May 15, 2025 • 54 mins
In this soul-nourishing episode of the H.E.A.L. Her Podcast, I sit down with the powerful and purposeful Kenisha Hanson, a certified personal development coach, cancer survivor, and AI wellness strategist. Together, we dive deep into her journey of transformation, from surviving cancer to redefining success on her own terms.
Kenisha opens up about what it really means to cultivate peace, how she’s learned to embrace her emotions, and why technology can be a powerful tool for healing and introspection. We talk about identity, grief, alignment, and the courage to slow down and choose wholeness over hustle.
Topics We Cover:
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Redefining success through the lens of peace and alignment
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Emotional awakening after cancer
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Using AI as a tool for self-awareness
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Grief, resilience, and post-traumatic wisdom
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The power of showing up as your authentic self
This episode is a reminder that healing isn’t linear—and that we’re not meant to do it alone.
Grab your tea, your journal, and your heart—because this one is deep.
Connect with Kenisha Hanson online: Website Instagram
Book: Peace Your Way to Success
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Podcast music produced by:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Makini Smith (00:00):
I'm Makini Smith. After going through a
divorce, my sister passing away, experiencing narcissistic
abuse and some significant health scares, I
realized through sharing my story that I
wasn't alone in my suffering. Suffering, subjective
distress generated by the experience of being
out of balance in a deep dive
to holistically heal mind, body and soul
(00:22):
is where I discovered peace, clarity and
connection. It is impossible to be truly
wise without some real life hardship and
we cannot develop post traumatic wisdom without
making it through and most importantly, through
it together. Social connection builds resilience and
resilience helps create post traumatic wisdom and
(00:46):
that wisdom leads to hope. Hope for
you and others, witnessing and participating in
your healing and hope for your community.
A healthy community is a healing community
and a healing community is full of
hope because it has seen its own
people weather, survive and thrive. Before we
(01:26):
get started, here's a quick reminder. Your
healing starts with your thoughts in my
second book, 111 affirmations to help you
heal. It's your daily guide to shifting
from self doubt to self love. Speak
life over yourself and grab your copy
today on Amazon or@mckinneysmith.com Today's guest is
(01:50):
Kenesha Hansen. She's a certified Personal Development
coach, author, facilitator and AI Wellness strategist
dedicated to helping individuals and organizations align
with their values, cultivate peace, and redefine
success on their own terms. As the
author of Peace youe Way to Success,
(02:10):
Kenesha combines holistic well being and intentional
goal setting to support professionals in navigating
life's transitions with clarity and ease. As
a cancer survivor, Kenesha's journey reshaped her
understanding of resilience, purpose and self compassion,
insights she now shares through her coaching,
(02:32):
facilitation and corporate leadership training. She's been
featured in Style Canada and has led
transformative conversations at wellness retreats, professional organizations
and entrepreneurial spaces. As an emerging voice
in the intersection of AI and wellness,
Kenesha is passionate about leveraging AI technology
(02:52):
as a tool for self awareness, introspection
and sustainable success. Whether guiding professionals through
life changing transitions, facilitating workshops, or empowering
organizations to cultivate well being in the
workplace, her work is rooted in peace,
alignment and meaningful impact. So please welcome
(03:14):
to the show Kenesha Hansen.
Kenisha Hanson (03:17):
Thank you, thank you.
Makini Smith (03:19):
Thank you so much for agreeing to
come on and share your story with
us today. You know, especially when I
see other women who are entrepreneurs, who
are building their own businesses, who are
dealing with their own challenges life, I
definitely don't take it for granted that
you were Here. You could be anywhere
in the world right now, and you
choose to be here. So thank you.
Kenisha Hanson (03:40):
You are so welcome. I'm so happy
to be here. Happy. Finally got to
do this.
Makini Smith (03:46):
I'm excited to jump in because I
feel like I get more excited when
I get to interview people that I,
quote, unquote, kind of know. You know,
those people that you follow on social
for years, people that you work with.
But I feel like doing the podcast
gives me an opportunity to get to
know you deeper. It gives us an
opportunity to connect on a deeper level.
And I love being able to also
(04:08):
share that with the listeners because they
kind of, you know, get to be
like a fly on the wall listening
to, like, two girlfriends talk. So I'm
excited. So, okay. I love to start
the show with kind of going back,
taking things back to, you know, the
very beginning before we get to where
(04:28):
you are presently. So for you, I
would love to know, like, what shaped
your sense of purpose before you became
a coach and got into, like, wellness?
Kenisha Hanson (04:42):
How far back are we talking?
Makini Smith (04:46):
We can go as far back as
you can think. For some people, that
could be, you know, childhood, something that
sparked that. For some people, it could
be your teenage years. It could be
early adulthood. Like, just take us back
to, I guess, where you decided that
you wanted to get into wellness. You
(05:07):
know, I guess where you decided you
wanted to be a coach in. In
that space where that started for you.
Kenisha Hanson (05:13):
I think, as far as I can
remember, and maybe I wasn't calling it
wellness then, but I know for sure
I would take it back to probably
high school when I could probably remember,
like, wanting to help people, wanting to
go down the psychology realm. And that's
when I decided that I was going
(05:34):
to be a psychologist. Right. Like, that
was, like, the thing I had to
do it, you know, there was no
other, not nothing else that I could
do and be. And I think just
that trajectory just sent me on, you
know, where I am now. And while
I'm not a psychologist today, and I'm
sure we'll dive into a little bit
more about that, the idea of understanding
how people navigate the world, how people
think, how even how I think, and
(05:54):
just being a support for individuals definitely
started. Started as far as I can
remember that and make it may have
been before, but what I can remember
around that time. Okay.
Makini Smith (06:04):
Okay. So. Okay, can you share, I
guess, a moment when you realize that
your healing wasn't, I guess, about returning
to who you were, but becoming someone
new?
Kenisha Hanson (06:19):
Okay, so we're just gonna jump on
it. That was an amazing question. And
I would have to say that it
was somewhere, somewhere after remission, somewhere after
remission, somewhere after all of the conversations
with God, the questions to God, you
(06:41):
know, about, you know, all of the
things that have happened. There was a
point where I was just, like. It
came to me and it was like,
okay, well, maybe this was. This is
a part of something bigger. This is
a part that I may never know
why I may never know, you know,
what the purpose of all of this
was. But I don't think that this
was supposed to take me out. Right?
There was supposed to be a story
(07:02):
here, and that's actually why I ended
up writing Piece youe Way to Success
in that I never had any intentions
of being a writer. It was never
a dream of mine, never a hope,
a wish, a prayer, any of those
things to be an author. But again,
like, I am a spiritual person, and
I did feel like it was something
that I was supposed to do. Like,
this story is not my own. This
(07:23):
story wasn't for me to just, you
know, go through all of this challenge
and navigate all of this pain for
no reason. It was to reach someone.
And maybe I may never meet them.
But I think that was when I
realized, like, wow, this was. This is
beyond me. And if we take a
step back, one of the things that
I kind of. I toyed with was
like, maybe it had to be me,
(07:44):
right? It had to be me because
it couldn't be someone else in my
circle, because how would I deal with
that? I'm the person that loves to
support people and be there for people.
How would I deal with that on
the flip side? So maybe had to
be me. Maybe he got equipped me
with everything that I needed to navigate
this. And quite frankly, I believe that
he did, because here I am, like,
(08:06):
okay.
Makini Smith (08:07):
That leads me, like, I have so
many questions now, because originally I was
going to ask, you know, I guess
when you. Or I guess when you
first got diagnosed with cancer, like, explain
walking us through that journey. But now
you're also you. You talked about, you
know, your healing, beginning with remission and
the lesson of, like, what if it
(08:27):
was someone else? And how it's, I
guess, shaped you. So, okay, so let's
start with the initial diagnosis. If you're
comfortable with that, walk us through what
that was like for you.
Kenisha Hanson (08:41):
Yeah, so. So initial diagnosis was a
journey in itself. I think it started
with. I had some back pain. It
was just like. It was. It was
more like discomfort, I would describe it
as. It was like an annoying Discomfort.
I went to go get massages, and
I don't. I'm not like a massage
person. I don't love massages, but I
(09:03):
went to get a massage, I'm like,
oh, maybe there's, like, something happening there.
And it wouldn't go away. I got
a Thai massage. I had someone standing
on my back, doing all sorts of
things, just trying to get out whatever
it was.
And I was just like, all right,
this isn't working. And then I think
there was a point where it began
radiating to my chest, and I was
just like. And at that moment, like,
everything stopped for me because I was
so nervous. So a bit of backstory.
(09:25):
A year prior, my mom was diagnosed
with what's called neuromyelitis optica, and it
left her completely paralyzed. So it's autoimmune
disease that presents similar to ms, but
it's not Ms. And that the attacks
are quite severe. So whereas Ms. Can
be quite gradual. Neuromyelitis optica. Like, she
was paralyzed within a day and a
half. Yeah. By the time I took
(09:46):
her to the hospital, she was getting
pain lifted in and out of bed,
and her started with back pain.
So for me, in that moment, when
it started to radiate to my chest
and it actually turned into. From discomfort
to pain, I was just like, oh,
my gosh. Could, like, can this actually
be the same thing? Like, I have
to take care of my mother. How
can I now be paralyzed and take
care of a paralyzed person? Like this?
(10:07):
This. I don't have capacity for that.
So I went to the doctor, or
actually I went to the hospital. And
that was when I realized.
I went to the hospital and I
said, this is what was going on.
This is what I'm feeling. And unfortunately,
the usual kind of dismissal. Oh, it
doesn't seem like anything. We'll do an
ultrasound. Oh, there's nothing there. So they
(10:28):
sent me home, and I was just
like, nah, something is not right. So
I went back, and they're like, okay,
we'll do this. I think they did
some other. Some other test, and they're
like, okay, we'll book you in for
a ct. So I went back home,
and I didn't get a phone call,
and I was just like, okay, all
right. So I went back. Yeah, I
(10:50):
went back, I packed my bag, I
took the day off work, and I
was just like, okay, I'm here. They're
like, oh, why didn't you wait? Like,
it's going to take so long if
you.
