Meet Nikki Serenity

We were lucky to catch up with Nikki Serenity recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nikki, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
It actually all started with finding God. It wasn’t until after I became a Christian that I was able to begin my journey of overcoming depression, anxiety, PMDD, etc. I started dealing with chronic depression and anxiety when I was around 11 years old. I dealt with a lot of rejection throughout my entire life, dealt with some bullying, self harm, etc. I had what felt like a dark cloud following me around for over a decade. I felt small glimpses of happiness, but it seemed to only last for seconds. I tried so many different things to try to get better, but nothing worked until I was about 22 and made a decision. I decided that I was going to partner with God and do whatever it would take to overcome this depression. I was so fed up with it that I was going to make it happen. I listened to so many Joyce Meyer videos about depression, anxiety, etc. Her book “Battlefield of the Mind” has the same lessons that I recommend everyone in the world read. I also started listening to videos on how to rewire my brain. Thoughts are like driving through a field. The more you drive through it the bigger the mark is, the stronger that pathway becomes and the easier it is to drive through that spot/have those thoughts. I had to think about what I was thinking about. I had to catch myself thinking a negative thought and force it out of my brain by replacing it with a positive thought. It feels unnatural and uncomfortable at first but that’s one of the things that changed my life. One of the most important things I did to overcome depression was deciding that I wanted to be better more than I wanted attention or pity. People are addicted to attention and pity, and even depression, but most people don’t realize it. I chose to refuse any satisfaction from any attention I might get from the depression. These 3 things along with people praying for my depression, ended up causing my healing. Now I’ve been depression-free for a few years and I want to share with the world the things that worked for me so they can also be free from it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Nikki Serenity * Model, actress, influencer, brand ambassador
* Featured on Dr. Phil season 20 – episode “A Beautiful Rebellion”
* Published in Daily Mail UK, and many other news sources
* Has an episode on the Snapchat show, “The Positivity Fix”
* Published in 85+ magazines/on 13 magazine covers, 24+ music videos, 16 fashion shows, billboards, a music album cover, a mixtape cover, movies, shows, starring role in Zombie Resurrection (which has been in many film festivals and has won many awards), modeling competition reality TV show season 6 winner/season 7 host/also on season 8, main character in short film “The Prosecutor”, etc.
* Worked with Nelly, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, Jay E, and many more

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?
1. Professional training has helped me tremendously during my modeling career. I was trained by Brad Prime (https://www.primephotostl.com) and I’ve made thousands and thousands of dollars from modeling ever since. Before he trained me, I had no idea what I was doing. His training made me the model I am today, and it’s something that will stick with me forever. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to take their modeling career to the next level.

2. Not caring what others think – I used to care so much what everyone thought of me. I was obsessed with wanting everyone to like me. obviously that’s not possible. Not everyone can like us. As I get older and more confident in myself and who I am, I care less and less what other people think of me. Being on Dr. Phil and The Daily Mail, among many other things, I received so many hate comments. Eventually I had to stop reading them and not care. Someone will always have something to say, especially when they have a keyboard to hide behind. There is no sense of accountability when you can hide behind a keyboard and pretend you are someone else. You need the confidence in yourself and security in who you are for it not to matter. This is an area that so many people need to work on. It is worth it because it will change your life.

3. Hard work – It is unlikely for opportunities to just fall in our laps. A lot of people say “Nikki you are so lucky. You get to do all these cool things.” They don’t realize all the hard work I put into it and still continue to put into what I do. All of the hours of networking, getting ready for photo shoots and events, training, and so much more have led me to where I am today. Many models want to be able to do the things I have done but are not willing to put in the work. If you don’t put in the work, you probably won’t get the opportunities. You reap what you sow.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I’m always looking for people to work with. Most often I work with photographers who hire me for their photo shoot ideas. The same goes for videographers and directors who want me to act in their videos, films, shows, music videos, etc. I also enjoy working with many different types of brands as an influencer. I use Instagram and Facebook the most for my influencer posts. I am open to all types of work though, so feel free to reach out if you have an idea!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Model: Nikki Serenity Photographers: Brad Prime / https://www.primephotostl.com, Sal Cincotta, and Yugen Photography Designers: Barbara Bultman Designs and Caroline Williard Makeup: Nikki Serenity, Andrea Van Meter, Tiara Chanell, and Refine Beauty

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