Kindly Kenzie

To the Athlete That is Going Through an Injury, First off, I want to acknowledge that injuries stink. Especially when they disable you from playing a sport you love. At this point in your life you have probably been eating, breathing, and sleeping sports. They have been your main life focus. Your release. Your happy place. You identify as “an athlete” and this injury has taken that away. Everybody acknowledges “how strong you are”, because you’re working toward a recovery. But while you may seem strong on the outside, your heart is broken. Life isn’t the same and neither is your role on the team. I know it doesn’t make anything better, but I know how you feel. Millions of people know how you feel. You are not alone in this process. So, I want to give you advice. From someone who became pretty good at being an injured athlete. ·         Take the time to work through the mental aspect of the injury. o    Honestly, a large portion...

In the midst of this global pandemic, I have been looking back on pictures and memories of previous travels to fulfill the adventure bug within me. Some of my favorite adventures were solo. Whether it was a week at Disney World, going out to eat by myself, or taking a day trip by myself; all of these trips have built me into the person I am today. Society has instilled into us that we should have others with us when we go out in public. We often see pictures of someone eating alone at a sit down restaurant with a caption that has the idea: “They must not have anyone. How sad?” But instead of feeling pity, we should feel empowered by people living their lives doing what they want, when they want!  It took me a while to figure out why people rarely adventure by themselves. But, after discussing adventures with other people I realized people don’t think they can do things by themselves.They lack the confidence to come over the fear that is instilled in us as a society...

I have not always had God in my life. But, letting Him into my heart has alleviated many mental stresses and instilled a sense faith into my life that has changed me for the better.  I was a lucky that  God sent me many friends to help me kindle a relationship with Him in high school. At first ,I was oblivious. He had to send so many people on several occasions before I caught on to what He wanted for me. Luckily, the people He sent were open about their relationship with Him and helped me realize I needed one, too. Let’s start at the very beginning with a young Kenzie who was clueless about the ways which a relationship with the Lord would change her life. In middle school, I started attending functions that were geared toward helping kids in their walk with God. I attended Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) camps and was scared to open my heart to God. I had accepted God as my Lord and Savior at one of the evening chapels during the warm summer nights of camp. I ...

We've all heard, “The first step to recovery is acknowledging there is a problem.” This sounds extremely simple but is one of the most difficult mental mountains to climb. Imagine setting off for a trek where the first peak is the most exhausting, challenging peak of the entire trip. Would you feel discouraged during this climb? Would you contemplate turning back? Or would you power through to the top? These are much like the options and thoughts we must address in order to seek mental and emotional help. All of the difficulties that block the path of getting help is the troubling incline of the mountain. There will be doubt, it will be hard, but it's okay. The top of the mountain is nearer. When you finally receive help, you will have conquered the trek. Acknowledging that you have a problem and need help is the first peak in your mental health journey. It is by far the hardest step in the process. Acknowledgement requires an active mental state. It requires you to...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But how many words is it worth if the same picture is captured from a new angle or is placed in a new frame? These minor adjustments may be worth more than a thousand words, as new details become obvious to the eye. The new details may morph the original 1000 words into a new meaning and the photo may show a completely opposite story. We can decide how to frame a photo or the angle we shoot the photo, much like we can choose how we frame our thoughts. In the last year, I have been on a journey in all aspects. This has led to many lessons, but I believe the most important was learning how to reframe situations in my mind. I was good at thinking I was being “realistic”. Even if that was true, I was seeing things in a glass half empty manner. This thought process sent my anxiety over the edge and caused so much mental stress. Finally, I had a great friend tell me that I needed to stop seeing things in “black and white” and start seeing th...