If you just come and I'm Just
like, that's okay. I took the day
off. I will wait as long as
it takes. Something's not right. They, you
know, told me, oh, you probably just
need an antacid. Like, nothing's wrong. Like,
nothing on the. On the scans and
the ultrasounds showed that there was anything
(11:11):
wrong. Like, you could probably just take
an antacid and go home and we'll
call you. And I was like, no,
I'm okay. I'll wait. So I waited
and I got the test done, and
my doctor in Emerge, he was a
white man.
And when they got the results back,
he called me to the back, and
I will never forget his face. He
(11:32):
turned into an absolute ghost. He, again,
he was already white and he just
looked ghostly. Like, the look on his
face. I knew for certain this was
not going to be good. And so
he said to come into the room.
I said, oh, like, can my partner
come in? And he said, no. Again,
indicators that something was not okay.
Yeah. And so I walked into the
(11:53):
room and he's just like, oh, my
God, I am so sorry. He's like,
I dismissed you and I thought it
was absolutely nothing. And I'm pretty sure
you have cancer. And I was just
like, huh? Yeah. Like, just like, yeah.
And so I was literally admitted that
day.
Makini Smith (12:10):
I have goosebumps right now. Like, I
am so sorry you even had to
deal with that. And I can only
imagine the level of frustration and, like,
from that. There's two main things that
I want the listeners to. To. To
highlight. One, the importance of listening to
your body, being aware of the signs.
(12:30):
Because we can often, especially as women,
be dismissive of our own pain and
discomfort because we're so used to it,
right? So the importance of listening to
your body. And two, the importance of
advocating for yourself because, girl, I get
it. I have had the medical system
be dismissive of me and had major
(12:52):
things wrong. I've had the medical system
be dismissive of my daughter who was
sick for three years and almost died.
I had the medical system be dismissive
of my sister who ended up passing
away. So I get it. So being
your own advocate, even when they tell
you nothing is wrong, I am so
upset for you right now.
Kenisha Hanson (13:13):
Like I almost said for you. Like,
it's. It's. It's. It's. It's just. Honestly,
it's just so unfortunate, right? It's so
unfortunate that we have to do this
and we have to fight when we're
already dealing with all of the emotions
that is coming with whatever ailment we
are Navigating, right. To then fight still
for someone to take us seriously. So,
yeah, it was, it wasn't, it wasn't
(13:35):
great. It wasn't a great experience. But
I can say that afterwards my care
was, was fantastic. And I, and I
chuck it up to, you know, our
health system and all of the things
that they're. Unfortunately, they become numb to
all of what's happening and we no
longer become real people. And then you
add the layer of being a black
woman. We don't have to get too
(13:55):
deep into that, but, you know, it
is. That's where we are in the
world. And it's unfortunate.
Makini Smith (14:01):
Stats absolutely show that we are dismissed
for our health concerns. That it's almost
like we're expected to, to have this
pain and a lot of it is
like trauma within the body, stress, all
the other things, but we're dismissed and
it's not addressed. And I do understand,
you know, with the healthcare system being
(14:23):
over overloaded or overwhelmed and understaffed and
all the things, but at the end
of the day, we are people.
Kenisha Hanson (14:29):
Exactly.
Makini Smith (14:30):
And it is my hope that anyone
who gets into the health profession is
in it to help people to heal,
to help people to get better. Like,
to help, not dismiss.
Kenisha Hanson (14:41):
Exactly. And to just keep that human
element. Right. Like, yes, it's your job.
Yes, it's something that you're doing day
in and day out. But like, to
your point, like, we are human, as
are you. Right. My mother. Nurse. Right.
And they sent her home with Tylenol
threes, and the following day she was
left paralyzed. So, you know, like, we
are human. And it can be you.
(15:01):
It can be something. Love.
Makini Smith (15:04):
Yeah. It's so scary. And, you know,
I've shared a few times on the
podcast. Like, I've kind of glossed over
it because I'm almost immune to it.
Where I've had multiple cancer scares. You
know, breast cancer runs in my family.
My mom's sisters, two of them, I
believe, have died from cancer. Breast cancer.
Most of the women in my family
have had issues with fibroids and cyst.
(15:28):
You know, I think probably almost every
year it feels like Since I was
18, I have found a lump in
my rest. So I'm. I'm used to
having to go to the doctor. Just
what, beginning of April, I found a
massive lump in my breast. They said
it was a complicated cyst with an
infection around it. Like, I'm just so
used to having to go and do
the ultrasounds and, you know, all of
(15:50):
all the tests and. But it's like
we don't realize if we're not advocating
for our own health because of other
humans who were tired and overworked and
burnt out, how it can be dismissed.
It is so important for us to
advocate for ourselves. And if you feel
that the medical system isn't doing you
(16:12):
justice to seek alternative sources. Because my
daughter had, I not like, for, for
three years, she was so sick and
she was going to emerge almost weekly
and they were just putting her on
IV and sending her home. And she
had a vomiting condition and it was
so bad that she had lost over
50 pounds every time she went in.
She, you know, her, all of her
(16:32):
levels were super low. Finally couldn't take
it anymore. She couldn't take it anymore
because she couldn't function. She couldn't even
consume water and keep it down. The
poor child was like suffering and her
mental health was declining. And she was
like, I can't do this anymore, mom.
Like, I don't want to be here
anymore. And I had to take matters
into my own hand and look at
all, all kinds of alternative medicines, like
(16:54):
taking her to homeopathic doctor, naturopathic doctor.
Like I. Everything under the sun, nothing
was covered, like draining money out of
my pocket. But at the end of
the day, her life is what matters.
And if I wasn't, if I, if
I was solely dependent on our medical
system, she probably wouldn't be here today.
And it's like, thank God, you know,
(17:16):
through the homeopathic doctor and the naturopathic
doctor, they're like, this child is on
the verge of heart attack or stroke.
You know, her body is full of
toxins. She had lead poisoning. She had
like all kinds of, you know, poisons
within her body. And thank God today
she's super healthy. She has her, like,
(17:37):
shortly after her body being detoxed and
her getting well, she got pregnant. Has
my granddaughter, whose name is Miracle because
her life is a miracle because her
mom is here, right? But if we
hadn't gone to alternative medicine, God only
knows, like, she probably wouldn't be here.
Kenisha Hanson (17:55):
I'm so happy that she is here.
I'm so happy Grandbaby's here. She is
so adorable.
Makini Smith (18:06):
Thank you. But the second part of
the question that I wanted to ask
you earlier because you talked about, had
it been someone else, you know, how
would you have dealt with that? I
guess, how did your cancer diagnosis reshape
your relationship? With self compassion and surrender?
Kenisha Hanson (18:26):
Yeah, I think it's as you know,
I'm sure, just with your own stuff.
Like it's, it's A journey, right? Like,
I think we have a lot of
ideas, a lot of plans for ourselves,
a lot of to do's, a lot
of shoulds. And I think it forced
(18:47):
me to take a step back and
break all of those down, all of
those down and really look at what
I was attaching to things, what I
was attaching to my worth, like, you
know, my academia.
Like, I wanted to get my PhD.
Like, I had my master's and I
was like, this is my route. This,
I'm going to go get my PhD.
(19:08):
I couldn't do that anymore. Just given
my diagnosis, given my mom's diagnosis, like,
it was just too much. And then
it was just, well, what am I
supposed to do now? Who am I
now, right? I needed this thing to
establish myself in the world, to gain
respect as a black woman in the
world, to, you know, garner love from,
(19:29):
you know, family members in my life
that I felt that didn't think that
I was worth anything, right? So when
we take a look at that, it's
sometimes it's not that, you know, the
goal or whatever it is is wrong.
It's what we're attaching to it. And
so I had to, you know, love
myself enough to be like, okay, we're
not, you know, less than 4, you
know, not being able to that. Realistically,
(19:51):
that doesn't even make sense. But it's
what it feels like. It's what it
feels like body and just offering myself
grace to, you know, change my mind,
to navigate, to grow, to be flexible,
and to just be okay with choosing
something else. I think a part of
that was grief, right? A part of
that was grieving who I was. You
(20:12):
know, there was a point where I
was.
I was walking and I'll never forget
the day where I was like, I
should just delete all of the pictures
before cancer because I don't even recognize
that person anymore. So, like, it felt
so unrecognizable because I was just like,
I don't even know who I am
now. I don't know who I was
(20:33):
then.
Like, I'm. I'm so conflicted. And I
know you talk about therapy. I had
to see a therapist because I think
a lot of my challenges didn't start
until after, after I went into remission,
right? Even a little shortly after. Then
when it was just like when the
dust has settled, right? When you've done
all the things you did, all the
(20:53):
things that you were supposed to do
now. Now your. Your oncologist is like,
oh, yeah, you're. You're good. And I'm
like, I'm good. Find me again. Even
just asking her, like, okay, so, like,
what can I do to, like, prevent
this? Like, what? What can I do?
Oh, nothing. Just go back to, like,
what you were doing. Surely that can't
(21:15):
be right. You talked about, like, naturopathy.
One thing that I did for myself,
like, I love, you know, anything like
herbal and homeopathic and holistic. I did
have a naturopathic oncologist. And that for
me was so important because it gave
me the element of choice. It gave
me the element of aligning with my
value system. Right. Because never did I
(21:38):
think that I would need to have
chemotherapy. Right. And we know how, you
know, harsh chemotherapy is on the body,
and when you are trying to live
a more holistic life, that can be
quite conflicting to have this thing. And
I know that a lot of people
struggle with that, and they're like, well,
I don't want this thing. But I
think that there is value in integrative
medicine. There is value, and you can
(21:59):
do both. Right.
Because I didn't have the time to.
