An Inspired Chat with Elisa Benitez

We recently had the chance to connect with Elisa Benitez and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Elisa, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
There’s something about looking through a lens that makes the world go quiet. I can get lost for hours—chasing light, framing stories, capturing moments that feel like they’re speaking back to me. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about presence. The act of creating something meaningful from what others might overlook reminds me of who I am and why I observe the world the way I do. It’s where I lose track of time and somehow find more of myself in the process.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Elisa Benitez, the creator behind AYA Readings—an introspective photo-based soul reflection service rooted in truth, presence, and pattern recognition. Through a single image, I help people see themselves through a more honest, ancestral, and energetic lens. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about activating self-awareness and emotional clarity in a world that often encourages hiding. My work lives at the intersection of visual art, psychology, and spiritual insight. Right now, I’m focused on building a quiet but potent space where people come to feel witnessed—without needing to explain themselves.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I believed I was too much and not enough—all at the same time. Too loud, too emotional, too curious. Not quiet enough, not easy enough, not “normal” enough. I thought the goal was to shrink and adapt so I could be loved or accepted. Now, I realize those very qualities—my intensity, my feelings, my questions—are the root of my gift. I no longer try to fit; I build spaces where being fully myself isn’t just safe, it’s celebrated.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I believed I was too much and not enough—all at the same time. Too loud, too emotional, too curious. Not quiet enough, not easy enough, not “normal” enough. I thought the goal was to shrink and adapt so I could be loved or accepted. Now, I realize those very qualities—my intensity, my feelings, my questions—are the root of my gift. I no longer try to fit; I build spaces where being fully myself isn’t just safe, it’s celebrated.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Many smart people are mistaking performance for presence. They optimize their lives for efficiency, output, and optics—assuming clarity comes from logic alone. But wisdom isn’t just in what we can explain; it’s in what we can feel, hold, and sit with. Somewhere along the way, vulnerability got mistaken for weakness, and stillness for laziness. The smartest people I know sometimes miss the point because they’re too busy trying to win the conversation instead of understanding the moment. Intelligence without embodiment can become a very sophisticated form of avoidance.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they say I helped people feel seen when they didn’t know how to show themselves. That I made honesty feel like home and truth feel less scary. That I didn’t just take photos—I captured something invisible and gave people back a part of themselves. I hope they say I was the kind of person who made them pause, reflect, and feel something real. Not perfect. Not polished. But present. And that somehow, in my own way, I reminded them they were never too much and always enough.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Ayareadings

Image Credits
I take all my photos and post them on @theborialix on instagram