Meet Makenzie Morgan

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Makenzie Morgan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Makenzie, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I believe it all starts from the beginning, where I grew up, the way I was raised and the people which I was surrounded by. I remember as a small girl growing up on the Native American Reservation in a 3-bedroom 1 bath house with my mom, brother, grandma and uncle. A place where I didn’t feel we had anything less than everyone else in the world. It’s a place that has helped shape who I am and has given me clarity into who I want to become. I didn’t know it then, but many, many years later I know that everything I experienced there has made an impact, whether big or small, in my story. It’s a rare occasion that people leave and start their own lives off the reservation but my mom, brother and I ended up being the first in our family to move off the reservation and create a life far greater than what we knew. My mom was a single parent doing everything that she could to give my brother and myself a life full of experiences, love, generosity, adventure, and kindness. We grew up with all the necessities, but we were also frugal with what we had, as my mom worked multiple jobs to allow us to follow our passions. She showed me firsthand the power of being resilient. Nothing was ever handed to us. If we wanted something, we were the ones that needed to find a way to make it happen. I don’t believe we are born with resilience. I think a resilient mindset comes from challenging experiences, trials and tribulations. We had been put in many situations in life which could have completely defined our story. The simple fact is this, just because the season of life we were in may have been nothing like we had dreamed things to be doesn’t mean it didn’t have a purpose. The bullying, violence, unknowns, sadness, insecurities, negativity all made me realize that there are plenty of beautiful moments in between as well. The mountain may be steep to reach your destination but all you need is some grit, time and a little bit of faith. YOU WILL make it up the mountain you just have to be willing to take a few bumps and bruises along the way. They say that the view from the top of the mountain is beautiful and let me tell you it absolutely is. My story is only beginning. We have so many more chapters and mountains to climb but I am ready for whatever journey comes my way!

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I wear many hats in my day-to-day life! I am a licensed esthetician and own my own small business, I work at my local news station in the sales department, I am a photographer, pageant coach, co-director for a youth development program, hair and make-up artist, co-founder of my passion project called Be the Stone and a wife! Whew… I truly like to keep myself busy from the salon and helping individuals feel confident in themselves to making the community a better place for all, one kind act at a time. You can always find me out and about enjoying all life has to offer. My passion project Be the Stone is something that has been in the works since 2011and has become an extension of who I am. I started this project because as a young girl in middle school I saw so much negativity coming from my peers. I saw and experienced firsthand the way someone’s words can impact you and how the way people treat you can cause harm. My mom and I came up with Be the Stone as a way for us to flip the narrative on the way we treat others. Have you ever skipped a rock across a pond or a lake? You know when it hits the water it creates these beautiful ripples that travel out across the water… you and I are the ripples of kindness. All it takes is one small act of kindness to create a larger ripple effect that may impact one person, or it may impact thousands. Whether it is one, ten, one hundred or one thousand you may have just completely changed the way someone looks at the world. There is POWER inside all of us. All you need to do is start your ripple of kindness. Be the Stone has also branched off and created the Kindness Krew, allowing groups of people to gather and make kindness stops as a community. We do signs of kindness where we stand out on the street with signs that say positive affirmations/phrases and just smile and wave at people as they are driving by. It’s the simplest of actions that make a big impact. I am excited to spend time expanding beyond just my state and work on creating kindness ambassadors that will help spread the message and have a heart for service and kindness. It’s time to take this beyond my state and really start bringing people together again. Love and kindness go hand in hand and where there is kindness there is healing. It is time to heal our communities one kind act at a time.

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?

There are plenty of skills and qualities that have played a role in my journey to where I am at today, but I think communication, determination and kindness are the ones that have been the foundation and pivotal building blocks of all that has been and is yet to come. When you are looking at starting something new, remodeling something that already exists or even helping someone follow their dreams you must be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas with others. As much as we all wish someone could read our minds, the truth is, it is impossible. Create a plan, write it out and do whatever it takes to be able to communicate your vision to others. You also need to be willing and open to listen. Communication isn’t just about what you have to say, but also what others are saying as well. Fresh eyes and fresh perspective are huge in achieving your goals. It may be hard, and you may not want to hear it, but more often than not, you all have the same end goal. With any new adventure you start, determination is going to come in handy. There are going to be circumstances in which you will want to throw in the towel and step away from it all… remember your WHY. Don’t give up because I can promise you once you cross that finish line all the in between just disappears. You now get to enjoy the end product and the fruits of your labor. Please also remember to be kind to yourself. You aren’t perfect and there are going to be moments when you think you aren’t enough, or you aren’t doing the right thing. Remember it is all trial and error and you are going to hear it a million times but give yourself grace! You are amazing, wonderful and creating something special.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

Anybody who knows me knows how important my family and my faith are to me. So much of who I am stems from that of my support system. Without my friends, family and God I don’t know that I would have believed in myself to take the leap. When they say it takes a village it truly does. When things got tough, and I wanted to call it quits who was there? My friends and family. When I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing, I prayed and trusted that God was going to point me in the right direction. We aren’t designed to go about life alone. Yes, there are going to be moments when you want to feel independent and in complete control but remember there is always someone in your corner ready to be your biggest cheerleader. Life’s adventures are so much more fun when you are surrounded by people you trust and love. It is never too late to ask for help and allow people to be a pillar of support for you. Your legs, mind and body are going to get tired from walking the path alone and carrying the weight of so much. So why not have people that can help lighten the load on the journey? We are better, TOGETHER!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kindness_krew_ @kenzie_lea_morgan @mlvglam
• Facebook: Be The Stone