That it would take for, you know,
naturopathic remedies to do, to go all
the way. Like, by the time I
was diagnosed, I was stage four. It
was in my. It was in my
abdomen, it was in my spine. Those
are all crucial areas that I didn't
have time. Like, I had to start
treatment immediately. So there was a bit
(22:21):
of that conflict of, like, well, what
does this mean about, like, my values?
Like, I'm going to have to have
chemo and I'm going to have to
do all these things.
But, like, I love my little herbs
and I love, like, all of these
things. Like, you know, and so I
think, yeah, like, I feel like it's
a lot of giving yourself space to
learn again, try again, make mistakes, give
(22:43):
yourself grace, you know, have the space
to grieve. Right. And, yeah, it's a
lot. But I think once you're able
to navigate and make the space for
yourself to expand and make the space
to just look at things a little
bit differently, it makes it a lot
easier.
Makini Smith (23:02):
Absolutely. And, you know, I. I strongly
believe that our. Our stories can be
a blueprint for someone else. Right. So
they don't have to go through the
same pitfalls that we went through. They
can, you know, avoid some of the
things by studying someone else's journey, whether
(23:22):
through a book or podcast or what
have you. And you talked about when
you were writing your book piece youe
Way to Success and that you had
never planned on being a writer, an
author, any of those things. I hear
your girl. Because eight books and I'm
still like, I don't know if I
ever really planned on this, but, okay,
here we are.
Kenisha Hanson (23:42):
God.
Makini Smith (23:43):
But I know for myself, writing, especially
my first book, it was extremely cathartic.
It was extremely healing. It helped me
work through things, process things, and unpack
my feelings in a way that I
had never done before. So I would
love to know for you how writing
your book helped you, you know, heal,
(24:06):
and how it helped you with peace
and alignment and success.
Kenisha Hanson (24:11):
I think the biggest thing that my
book helped me with is, like, vulnerability
and opening up. I'm not. I was
not particularly an open person. I definitely
was. I'm a supportive person. I got
you. You call me. I'm there for
you. What. Whatever it is that you
need, I got you. Like, we can
talk about it. But for me, I
(24:33):
wasn't necessarily the person that I would
go to anybody, right? Like, I figured
out my own ways and my own
methods, whether they were healthy or not
healthy at the time, you know, here
we are. But I was not. I
was not particularly open. And I think
writing a book, like Piece yous Made
a success. It was a moment where
(24:54):
I was like, holy smokes. Like, if
I'm gonna write this, I feel like
I'm supposed to write this. I have
an assignment to do. I have to
talk about my life. I have to
talk, feel. I have to talk about,
like, my perspective. I. And. And even
if people are like, okay, that's lame,
or this. This doesn't make sense or
whatever, but I think it's like, at
the end of the day, this is
my story. You can choose to disagree
(25:15):
with it, but it. It happened. So,
yeah, ever it is. But I think
it really forced me to be open.
And I think one of the things
even one of my good friends said
was she was like, it made me
almost know you more because of just
how guarded, like, I was, right? And
you know that I know where a
(25:36):
lot of that stem from, right? Like,
you know, my mom is super, a
strong black woman, and, you know, how
she navigates the world obviously is going
to transfer onto me. And so I
picked up a lot of that, right?
Picked up a lot of those things.
And so in addition to, you know,
having to be vulnerable, I think it
forced me to think about, well, what
(25:58):
did get me through? How did I
get here, right? Because it wasn't just
happenstances. It wasn't just like, oh, yeah,
I just, you know, just Rolled over.
And I was like, okay. Like, it
wasn't. No. So it forced me to,
like, sit down and be like, okay,
look at your life. What did you
do? Right. Air quote. And what maybe
(26:19):
could you have done? Some tweaks. And
how can you share that information with
the world? And I think that that's
why I structured the book in a
way where it's not only just a
recount of my story, but it's like,
okay, are we looking at our finances?
Are we looking at our mental and
spiritual well being? Are we looking at
those relationships? Are we looking at our
physical environment and taking an inventory of
(26:40):
what's working, what's not, what you need,
what you don't, what you want more
of, what you want less of. As.
As I'm sure you're aware when you
are in the midst of. Of challenge
now, that's not the time.
Makini Smith (26:53):
Nope.
Kenisha Hanson (26:55):
That's not the time to get it
sorted.
Makini Smith (26:58):
You don't have the capacity to.
Kenisha Hanson (26:59):
At that point, the capacity. So, yeah.
Wow.
Makini Smith (27:05):
Okay. So, okay, you have said that
you know the impact of your cancer
diagnosis, that it doesn't end with treatment.
What does ongoing healing look like for
you today?
Kenisha Hanson (27:19):
Yeah, that's a good question. Ongoing healing
looks like. Not getting so lost in
the thoughts. I think when you are
in remission, it can be very easy
to be consumed by. What if all
(27:39):
of the stories. What if it happens
again? You hear stories of people, you
know, recurrence. And also, like, you're not
the same, Right? At a cellular level,
you're not the same. And so sometimes
I'm fine. And I'm like, ooh, yeah,
life's great. I love it here. And
then other times I'm like, I don't
(28:01):
know what's wrong with me, but I
don't feel great. And it's giving myself
the grace to navigate those moments and
know that I'll be fine, I'll come
back. But I don't always have to
be a hundred. Yeah, not in the
cards for me. And that's okay. I
(28:22):
think a challenge, too, that I noticed
when I went to. It was a
young adult with cancer. It was like
a conference, a day conference. And I
remember walking into the room and I
remember exhaling. And what I didn't realize
is how much I almost masked being
(28:44):
normal. And so when you get into
that space, when you don't have to
pretend that everything's fine, that you're fine.
And I was just like, I had
no idea. I thought I was just,
you know, I'm good, like, I'm good,
but I'm not good. You know, I'm
a lot better than I was. But
there are days that are challenging. There
(29:06):
are days that are challenging for me,
and I might not understand why. It's
just my body trying to find its
way back. My body's trying to do
what it needs to do. And I
think giving myself the space and the
grace to have those moments is going
to be important. Is important so that
(29:26):
I'm not in distress because of it.
Right.
Makini Smith (29:30):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (29:30):
Now, you know, when. Now I'm adding
to the problem, almost just letting it
be what it is. Today's not a
great day, or maybe this moment's not
a great moment. And I think that's
what I try to do is focus
moment to moment. Right. You know, this,
these, this next hour, not fantastic, but
we got some more hours left in
(29:51):
the day this week, you know, make
a comeback.
Makini Smith (29:54):
Yes, I feel you on that. Okay.
I've had to learn to think the
same way because if I didn't, I
would think that my entire life is
just chaos. But it's like, it's not.
It's just, you know, what I'm. What
I'm dealing with right now in the
moment. But it's like, okay, well, yesterday
wasn't chaos and I still have the
(30:15):
rest of today. Doesn't mean everything is
chaos. Right? Yeah. Okay. So what limiting
beliefs have you had to unlearn in
order to fully embrace ease and alignment?
Because you talk about, you know, giving
yourself grace and being present. So what
limiting beliefs did you have to overcome
(30:37):
to get to this place?
Kenisha Hanson (30:39):
Yeah, I think what comes to mind
is just perhaps that, like, I couldn't,
I guess, navigate in the world in
the same way that other people do.
I think that I had to be.
(30:59):
I had to kind of let that
go because then that would. It was
stopping me from, like, you know, embracing
a new identity, embracing, you know, what
could be and give myself space for
possibility. Right. And I, I very much.
That's kind of like the realm and
the space that I operate in right
now. It was just like, possibility, like,
anything's possible. I can do anything. Like
now, like, don't get me started on,
(31:21):
like, AI and like, what, what it
can do in supporting just all of
those possibilities. Right. I think that that
was a big thing because I felt
like I changed so much. Right. So
much. And I think even just another
thing is just like this idea of
being well and people seeing me be
(31:43):
well or being, oh, an advocate for
well being. I think that when I
was Already, you know, you know, air
quote. Well, before, when I was trying,
I was eating healthy. I was, you
know, doing the things, you know, eating
right, exercising the things that they tell
us are supposed to do. And then
I got this cancer diagnosis. I'm just
(32:03):
like, okay, well, what was. What on
earth was the point of that? And
I think I had to navigate that
because it was just like, one of
the things that people would see, say,
is like, oh, my God, but you're
so healthy. How did this happen? Oh,
my God, but you were so healthy.
And I'm just like, thanks. I thought
so, too. And so that was very
challenging because now I'm just like, well,
(32:24):
what is it all for? So then
I had to, like, sit with myself
and be like, well, the fact that
I was, you know, otherwise healthy was
the reason that I was able to
survive. The fact that I was otherwise
healthy was the reason that I have
two options for chemo instead of one,
given my staging. Um, so it's like,
(32:48):
I had to do a lot of
reframing. And I think that when you
navigate challenge, when you navigate life, it
can be very, very easy to go
down these dark, deep holes. And I
think reframing is so important. And reframing,
like, catching yourself before you're. You're too
far right, definitely is so important to
(33:12):
keep you grounded in the present. And
there'll be moments, but it's like, try
not to, like, burrow in and, like,
believe. Essentially. Don't believe all the things
that you think.
Makini Smith (33:22):
Listen, our minds are liars. It will
tell us things that are not true.
Okay, so you talked about having to
recreate your identity and grieving who you
thought you were going to be and
reframing. What does success look like to
(33:46):
you now? Like, beyond titles and accomplishments?
Kenisha Hanson (33:50):
Yeah, I think success for me now
is just like, living in alignment with
the things that are important to me.
Like, I love going for walks. I
love going to cafes. I have many
cafe moments. You know, oftentimes on a
Friday or, like, with girlfriends, I'm going
to catch up. We're catching up at
a cafe probably. You know, I like,
(34:11):
you know, obviously my family. I love
doing things with my family. Like, anything
that I consider important to me. I
love to show up as myself. I
do not like spaces whereby I cannot
be myself. So me, for me, success
is living in alignment with my values,
living in alignment with those things that
(34:32):
are important to me. But in order
for you to live in alignment with
them, well, you have to identify what
your values are. And I think, like,
on my journey and just, like, with,
like, supporting people, like, coaching and all
these things. And I'm sure you can
say the same thing, is that so
many people have not a clue what
their values are. No idea. No.
