We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kenzi Durbin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kenzi below.
Kenzi, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I get my resilience from the challenges I’ve faced in my life, particularly becoming a mother at a young age and then becoming a single mother seven years later. These experiences have taught me the importance of being strong and determined, not only for myself but also for my daughter. I believe that showing her that passion and determination can help us overcome any obstacle has given me the strength to push through difficult times. I am committed to setting a positive example for her and showing her that no matter what life throws at us, we can handle it with grace and perseverance.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
In 2019, I was a military spouse, stay at home mom, foster parent, and full time Criminal Justice student. During this time I was struggling with my mental health and looking for some sort of escape from the daily stress. In college classes on of the classes I was taking was communications, in which we had a project that was an hour long mock podcast. This was something that was brand new to me and I had no idea how I was going preform on the project, but knew that I would do the podcast subject on a topic that I was extremely passion about, true crime. Growing up, true crime had a hold on our household and if you were in our home, you knew that my mom was watching some form of a true crime show. Whether it be Unsolved Mysteries or a show on the ID Channel, she was watching it. When it came down to my project being completed, the feed back from my professor and peers was phenomenal. This gave me the idea of starting a hobby on the side, which was podcasting. That was going to be my escape from the daily stress. At this time, I asked another fellow military spouse and Criminal Justice student, if she wanted to be a co-host and join me on this new adventure. This is how Crimeaholics came about. I originally planned for the podcast to be solely for entertainment. However, that all changed when I interviewed the McAllister family from St. Petersburg, Florida. Their daughter Taylor’s gruesome murder is still unsolved to this day. That is when the podcast changed from entertainment to advocacy. During my time as the the Host of Crimeaholics, I have interviewed and worked with many families who have missing and murdered loved ones. What is special about this is that I have been given the blessing of becoming a part of their family as well, while being able to cover their story. A story that has created one of the biggest heartbreaks a human can go through and they allow me into their family. From this, I have been given the opportunity to film in two different true crime documentaries and work on several different projects. Over the last six months I have taken a step away from the microphone, but this year I will be launching a brand new podcast where I focus on small town missing and murder cases.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back on my journey, I believe that the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that have been most impactful for me are compassion and empathy, communication and authenticity skills, and the willingness to understand that there is always more to learn.
For those who are early in their journey, my advice would be to focus on developing and improving upon these qualities, skills, and knowledge areas. First, cultivating compassion and empathy will allow you to connect with others on a deeper level and understand their perspectives and emotions. This will help you build stronger relationships and foster a more positive work environment.
Secondly, honing your communication and authenticity skills will enable you to effectively convey your thoughts and feelings to others in a clear and genuine manner. This will help you build trust with your colleagues and allow you to navigate conflicts and challenges more effectively.
Lastly, embracing the mindset that there is always room for growth and learning is crucial in any journey. Remaining humble and open to new experiences and knowledge will allow you to continuously improve and adapt in an ever-changing world.
Overall, my advice to those who are early in their journey is to prioritize compassion and empathy, communication and authenticity skills, and a willingness to learn and grow. By focusing on these areas, you will be better equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come your way.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
They taught me that I have the power to overcome adversity and that my past does not have to define me. Their words of encouragement and support have stayed with me throughout my life and have inspired me to push through difficult situations and strive for success. Their belief in me has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams and never give up, no matter what challenges come my way. I am grateful for their unwavering belief in me and the positive impact it has had on my life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisiskenzi_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alison.mellor.18
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzie-durbin-10a912200/
