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In Bloom Author Q&A

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Oct 22nd

Q&A with Kayla Aimee

Author of In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence

What led you to write about insecurity and confidence in your second book?

Insecurity was just so enmeshed with my life story. It has been a long process of overcoming and learning to rewrite the narrative of my inner monologue to reflect God’s promises and I believe wholeheartedly that when you find freedom through Scripture from a source of pain, it’s a gift to be able to invite others into that.

And I think that this particular issue isn’t unique to me, I think we as women all collectively understand the experience of feeling insecure, or inadequate, or ashamed to varying degrees. I also think that those feelings keep us isolated, and so I think it is a beautiful thing to be able to use those experiences as a point of connection for women–because that is the very thing that God does, redeems what is broken and brings beauty from ashes. Instead of feeling alone in those emotions, we can learn to overcome them together while being in community. That is an incredible gift.

 

Why do you think self-doubt and insecurity are such prevalent issues in the lives of women today? Do you it is more prevalent in today’s world or is it just that we are more aware of it?

I firmly believe that insecurity is more prevalent in the lives of women today as a result of the digital landscape of our current culture. Never before have we had such unfettered access to the opinions and expectations of others. Never before have we been so inundated with imagery that suggests certain standards of beauty. The currency of the internet is validation and the things we share among our social network have this instant response in the form of “likes.” We are constantly being measured, in a way, and that creates an unspoken pressure to measure up or a fear that we might be found lacking by comparison. It’s important to be aware of it, so that we are able to recognize its lure and remember that we possess the promises of our true value.

 

What would you share with your younger self about insecurity?

This is something we all wish we could do, right? Go back and give advice to our younger self. Maybe warn ourselves about the perils of bangs. I’d definitely tell Younger Me that she doesn’t have to try so hard. Younger Me spent a lot of time striving—trying to attain something—acceptance, love, perfection. A prom date. And that manifested itself in feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, because I never felt like I measured up. But God has given us an inheritance of belonging, one that is a gift and not earned. I’d introduce Younger Me to the freedom that is found in making our inner narrative one that mimics the promises of Scripture.

 

What symptoms should women watch for when they feel self-doubt and insecurity creep into (or back into) their lives?

Discontentment, bitterness, envy, and resentment all grow from the roots of insecurity. Usually this begins with negative self-talk. I think if you find that your inner narrative is becoming unkind, or that you are saying things about yourself that you would hate to hear a friend say about themselves, that is a good sign to pause and reflect and walk through some of the exercises in the book meant to re-center that narrative to be in line with God’s promises to us. Insecurity makes us feel restless so learning to recognize that is a first step toward restoration.

 

How do you hope readers are changed after reading In Bloom?

More than anything I hope In Bloom encourages them to feel less alone but also that it serves as a tangible resource to guide them in reframing their inner monologue. The book walks readers through identifying the deep-seated sources of our insecurity and replacing them with steadfast truths of affirmations. I hope this serves as a touchstone to continuously point back to the truth of God’s word as it relates His love for us. And I hope it helps them to embrace not only their unique personality but the boldness of who they are in Christ.