Makini Smith (34:49):
Because they're looking at other people and
trying to say, well, I'll just do
that because they look like they're doing
it, like, well.
Kenisha Hanson (34:56):
But that doesn't resonate for you. That's
not for you. Right. And where are
you going to find contentment from? Where
are you going to peace from? Right.
We're constantly comparing, comparing, and constantly trying
to be someone else.
Makini Smith (35:08):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (35:09):
I think this is. How do you
fully embrace who you are and live
authentically to what you. What it is
that you want and who it is
that you are.
Makini Smith (35:17):
So, yes, absolutely. I agree 1000%. I
feel like people spend more time consuming
the lives of other people than they
do learning to understand themselves and what
they want and what's important to them.
And maybe the first 39 years of
(35:38):
my life, you know, I was so
focused on the. I'm gonna say superficial
version of success. And I had this
aha moment where I was just like,
okay, I am a black woman. I
am a single mom. At the time,
I was like, okay, I own, you
(35:58):
know, like, a list of things, all
these things. And I was like, I
have been able to, as an entrepreneur,
take care of my children, keep food
in their mouth, keep a roof over
their head. They are healthy, like, all
those things. And I started to realize
success wasn't what I. For me, success
wasn't what I once believed it was
(36:20):
with all the accolades and checking all
the boxes. And I think it was
probably maybe around five years ago where
I started saying no to a lot
of awards or events that I felt
like were vanity awards, where it was
like, you know, vote for me for
this or whatever. I'm like, I don't
care if I have earned the space.
Great. Thank you. I appreciate it. I
(36:41):
am honored. I. But that wasn't success
for me. To me, it was. It
was peace, it was connection, it was
love. It was all those things. And
when I started to live in alignment
with what my values were, is when
I connected with my person, is where
I started making more money in my
(37:02):
business, is where I started to attract,
you know, the connections, the people, the
network, the resources without forcing anything. I
like unsubscribed from hustle culture. I was
like, no, I'm good.
Kenisha Hanson (37:15):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (37:17):
I'll pass. You know, I stopped thinking
that I needed to go to every
single Networking event, like all the things
that I thought I needed to do
to be successful. And for those that
are listening, the key takeaway from, From.
From this point is knowing what your
values are, knowing what's important to you.
Because you may be looking at someone
(37:39):
else's life and someone else's accolades and
success and thinking, oh, I want that.
But it's not in alignment with your
values, with your morals, with your purpose.
And then you're going after something and
you find yourself burnt out chasing it.
And it's not successful because that's not
who you are. That's not who you're
designed to be. It's not what God
(38:00):
called for your life. But when you
get into alignment with who you are
called to be, the things that are
important to you, the things that matter
to you, the people, places, all those
things are how you want to operate
or show up in the world. The
legacy that you leave behind is so
much deeper because you're doing it with
your whole heart. Like, I know if
(38:20):
I never made a dime from it,
I know that a part of my
purpose is to help other people to
heal. So all of the crap that
I have been through, all of the
adversity, all the struggle, all the things,
I didn't sit there in it and
say, oh, poor me, it was, okay,
let's work through this. What is the
solution here? How do we not do
this again? Okay. How can we help
other people? There, There has. Ever since
(38:44):
I've had that aha moment, there has
never been a day where I've looked
at anyone else and envied what they
have or felt like, oh, that, I
don't know, should be me. Or why
don't I have. No, it's not for
me. I'll clap for you. I am
so happy for you. I will celebrate
you. I am excited for you, but
(39:05):
it ain't for me.
Kenisha Hanson (39:08):
Yeah. No, and I think you touched
on, like, scarcity in there too. Right?
I think on that, you know, when
we're looking and we're like, oh, I
got to be everywhere. I got to
do everything, there's not enough. I gotta.
You know, even when we're trying to
compete with people, there's enough. There's enough.
If you're in your lane, if you're
doing what it is that you're supposed
(39:28):
to do, God. God's not running out
of blessings.
Makini Smith (39:31):
Amen. I say that all the time.
Kenisha Hanson (39:34):
Whatever, whoever it is, they're running out.
Makini Smith (39:37):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (39:38):
But I think what's important is the
alignment piece so that you can attract
the things that are for you. They're
not gonna do.
Makini Smith (39:47):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (39:47):
But you also have to know what
they are now you worried about so
and so. That's so and so's journey.
That's their path. And like you, I,
I'm, I'm always like, oh my gosh,
I love that for you. I love
that was able to happen for you
that you were able to do that.
Makini Smith (40:04):
Yeah. Yep.
Kenisha Hanson (40:08):
But again, to your point, like I,
I, I'm not a part of hustle
culture. And even sometimes I toy with
that. Right. Sometimes I think about that,
I'm just like, oh. Sometimes I'm like,
well, maybe I should be doing more.
And I'm just like, no, I'm doing
exactly what I need to be doing.
Yeah, I'm doing exactly what I need
to be doing. I'm, you know, showing
up for myself. And I think, when
(40:31):
I think about how and what I
believe God has put me on this
earth for, it is to support people,
to, for them to see how great
they are.
Makini Smith (40:42):
Right.
Kenisha Hanson (40:42):
In order for me to hold that
kind of space, space for people, I
have to be well.
Makini Smith (40:47):
Yes.
Kenisha Hanson (40:49):
I have to be well. There's no
if, ands or buts because when I'm
not well, then I'm not able to
shine the light on you. For you
to see yourself.
Makini Smith (40:57):
Yes, absolutely.
Kenisha Hanson (40:58):
I have to be well.
Makini Smith (40:59):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (41:00):
So me taking that intentional time for
peace, me taking that intentional time and
maybe saying no to things, you know,
all of those things, boundaries, when we
talk, it's, it's so, it's so layered,
but it's, it's all encompassing. And that
I have to be well in every
area of my life so that I
can show up in a way that
I feel is, is, is my purpose
(41:22):
is that is aligned with, you know,
what I believe that I'm supposed to
be here for.
Makini Smith (41:27):
Absolutely. I, I feel like when I,
when I say no to someone or
something, I feel like I'm actually doing
them a favor. Because by me saying
yes, I am going to show up
tired, I am going to show up
burnt out. I am not going to
show up as my whole self and
you're going to get a half assed
version of me and you're going to
be like, what is wrong with this
girl? This is not what I asked
for. So by me telling you no,
(41:49):
that is me respecting you to say
I'm not going to give you my
bare minimum right now. So no.
Kenisha Hanson (41:55):
Yeah, absolutely. Because we've all seen it,
right? The person who doesn't want to
Be there. And they're just kind of
in the corner or they're on their
phone and it's like, well, that's not
a great experience for anyone involved. So
to your point, like, if that's how
I feel, if I'm not up to
it, then I have to say no.
And I've had people be like, oh,
well, why? And I'm like, because I
(42:15):
don't want to. Right. It's usually because
I don't want to.
Makini Smith (42:21):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (42:21):
And that, like, oh, you're being honest.
Like, I. I don't.
Makini Smith (42:28):
They're so used to people faking the
funk and trying to be polite for
the sake of political correctness that when
someone is actually honest, it's like, oh,
my pearls. You said no. You don't
want to.
Kenisha Hanson (42:44):
No, she doesn't. Yeah. Oh, like, next
time maybe, but right now, no. I
hope you get so much fun, though.
Like, it's going to be an amazing
like. So.
Makini Smith (43:00):
I have said no to the point
where it shocked people, where they had
to laugh. It's like one person, a
male friend of mine, invited me to
his birthday party and he sent me
the invite details, and I said, oh,
Sony, I'm so sorry, honey. That is,
like, past my outside time. I'm not
coming. And he was like, what?
Kenisha Hanson (43:19):
What do you.
Makini Smith (43:19):
I'm like, leaving my house at 10pm
that sounds like when I'm going in
the shower to get ready for bed.
Yeah. No, I love you, but I
love you enough to let you know
I'm not going to be there.
Kenisha Hanson (43:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Makini Smith (43:40):
Okay. So how has your definition of
legacy evolved as you've integrated wellness, AI
and holistic leadership?
Kenisha Hanson (43:51):
Yeah, I think for me, I think
one of the things that. I think
I read it in a book or
something, that I'm always reading something or
listening to something, and I think it's
like, how do I show up as
myself? Fully like. And maybe that's what
I'm supposed to do, right? Just show
(44:12):
up as myself completely. Give other people
permission to be themselves. Give other people
permission to shine their light in this
world so that they feel that it.
Like, it's okay. It's okay to be
me. It's okay to navigate challenges. It's
okay to figure things out. It's okay
to say no. And I think that
when I think about legacy, I think
(44:34):
about all of the lives and all
of the people that will be able
to show up as themselves. Right. Maybe
for me, I don't know if legacy
is, you know, some business or some
structure or some Entity, but maybe it's
just a light source that I leave
behind so that people can be themselves
(44:55):
and people can be. People can love
themselves. Right? I feel like so many
of us, we don't show ourselves enough
love. And if I can support you
to see just how great you are,
and maybe, you know, you show yourself
a little bit more compassion, you give
yourself a little bit more grace, you
(45:15):
know, you feel yourself a little bit
more. I think that that will, you
know, that can transcend so many generations.
And I think when I think about
legacy, like, that's what I think about
in terms of, like, me and what
I'm here for.
Makini Smith (45:29):
We. We are so aligned. Because it's
like everything you just said, I completely
resonate with, and that's exactly how I
view it, because I think, like legacy,
it's. It's like the butterfly effect, right?
