRhYTlvN3g3MmJ1dQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BddPR4Mnf/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anferneemcd?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
