Story & Lesson Highlights with Amanda Ray Newman of Columbus

Amanda Ray Newman shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Amanda Ray, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Loneliness. I sometimes wonder if we even recognize the connection between feelings of melancholy and a lack of community. Making friends doesn’t have to be hard. Ask someone to lunch. Show up with an intentional question or two. Be curious and willing to share who you are as well. Ask questions about their dreams or what they enjoyed when life was carefree. Don’t waste too much time on the surface. Go deeper. Make a specific plan to get together again.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Amanda Ray Newman. On the surface, it may appear that I am perpetually chasing butterflies. Life is colorful, fun, and effervescent. Like a butterfly following the scent of sweet nectar, I know my why. I am obsessed with encouraging people to reignite their passions and discover their purpose. My mediums are art and storytelling. Whether it is standing on stages as a keynote speaker, equipping audiences to ‘Color Outside the Lines,” facilitating hands-on workshops, or using art to paint stories and capture significance, I am energized when people light up with a fresh idea, a renewed sense of purpose, and clues to their calling. I want people to stop accepting the mundane as unavoidable and get excited about their days and minutes!

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
You may think my first trip to a third-world country was an Instagram-worthy experience, but in reality, it was a massive discouragement. I saw my weaknesses glow compared to everyone else on that trip, and vowed never to return. Until the local pastor we had come to serve became curious about the quiet girl who was hiding in the shadows. It turned out that my role in Rwanda would line up seamlessly with my unique gifts and skills in a way I never dreamed possible. Six months later, I was back in Africa, working with women in local villages, teaching them art and creative skills that they used to transform their lives. The products they make are sold throughout the US and can be found at www.dogoodproject.net. In that experience, I learned that creativity connects people in all facets of life. Nothing brings me more joy than when I am painting murals in a space still under construction, and burly workers open their photo app to show me art they quietly create. Creativity is relationship glue. I’m forever in awe of how living in this world has brought such rich beauty to my life.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I hold a master’s degree in Counseling. After completing my internship, I was rejected from every job I applied for, including the internship site. In that moment, I assumed I wasn’t good enough to do the thing I had been building for my whole life. I didn’t have mentors or people who told me what was normal or helped me brainstorm ideas. I walked those early years alone, assuming my own lack was the problem. It’s so easy to get discouraged when the only voice speaking into your life is your own.

I don’t regret the shift in my life. I never would have discovered my love for art and storytelling, and NEVER would have considered being an author or keynote speaker if my counseling career had panned out the way I expected. My faith helps me look for deeper meaning and connections in those plot twists. Looking back, my life as a counselor would have been fine. I would have been content. But the ‘no’ changed my trajectory in ways that still leave me shocked. I am a butterfly that gets to fly to amazing places and land on many flowers I never would have known existed. Ironically, my counseling degree is now a key component of my speaking career.

As for healing….I was asked to paint a mural at my internship site–fifteen years after my time there. As I was painting, I noticed an older woman staring at me. “You were an intern here, weren’t you?” Yes mam. “Why didn’t you come back to work here?” Well…I tried, but didn’t get a job. *genuine shock*. “They missed that one. You were one of the good ones.” Just like that, a wound that had long since scabbed over healed. I was enough. They just missed me. Or maybe they didn’t. Their yes would have led me down the wrong path.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My faith shapes my worldview and my ‘why’. I believe very deeply that Jesus died to set us free. Christianity doesn’t always represent Jesus well…I struggle to find the words to untangle truth from belief or religion. So instead, I share my story. I share my quiet moments with scripture or prayer. I don’t feel the urge to defend or attack. If I believe Jesus is who He claimed to be, I don’t have to argue. That’s not my goal or purpose. I want people to meet Jesus and learn the joy and wonder of following HIM. If you are curious about what walking by faith looks like, walk with me. I don’t get it right all the time, but I am honest and real. We can figure it out together!

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
My gut reaction is laundry, but that would be a tough year 3 :).

Honestly, I chose this question, then realized I don’t have a great answer. I am 47 years old. I come from a lineage of heart disease. I really may only have 10 years. That reality is never something I’m naive about. There are very few unwanted things I let tag along with me.

Unpopular opinion: I hate the mantra ‘you have to learn to say no.’ I say yes. I say yes to adventure, the next idea that lights me up, lunch with friends, pizza and Diet Coke, a long walk, being generous with my time and resources, cloud gazing, card games, and a trip. I also say yes to lying quietly when I’m exhausted, and yes to asking for help. I shift the concept from negative and protecting to empowering and expanding. I say yes because it’s the best word. When you say yes to things that you love or even like, it’s not that different from setting up boundaries, except it is a lot more fun.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandaraynewman.com
• Instagram: @amandaraynewman
• Linkedin: @amandaraynewman
• Facebook: @amandaraynewman
• Youtube: @amandaraynewman

Image Credits
Jenna Allen
Eliza Raines