You know, they talk about a butterfly
flapping its wings on the opposite side
of the world can affect things. You
know, it's like you have no idea
how you helping one person to feel
(45:51):
better about themselves, the effect that that
can have, the ripple effect that that
can have, how that can go on
for generations, how that can spread across,
you know, them being kind to. To
someone or, you know, teaching their children
to be more kind and. And so
on and so forth. And I had
learned from my mentor many, many years
ago, leave everyone with the feeling of
increase. So it's. Leave people better than
(46:13):
you found them. Right? It's like everyone
that I'm connected to, letting them know
how great they are or helping them
pull from inside of themselves the greatness
that's within them. Right. The focus on
making them better. So I love that
you said that. Well, okay, so for
(46:33):
anyone who is in the middle of
a major life transition, what would you.
Or what's a step that you would
recommend towards clarity and peace?
Kenisha Hanson (46:44):
Start with awareness. Start with taking the
time for yourself. I don't think that
you can start outside with the external
pieces. I think that you do have
to take a minute pause and look
at where you're at, right? Where. Where
are we right now in the midst
of all of where we're at. And
(47:04):
then think about, well, where are we
trying to go? Think about what it
is, how it is that you're feeling,
you know, who's around you, what resources
you have to navigate whatever it is,
what have you done before that can
give you proof that you can do
this again? Like, just think about. Like,
just take a moment for you and
(47:26):
almost just do an inventory of yourself
where you're at in the world because
that. That I find so helpful. Because
it's almost like developing a new relationship
with yourself so that you have the
will, the means to continue. Because sometimes
we're so disconnected from ourselves, disconnected from
(47:49):
what we from love, self, love. So
paying attention to those thoughts, the things
that are coming up, like if I.
I firmly believe that, like, if I
didn't have the mindset to, you know,
ground myself and, you know, talk to
myself. I talk to myself all the
time. I'm not saying you have to,
but that's something that I do that
(48:11):
I don't know that I would be
here. Right. Because our mind is so
unbelievably powerful. So unbelievably powerful. We have
to monitor those thoughts. We have to
think about, like, what it is that
we're feeling, where it is that we're
going, how it is that we're showing
up, and how it is we're showing
up for ourselves. So I think start
with that because that in itself can
(48:35):
also be a contributor to a lot
of the problems that we have realistically.
Right. How we show love to ourselves,
how we allow others to treat us.
Like all of these things are interconnected,
right?
Makini Smith (48:49):
Yeah, absolutely. There's so much there that
I could unpack, but we'd have to,
like, do a punk too. So. Okay,
so on that note, before we go
to the final segment, I want you
to tell the listeners where they can
stay connected with you, where they can
learn more from you, where they can
buy your book.
Kenisha Hanson (49:09):
Yes, absolutely. So you can find me
on Instagram at thekeneshahanson. I'm there. You
can find me on LinkedIn. If you're
a professional, you want to connect with
me on there. My book. I have
website. Peaceandsuccess.com My new website, will be
dropping soon. It'll be Keneshahanson.com they'll all
be linked so you don't have to,
(49:29):
you know, fuss about and look for.
Everything my book will be is currently
sold on all my retailers. So that's
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, and wherever
you get your books from online worldwide.
I think we have books that have
gone as far as Germany and wherever
else. So it's not. Yeah, right. Yay
me. Definitely not limited to Canada at
(49:54):
all. And so, yeah.
Makini Smith (49:56):
Yay. Okay, so I will have all
those details in the detailed section below
the episode so they can just click
and connect with you directly.
Kenisha Hanson (50:04):
Thank you, Fenw.
Makini Smith (50:06):
You're welcome. So for the final segment,
it's kind of like a rapid Fire.
You can answer one word or one
sentence, and if you feel the need
to unpack, you're more than welcome to
do so.
Kenisha Hanson (50:15):
Okay.
Makini Smith (50:16):
All right. When was the last time
you cried?
Kenisha Hanson (50:21):
When was the last time I cried?
I think it was. I think it
was, like, last week. So host cancer.
Small elaboration. I'm definitely a crier. I
wasn't before, but now I'm so much
more in tuned with, like, my emotions
and, like, my intuition that, like, I'll
cry, like, if my. I think my.
One of my friends told me something
good that happened, and I started tearing
(50:41):
up. So, yeah, last week.
Makini Smith (50:45):
Listen, I feel I am a complete
crier. I cry for commercials. I cry
at, like, a dog, puppy outside, like,
yeah, I'm a crier. So I get
it. Okay. Describe yourself in one word.
Kenisha Hanson (50:59):
Grounded.
Makini Smith (51:00):
What would you say is your superpower?
Kenisha Hanson (51:02):
Helping people see the light in themselves.
Makini Smith (51:05):
Love it. When was the last time
you apologized to someone?
Kenisha Hanson (51:09):
Probably last week to my partner.
Makini Smith (51:13):
What's the first thing you do in
the morning and the last thing you
do at night?
Kenisha Hanson (51:17):
Pray for both.
Makini Smith (51:19):
Love it. Okay. What's the most repeated
thought you have in a day?
Kenisha Hanson (51:25):
That's a good question. Most repeated thought.
It's probably some affirmation like, everything's gonna
be fine. Today's gonna be a good
day, or something like that. I don't
know which one, but, yeah, one of
those types of things.
Makini Smith (51:40):
And last but not least, what would
little Kenesha be proud of you for?
Kenisha Hanson (51:46):
Oh, my gosh. For showing up. For
trying. For loving herself. Yeah, for just
being who I am and just showing
up as. As I. As I am.
Makini Smith (51:58):
I love it. Thank you so much,
Kenesha, for taking the time to share
your story, your wisdom, and your energy
with us. I do not take it
lightly. I excited that I even got
the opportunity to get to know you
deeper. And, you know, we've been connected
through social. I got the opportunity to
(52:19):
help you publish your book, but I
feel like I got to know you
on a deeper level here today. So
thank you.
Kenisha Hanson (52:26):
Thank you. I'm so happy that we
got to do this. I'm very grateful
for the opportunity to connect with you.
And, yeah, thank you for all that
you do for your listeners, for the
world. Thank you for continuing to show
up and share your life.
Makini Smith (52:40):
My pleasure.
Kenisha Hanson (52:43):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (52:46):
Thank you so much for tuning in.
And remember, healing starts with what you
say to yourself. 111 affirmations to help
you heal is my second book that
is filled with daily affirmations to uplift
and empower you speak life over yourself.
Grab your copy on Amazon or or
mckinneysmith.com I just want to thank each
(53:09):
and every one of you that continues
to listen each week to help the
show rank globally in the top 1.5%
of most popular podcasts. If today's episode
resonated with you, please subscribe, rate the
show, and leave us a review on
Apple Podcast. Now, I want you to
think of two people that would benefit
(53:32):
from today's conversation. Share this episode with
them. Someone out there needs Kenesha's testimony.
Screenshot this episode. You can tag us
on Instagram, you can tag Kenesha Thekaneshahanson.
You can tag myself TheReal McKinney Smith.
(53:52):
And let's keep this conversation going. A
healthy community is a healing community, and
a healing community is full of hope.
So let's continue to heal her.
I'm Makini Smith. After going through a
divorce, my sister passing away, experiencing narcissistic
abuse and some significant health scares, I
realized through sharing my story that I
wasn't alone in my suffering. Suffering, subjective
distress generated by the experience of being
out of balance in a deep dive
to holistically heal mind, body and soul
(00:22):
is where I discovered peace, clarity and
connection. It is impossible to be truly
wise without some real life hardship and
we cannot develop post traumatic wisdom without
making it through and most importantly, through
it together. Social connection builds resilience and
resilience helps create post traumatic wisdom and
(00:46):
that wisdom leads to hope. Hope for
you and others, witnessing and participating in
your healing and hope for your community.
A healthy community is a healing community
and a healing community is full of
hope because it has seen its own
people weather, survive and thrive. Before we
(01:26):
get started, here's a quick reminder. Your
healing starts with your thoughts in my
second book, 111 affirmations to help you
heal. It's your daily guide to shifting
from self doubt to self love. Speak
life over yourself and grab your copy
today on Amazon or@mckinneysmith.com Today's guest is
(01:50):
Kenesha Hansen. She's a certified Personal Development
coach, author, facilitator and AI Wellness strategist
dedicated to helping individuals and organizations align
with their values, cultivate peace, and redefine
success on their own terms. As the
author of Peace youe Way to Success,
(02:10):
Kenesha combines holistic well being and intentional
goal setting to support professionals in navigating
life's transitions with clarity and ease. As
a cancer survivor, Kenesha's journey reshaped her
understanding of resilience, purpose and self compassion,
insights she now shares through her coaching,
(02:32):
facilitation and corporate leadership training. She's been
featured in Style Canada and has led
transformative conversations at wellness retreats, professional organizations
and entrepreneurial spaces. As an emerging voice
in the intersection of AI and wellness,
Kenesha is passionate about leveraging AI technology
(02:52):
as a tool for self awareness, introspection
and sustainable success. Whether guiding professionals through
life changing transitions, facilitating workshops, or empowering
organizations to cultivate well being in the
workplace, her work is rooted in peace,
alignment and meaningful impact. So please welcome
(03:14):
to the show Kenesha Hansen.
Kenisha Hanson (03:17):
Thank you, thank you.
Makini Smith (03:19):
Thank you so much for agreeing to
come on and share your story with
us today. You know, especially when I
see other women who are entrepreneurs, who
are building their own businesses, who are
dealing with their own challenges life, I
definitely don't take it for granted that
you were Here. You could be anywhere
in the world right now, and you
choose to be here. So thank you.
Kenisha Hanson (03:40):
You are so welcome. I'm so happy
to be here. Happy. Finally got to
do this.
Makini Smith (03:46):
I'm excited to jump in because I
feel like I get more excited when
I get to interview people that I,
quote, unquote, kind of know. You know,
those people that you follow on social
for years, people that you work with.
But I feel like doing the podcast
gives me an opportunity to get to
know you deeper. It gives us an
opportunity to connect on a deeper level.
