Leaning on Community for Transformation
“Hone in on learning about yourself deeply and find what truly matters to you, what inspires you, and what you want to learn.” That is the advice Matthew Asante, currently working in personal training, would tell his younger self.
“Growing up, I mostly focused on what I thought I should be doing, but I did not explore what piqued my interest and what I wanted to learn. If I could do it over again, I’d hone in more on the things that interested me. Two of those things are photography and art.
Younger people could find immense value in looking at things that truly excite them and finding out if they can develop those things further. Figure out what it is that you want to pursue. Sometimes passions are focal points and sometimes hobbies.
One of my transformation moments came early in my life when I went to a boarding school for high school far away from my family. Being farther away than I was used to and encountering people with different experiences and perspectives from all over the world was new to me. I asked myself, ‘How can I exist in this space and excel?’
The most challenging time was the winter of my junior year. There were historic winter storms accumulating a record amount of snow. Because of that, and the college matriculation process being in full swing, I was struggling in a few of my courses, not making the grades I wanted, and that was weighing me down. How I made it through was by leaning on community.
The sports teams I was on helped but the team that stood out was track and field. Spending time with those coaches and fellow teammates was supportive. They listened, mentored, and helped to alleviate worries. The aftermath of that made me realize, there is not much to be gained from worrying. If you remain steadfast you will get to where you should be.
The university I attended was a very contributing experience. It was closer to home. I had not learned how to drive yet so I was able to learn how to drive while in college. I played soccer there and enjoyed the people I met. Family and friends were nearby and I ended up having a strong academic experience making the dean’s list. That was very validating.
In the last few months, I was considering getting a professional headshot, and through a Google search I found Alissa. When I saw the quality of the pictures, something was different about them. Other companies’ photos had similarities, but Alissa’s stood out.
I looked through the photographs and read some of the testimonials, motivating me to fill out and send the contact form and Alissa called me. Alissa’s attitude was accommodating, indicative of the quality of the experience. She talked me through the process, allowing me to look at the pictures. It was a holistic, all-encompassing process, and I am very happy I was able to go through it. Two months ago, I wouldn’t have imagined this kind of experience but through the conversations and the process, it turned out great.”