And I love being able to also
(04:08):
share that with the listeners because they
kind of, you know, get to be
like a fly on the wall listening
to, like, two girlfriends talk. So I'm
excited. So, okay. I love to start
the show with kind of going back,
taking things back to, you know, the
very beginning before we get to where
(04:28):
you are presently. So for you, I
would love to know, like, what shaped
your sense of purpose before you became
a coach and got into, like, wellness?
Kenisha Hanson (04:42):
How far back are we talking?
Makini Smith (04:46):
We can go as far back as
you can think. For some people, that
could be, you know, childhood, something that
sparked that. For some people, it could
be your teenage years. It could be
early adulthood. Like, just take us back
to, I guess, where you decided that
you wanted to get into wellness. You
(05:07):
know, I guess where you decided you
wanted to be a coach in. In
that space where that started for you.
Kenisha Hanson (05:13):
I think, as far as I can
remember, and maybe I wasn't calling it
wellness then, but I know for sure
I would take it back to probably
high school when I could probably remember,
like, wanting to help people, wanting to
go down the psychology realm. And that's
when I decided that I was going
(05:34):
to be a psychologist. Right. Like, that
was, like, the thing I had to
do it, you know, there was no
other, not nothing else that I could
do and be. And I think just
that trajectory just sent me on, you
know, where I am now. And while
I'm not a psychologist today, and I'm
sure we'll dive into a little bit
more about that, the idea of understanding
how people navigate the world, how people
think, how even how I think, and
(05:54):
just being a support for individuals definitely
started. Started as far as I can
remember that and make it may have
been before, but what I can remember
around that time. Okay.
Makini Smith (06:04):
Okay. So. Okay, can you share, I
guess, a moment when you realize that
your healing wasn't, I guess, about returning
to who you were, but becoming someone
new?
Kenisha Hanson (06:19):
Okay, so we're just gonna jump on
it. That was an amazing question. And
I would have to say that it
was somewhere, somewhere after remission, somewhere after
remission, somewhere after all of the conversations
with God, the questions to God, you
(06:41):
know, about, you know, all of the
things that have happened. There was a
point where I was just, like. It
came to me and it was like,
okay, well, maybe this was. This is
a part of something bigger. This is
a part that I may never know
why I may never know, you know,
what the purpose of all of this
was. But I don't think that this
was supposed to take me out. Right?
There was supposed to be a story
(07:02):
here, and that's actually why I ended
up writing Piece youe Way to Success
in that I never had any intentions
of being a writer. It was never
a dream of mine, never a hope,
a wish, a prayer, any of those
things to be an author. But again,
like, I am a spiritual person, and
I did feel like it was something
that I was supposed to do. Like,
this story is not my own. This
(07:23):
story wasn't for me to just, you
know, go through all of this challenge
and navigate all of this pain for
no reason. It was to reach someone.
And maybe I may never meet them.
But I think that was when I
realized, like, wow, this was. This is
beyond me. And if we take a
step back, one of the things that
I kind of. I toyed with was
like, maybe it had to be me,
(07:44):
right? It had to be me because
it couldn't be someone else in my
circle, because how would I deal with
that? I'm the person that loves to
support people and be there for people.
How would I deal with that on
the flip side? So maybe had to
be me. Maybe he got equipped me
with everything that I needed to navigate
this. And quite frankly, I believe that
he did, because here I am, like,
(08:06):
okay.
Makini Smith (08:07):
That leads me, like, I have so
many questions now, because originally I was
going to ask, you know, I guess
when you. Or I guess when you
first got diagnosed with cancer, like, explain
walking us through that journey. But now
you're also you. You talked about, you
know, your healing, beginning with remission and
the lesson of, like, what if it
(08:27):
was someone else? And how it's, I
guess, shaped you. So, okay, so let's
start with the initial diagnosis. If you're
comfortable with that, walk us through what
that was like for you.
Kenisha Hanson (08:41):
Yeah, so. So initial diagnosis was a
journey in itself. I think it started
with. I had some back pain. It
was just like. It was. It was
more like discomfort, I would describe it
as. It was like an annoying Discomfort.
I went to go get massages, and
I don't. I'm not like a massage
person. I don't love massages, but I
(09:03):
went to get a massage, I'm like,
oh, maybe there's, like, something happening there.
And it wouldn't go away. I got
a Thai massage. I had someone standing
on my back, doing all sorts of
things, just trying to get out whatever
it was.
And I was just like, all right,
this isn't working. And then I think
there was a point where it began
radiating to my chest, and I was
just like. And at that moment, like,
everything stopped for me because I was
so nervous. So a bit of backstory.
(09:25):
A year prior, my mom was diagnosed
with what's called neuromyelitis optica, and it
left her completely paralyzed. So it's autoimmune
disease that presents similar to ms, but
it's not Ms. And that the attacks
are quite severe. So whereas Ms. Can
be quite gradual. Neuromyelitis optica. Like, she
was paralyzed within a day and a
half. Yeah. By the time I took
(09:46):
her to the hospital, she was getting
pain lifted in and out of bed,
and her started with back pain.
So for me, in that moment, when
it started to radiate to my chest
and it actually turned into. From discomfort
to pain, I was just like, oh,
my gosh. Could, like, can this actually
be the same thing? Like, I have
to take care of my mother. How
can I now be paralyzed and take
care of a paralyzed person? Like this?
(10:07):
This. I don't have capacity for that.
So I went to the doctor, or
actually I went to the hospital. And
that was when I realized.
I went to the hospital and I
said, this is what was going on.
This is what I'm feeling. And unfortunately,
the usual kind of dismissal. Oh, it
doesn't seem like anything. We'll do an
ultrasound. Oh, there's nothing there. So they
(10:28):
sent me home, and I was just
like, nah, something is not right. So
I went back, and they're like, okay,
we'll do this. I think they did
some other. Some other test, and they're
like, okay, we'll book you in for
a ct. So I went back home,
and I didn't get a phone call,
and I was just like, okay, all
right. So I went back. Yeah, I
(10:50):
went back, I packed my bag, I
took the day off work, and I
was just like, okay, I'm here. They're
like, oh, why didn't you wait? Like,
it's going to take so long if
you.
If you just come and I'm Just
like, that's okay. I took the day
off. I will wait as long as
it takes. Something's not right. They, you
know, told me, oh, you probably just
need an antacid. Like, nothing's wrong. Like,
nothing on the. On the scans and
the ultrasounds showed that there was anything
(11:11):
wrong. Like, you could probably just take
an antacid and go home and we'll
call you. And I was like, no,
I'm okay. I'll wait. So I waited
and I got the test done, and
my doctor in Emerge, he was a
white man.
And when they got the results back,
he called me to the back, and
I will never forget his face. He
(11:32):
turned into an absolute ghost. He, again,
he was already white and he just
looked ghostly. Like, the look on his
face. I knew for certain this was
not going to be good. And so
he said to come into the room.
I said, oh, like, can my partner
come in? And he said, no. Again,
indicators that something was not okay.
Yeah. And so I walked into the
(11:53):
room and he's just like, oh, my
God, I am so sorry. He's like,
I dismissed you and I thought it
was absolutely nothing. And I'm pretty sure
you have cancer. And I was just
like, huh? Yeah. Like, just like, yeah.
And so I was literally admitted that
day.
Makini Smith (12:10):
I have goosebumps right now. Like, I
am so sorry you even had to
deal with that. And I can only
imagine the level of frustration and, like,
from that. There's two main things that
I want the listeners to. To. To
highlight. One, the importance of listening to
your body, being aware of the signs.
(12:30):
Because we can often, especially as women,
be dismissive of our own pain and
discomfort because we're so used to it,
right? So the importance of listening to
your body. And two, the importance of
advocating for yourself because, girl, I get
it. I have had the medical system
be dismissive of me and had major
(12:52):
things wrong. I've had the medical system
be dismissive of my daughter who was
sick for three years and almost died.
I had the medical system be dismissive
of my sister who ended up passing
away. So I get it. So being
your own advocate, even when they tell
you nothing is wrong, I am so
upset for you right now.
Kenisha Hanson (13:13):
Like I almost said for you. Like,
it's. It's. It's. It's. It's just. Honestly,
it's just so unfortunate, right? It's so
unfortunate that we have to do this
and we have to fight when we're
already dealing with all of the emotions
that is coming with whatever ailment we
are Navigating, right. To then fight still
for someone to take us seriously. So,
yeah, it was, it wasn't, it wasn't
(13:35):
great. It wasn't a great experience. But
I can say that afterwards my care
was, was fantastic. And I, and I
chuck it up to, you know, our
health system and all of the things
that they're. Unfortunately, they become numb to
all of what's happening and we no
longer become real people. And then you
add the layer of being a black
woman. We don't have to get too
(13:55):
deep into that, but, you know, it
is. That's where we are in the
world. And it's unfortunate.
Makini Smith (14:01):
Stats absolutely show that we are dismissed
for our health concerns. That it's almost
like we're expected to, to have this
pain and a lot of it is
like trauma within the body, stress, all
the other things, but we're dismissed and
it's not addressed. And I do understand,
you know, with the healthcare system being
(14:23):
over overloaded or overwhelmed and understaffed and
all the things, but at the end
of the day, we are people.
Kenisha Hanson (14:29):
Exactly.
Makini Smith (14:30):
And it is my hope that anyone
who gets into the health profession is
in it to help people to heal,
to help people to get better. Like,
to help, not dismiss.
Kenisha Hanson (14:41):
Exactly. And to just keep that human
element. Right. Like, yes, it's your job.
Yes, it's something that you're doing day
in and day out. But like, to
your point, like, we are human, as
are you. Right. My mother. Nurse. Right.
And they sent her home with Tylenol
threes, and the following day she was
left paralyzed. So, you know, like, we
are human. And it can be you.
(15:01):
It can be something. Love.
Makini Smith (15:04):
Yeah. It's so scary. And, you know,
I've shared a few times on the
podcast. Like, I've kind of glossed over
it because I'm almost immune to it.
Where I've had multiple cancer scares. You
know, breast cancer runs in my family.
My mom's sisters, two of them, I
believe, have died from cancer. Breast cancer.
Most of the women in my family
have had issues with fibroids and cyst.
(15:28):
You know, I think probably almost every
year it feels like Since I was
18, I have found a lump in
my rest. So I'm. I'm used to
having to go to the doctor. Just
what, beginning of April, I found a
massive lump in my breast. They said
it was a complicated cyst with an
infection around it. Like, I'm just so
used to having to go and do
the ultrasounds and, you know, all of
(15:50):
all the tests and. But it's like
we don't realize if we're not advocating
for our own health because of other
humans who were tired and overworked and
burnt out, how it can be dismissed.
It is so important for us to
advocate for ourselves. And if you feel
that the medical system isn't doing you
(16:12):
justice to seek alternative sources. Because my
daughter had, I not like, for, for
three years, she was so sick and
she was going to emerge almost weekly
and they were just putting her on
IV and sending her home. And she
had a vomiting condition and it was
so bad that she had lost over
50 pounds every time she went in.
She, you know, her, all of her
(16:32):
levels were super low. Finally couldn't take
it anymore. She couldn't take it anymore
because she couldn't function. She couldn't even
consume water and keep it down. The
poor child was like suffering and her
mental health was declining. And she was
like, I can't do this anymore, mom.
Like, I don't want to be here
anymore. And I had to take matters
into my own hand and look at
all, all kinds of alternative medicines, like
(16:54):
taking her to homeopathic doctor, naturopathic doctor.
Like I. Everything under the sun, nothing
was covered, like draining money out of
my pocket. But at the end of
the day, her life is what matters.
And if I wasn't, if I, if
I was solely dependent on our medical
system, she probably wouldn't be here today.
And it's like, thank God, you know,
(17:16):
through the homeopathic doctor and the naturopathic
doctor, they're like, this child is on
the verge of heart attack or stroke.
You know, her body is full of
toxins. She had lead poisoning. She had
like all kinds of, you know, poisons
within her body. And thank God today
she's super healthy. She has her, like,
(17:37):
shortly after her body being detoxed and
her getting well, she got pregnant. Has
my granddaughter, whose name is Miracle because
her life is a miracle because her
mom is here, right? But if we
hadn't gone to alternative medicine, God only
knows, like, she probably wouldn't be here.
Kenisha Hanson (17:55):
I'm so happy that she is here.
I'm so happy Grandbaby's here. She is
so adorable.
Makini Smith (18:06):
Thank you. But the second part of
the question that I wanted to ask
you earlier because you talked about, had
it been someone else, you know, how
would you have dealt with that? I
guess, how did your cancer diagnosis reshape
your relationship? With self compassion and surrender?
Kenisha Hanson (18:26):
Yeah, I think it's as you know,
I'm sure, just with your own stuff.
Like it's, it's A journey, right? Like,
I think we have a lot of
ideas, a lot of plans for ourselves,
a lot of to do's, a lot
of shoulds. And I think it forced
(18:47):
me to take a step back and
break all of those down, all of
those down and really look at what
I was attaching to things, what I
was attaching to my worth, like, you
know, my academia.
Like, I wanted to get my PhD.
Like, I had my master's and I
was like, this is my route. This,
I'm going to go get my PhD.
(19:08):
I couldn't do that anymore. Just given
my diagnosis, given my mom's diagnosis, like,
it was just too much. And then
it was just, well, what am I
supposed to do now? Who am I
now, right? I needed this thing to
establish myself in the world, to gain
respect as a black woman in the
world, to, you know, garner love from,
(19:29):
you know, family members in my life
that I felt that didn't think that
I was worth anything, right? So when
we take a look at that, it's
sometimes it's not that, you know, the
goal or whatever it is is wrong.
It's what we're attaching to it. And
so I had to, you know, love
myself enough to be like, okay, we're
not, you know, less than 4, you
know, not being able to that. Realistically,
(19:51):
that doesn't even make sense. But it's
what it feels like. It's what it
feels like body and just offering myself
grace to, you know, change my mind,
to navigate, to grow, to be flexible,
and to just be okay with choosing
something else. I think a part of
that was grief, right? A part of
that was grieving who I was. You
(20:12):
know, there was a point where I
was.
I was walking and I'll never forget
the day where I was like, I
should just delete all of the pictures
before cancer because I don't even recognize
that person anymore. So, like, it felt
so unrecognizable because I was just like,
I don't even know who I am
now. I don't know who I was
(20:33):
then.
Like, I'm. I'm so conflicted. And I
know you talk about therapy. I had
to see a therapist because I think
a lot of my challenges didn't start
until after, after I went into remission,
right? Even a little shortly after. Then
when it was just like when the
dust has settled, right? When you've done
all the things you did, all the
(20:53):
things that you were supposed to do
now. Now your. Your oncologist is like,
oh, yeah, you're. You're good. And I'm
like, I'm good. Find me again. Even
just asking her, like, okay, so, like,
what can I do to, like, prevent
this? Like, what? What can I do?
Oh, nothing. Just go back to, like,
what you were doing. Surely that can't
(21:15):
be right. You talked about, like, naturopathy.
One thing that I did for myself,
like, I love, you know, anything like
herbal and homeopathic and holistic. I did
have a naturopathic oncologist. And that for
me was so important because it gave
me the element of choice. It gave
me the element of aligning with my
value system. Right. Because never did I
(21:38):
think that I would need to have
chemotherapy. Right. And we know how, you
know, harsh chemotherapy is on the body,
and when you are trying to live
a more holistic life, that can be
quite conflicting to have this thing. And
I know that a lot of people
struggle with that, and they're like, well,
I don't want this thing. But I
think that there is value in integrative
medicine. There is value, and you can
(21:59):
do both. Right.
Because I didn't have the time to.
That it would take for, you know,
naturopathic remedies to do, to go all
the way. Like, by the time I
was diagnosed, I was stage four. It
was in my. It was in my
abdomen, it was in my spine. Those
are all crucial areas that I didn't
have time. Like, I had to start
treatment immediately. So there was a bit
(22:21):
of that conflict of, like, well, what
does this mean about, like, my values?
Like, I'm going to have to have
chemo and I'm going to have to
do all these things.
But, like, I love my little herbs
and I love, like, all of these
things. Like, you know, and so I
think, yeah, like, I feel like it's
a lot of giving yourself space to
learn again, try again, make mistakes, give
(22:43):
yourself grace, you know, have the space
to grieve. Right. And, yeah, it's a
lot. But I think once you're able
to navigate and make the space for
yourself to expand and make the space
to just look at things a little
bit differently, it makes it a lot
easier.
Makini Smith (23:02):
Absolutely. And, you know, I. I strongly
believe that our. Our stories can be
a blueprint for someone else. Right. So
they don't have to go through the
same pitfalls that we went through. They
can, you know, avoid some of the
things by studying someone else's journey, whether
(23:22):
through a book or podcast or what
have you. And you talked about when
you were writing your book piece youe
Way to Success and that you had
never planned on being a writer, an
author, any of those things. I hear
your girl. Because eight books and I'm
still like, I don't know if I
ever really planned on this, but, okay,
here we are.
Kenisha Hanson (23:42):
God.
Makini Smith (23:43):
But I know for myself, writing, especially
my first book, it was extremely cathartic.
It was extremely healing. It helped me
work through things, process things, and unpack
my feelings in a way that I
had never done before. So I would
love to know for you how writing
your book helped you, you know, heal,
(24:06):
and how it helped you with peace
and alignment and success.
Kenisha Hanson (24:11):
I think the biggest thing that my
book helped me with is, like, vulnerability
and opening up. I'm not. I was
not particularly an open person. I definitely
was. I'm a supportive person. I got
you. You call me. I'm there for
you. What. Whatever it is that you
need, I got you. Like, we can
talk about it. But for me, I
(24:33):
wasn't necessarily the person that I would
go to anybody, right? Like, I figured
out my own ways and my own
methods, whether they were healthy or not
healthy at the time, you know, here
we are. But I was not. I
was not particularly open. And I think
writing a book, like Piece yous Made
a success. It was a moment where
(24:54):
I was like, holy smokes. Like, if
I'm gonna write this, I feel like
I'm supposed to write this. I have
an assignment to do. I have to
talk about my life. I have to
talk, feel. I have to talk about,
like, my perspective. I. And. And even
if people are like, okay, that's lame,
or this. This doesn't make sense or
whatever, but I think it's like, at
the end of the day, this is
my story. You can choose to disagree
(25:15):
with it, but it. It happened. So,
yeah, ever it is. But I think
it really forced me to be open.
And I think one of the things
even one of my good friends said
was she was like, it made me
almost know you more because of just
how guarded, like, I was, right? And
you know that I know where a
(25:36):
lot of that stem from, right? Like,
you know, my mom is super, a
strong black woman, and, you know, how
she navigates the world obviously is going
to transfer onto me. And so I
picked up a lot of that, right?
Picked up a lot of those things.
And so in addition to, you know,
having to be vulnerable, I think it
forced me to think about, well, what
(25:58):
did get me through? How did I
get here, right? Because it wasn't just
happenstances. It wasn't just like, oh, yeah,
I just, you know, just Rolled over.
And I was like, okay. Like, it
wasn't. No. So it forced me to,
like, sit down and be like, okay,
look at your life. What did you
do? Right. Air quote. And what maybe
(26:19):
could you have done? Some tweaks. And
how can you share that information with
the world? And I think that that's
why I structured the book in a
way where it's not only just a
recount of my story, but it's like,
okay, are we looking at our finances?
Are we looking at our mental and
spiritual well being? Are we looking at
those relationships? Are we looking at our
physical environment and taking an inventory of
(26:40):
what's working, what's not, what you need,
what you don't, what you want more
of, what you want less of. As.
As I'm sure you're aware when you
are in the midst of. Of challenge
now, that's not the time.
Makini Smith (26:53):
Nope.
Kenisha Hanson (26:55):
That's not the time to get it
sorted.
Makini Smith (26:58):
You don't have the capacity to.
Kenisha Hanson (26:59):
At that point, the capacity. So, yeah.
Wow.
Makini Smith (27:05):
Okay. So, okay, you have said that
you know the impact of your cancer
diagnosis, that it doesn't end with treatment.
What does ongoing healing look like for
you today?
Kenisha Hanson (27:19):
Yeah, that's a good question. Ongoing healing
looks like. Not getting so lost in
the thoughts. I think when you are
in remission, it can be very easy
to be consumed by. What if all
(27:39):
of the stories. What if it happens
again? You hear stories of people, you
know, recurrence. And also, like, you're not
the same, Right? At a cellular level,
you're not the same. And so sometimes
I'm fine. And I'm like, ooh, yeah,
life's great. I love it here. And
then other times I'm like, I don't
(28:01):
know what's wrong with me, but I
don't feel great. And it's giving myself
the grace to navigate those moments and
know that I'll be fine, I'll come
back. But I don't always have to
be a hundred. Yeah, not in the
cards for me. And that's okay. I
(28:22):
think a challenge, too, that I noticed
when I went to. It was a
young adult with cancer. It was like
a conference, a day conference. And I
remember walking into the room and I
remember exhaling. And what I didn't realize
is how much I almost masked being
(28:44):
normal. And so when you get into
that space, when you don't have to
pretend that everything's fine, that you're fine.
And I was just like, I had
no idea. I thought I was just,
you know, I'm good, like, I'm good,
but I'm not good. You know, I'm
a lot better than I was. But
there are days that are challenging. There
(29:06):
are days that are challenging for me,
and I might not understand why. It's
just my body trying to find its
way back. My body's trying to do
what it needs to do. And I
think giving myself the space and the
grace to have those moments is going
to be important. Is important so that
(29:26):
I'm not in distress because of it.
Right.
Makini Smith (29:30):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (29:30):
Now, you know, when. Now I'm adding
to the problem, almost just letting it
be what it is. Today's not a
great day, or maybe this moment's not
a great moment. And I think that's
what I try to do is focus
moment to moment. Right. You know, this,
these, this next hour, not fantastic, but
we got some more hours left in
(29:51):
the day this week, you know, make
a comeback.
Makini Smith (29:54):
Yes, I feel you on that. Okay.
I've had to learn to think the
same way because if I didn't, I
would think that my entire life is
just chaos. But it's like, it's not.
It's just, you know, what I'm. What
I'm dealing with right now in the
moment. But it's like, okay, well, yesterday
wasn't chaos and I still have the
(30:15):
rest of today. Doesn't mean everything is
chaos. Right? Yeah. Okay. So what limiting
beliefs have you had to unlearn in
order to fully embrace ease and alignment?
Because you talk about, you know, giving
yourself grace and being present. So what
limiting beliefs did you have to overcome
(30:37):
to get to this place?
Kenisha Hanson (30:39):
Yeah, I think what comes to mind
is just perhaps that, like, I couldn't,
I guess, navigate in the world in
the same way that other people do.
I think that I had to be.
(30:59):
I had to kind of let that
go because then that would. It was
stopping me from, like, you know, embracing
a new identity, embracing, you know, what
could be and give myself space for
possibility. Right. And I, I very much.
That's kind of like the realm and
the space that I operate in right
now. It was just like, possibility, like,
anything's possible. I can do anything. Like
now, like, don't get me started on,
(31:21):
like, AI and like, what, what it
can do in supporting just all of
those possibilities. Right. I think that that
was a big thing because I felt
like I changed so much. Right. So
much. And I think even just another
thing is just like this idea of
being well and people seeing me be
(31:43):
well or being, oh, an advocate for
well being. I think that when I
was Already, you know, you know, air
quote. Well, before, when I was trying,
I was eating healthy. I was, you
know, doing the things, you know, eating
right, exercising the things that they tell
us are supposed to do. And then
I got this cancer diagnosis. I'm just
(32:03):
like, okay, well, what was. What on
earth was the point of that? And
I think I had to navigate that
because it was just like, one of
the things that people would see, say,
is like, oh, my God, but you're
so healthy. How did this happen? Oh,
my God, but you were so healthy.
And I'm just like, thanks. I thought
so, too. And so that was very
challenging because now I'm just like, well,
(32:24):
what is it all for? So then
I had to, like, sit with myself
and be like, well, the fact that
I was, you know, otherwise healthy was
the reason that I was able to
survive. The fact that I was otherwise
healthy was the reason that I have
two options for chemo instead of one,
given my staging. Um, so it's like,
(32:48):
I had to do a lot of
reframing. And I think that when you
navigate challenge, when you navigate life, it
can be very, very easy to go
down these dark, deep holes. And I
think reframing is so important. And reframing,
like, catching yourself before you're. You're too
far right, definitely is so important to
(33:12):
keep you grounded in the present. And
there'll be moments, but it's like, try
not to, like, burrow in and, like,
believe. Essentially. Don't believe all the things
that you think.
Makini Smith (33:22):
Listen, our minds are liars. It will
tell us things that are not true.
Okay, so you talked about having to
recreate your identity and grieving who you
thought you were going to be and
reframing. What does success look like to
(33:46):
you now? Like, beyond titles and accomplishments?
Kenisha Hanson (33:50):
Yeah, I think success for me now
is just like, living in alignment with
the things that are important to me.
Like, I love going for walks. I
love going to cafes. I have many
cafe moments. You know, oftentimes on a
Friday or, like, with girlfriends, I'm going
to catch up. We're catching up at
a cafe probably. You know, I like,
(34:11):
you know, obviously my family. I love
doing things with my family. Like, anything
that I consider important to me. I
love to show up as myself. I
do not like spaces whereby I cannot
be myself. So me, for me, success
is living in alignment with my values,
living in alignment with those things that
(34:32):
are important to me. But in order
for you to live in alignment with
them, well, you have to identify what
your values are. And I think, like,
on my journey and just, like, with,
like, supporting people, like, coaching and all
these things. And I'm sure you can
say the same thing, is that so
many people have not a clue what
their values are. No idea. No.
Makini Smith (34:49):
Because they're looking at other people and
trying to say, well, I'll just do
that because they look like they're doing
it, like, well.
Kenisha Hanson (34:56):
But that doesn't resonate for you. That's
not for you. Right. And where are
you going to find contentment from? Where
are you going to peace from? Right.
We're constantly comparing, comparing, and constantly trying
to be someone else.
Makini Smith (35:08):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (35:09):
I think this is. How do you
fully embrace who you are and live
authentically to what you. What it is
that you want and who it is
that you are.
Makini Smith (35:17):
So, yes, absolutely. I agree 1000%. I
feel like people spend more time consuming
the lives of other people than they
do learning to understand themselves and what
they want and what's important to them.
And maybe the first 39 years of
(35:38):
my life, you know, I was so
focused on the. I'm gonna say superficial
version of success. And I had this
aha moment where I was just like,
okay, I am a black woman. I
am a single mom. At the time,
I was like, okay, I own, you
(35:58):
know, like, a list of things, all
these things. And I was like, I
have been able to, as an entrepreneur,
take care of my children, keep food
in their mouth, keep a roof over
their head. They are healthy, like, all
those things. And I started to realize
success wasn't what I. For me, success
wasn't what I once believed it was
(36:20):
with all the accolades and checking all
the boxes. And I think it was
probably maybe around five years ago where
I started saying no to a lot
of awards or events that I felt
like were vanity awards, where it was
like, you know, vote for me for
this or whatever. I'm like, I don't
care if I have earned the space.
Great. Thank you. I appreciate it. I
(36:41):
am honored. I. But that wasn't success
for me. To me, it was. It
was peace, it was connection, it was
love. It was all those things. And
when I started to live in alignment
with what my values were, is when
I connected with my person, is where
I started making more money in my
(37:02):
business, is where I started to attract,
you know, the connections, the people, the
network, the resources without forcing anything. I
like unsubscribed from hustle culture. I was
like, no, I'm good.
Kenisha Hanson (37:15):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (37:17):
I'll pass. You know, I stopped thinking
that I needed to go to every
single Networking event, like all the things
that I thought I needed to do
to be successful. And for those that
are listening, the key takeaway from, From.
From this point is knowing what your
values are, knowing what's important to you.
Because you may be looking at someone
(37:39):
else's life and someone else's accolades and
success and thinking, oh, I want that.
But it's not in alignment with your
values, with your morals, with your purpose.
And then you're going after something and
you find yourself burnt out chasing it.
And it's not successful because that's not
who you are. That's not who you're
designed to be. It's not what God
(38:00):
called for your life. But when you
get into alignment with who you are
called to be, the things that are
important to you, the things that matter
to you, the people, places, all those
things are how you want to operate
or show up in the world. The
legacy that you leave behind is so
much deeper because you're doing it with
your whole heart. Like, I know if
(38:20):
I never made a dime from it,
I know that a part of my
purpose is to help other people to
heal. So all of the crap that
I have been through, all of the
adversity, all the struggle, all the things,
I didn't sit there in it and
say, oh, poor me, it was, okay,
let's work through this. What is the
solution here? How do we not do
this again? Okay. How can we help
other people? There, There has. Ever since
(38:44):
I've had that aha moment, there has
never been a day where I've looked
at anyone else and envied what they
have or felt like, oh, that, I
don't know, should be me. Or why
don't I have. No, it's not for
me. I'll clap for you. I am
so happy for you. I will celebrate
you. I am excited for you, but
(39:05):
it ain't for me.
Kenisha Hanson (39:08):
Yeah. No, and I think you touched
on, like, scarcity in there too. Right?
I think on that, you know, when
we're looking and we're like, oh, I
got to be everywhere. I got to
do everything, there's not enough. I gotta.
You know, even when we're trying to
compete with people, there's enough. There's enough.
If you're in your lane, if you're
doing what it is that you're supposed
(39:28):
to do, God. God's not running out
of blessings.
Makini Smith (39:31):
Amen. I say that all the time.
Kenisha Hanson (39:34):
Whatever, whoever it is, they're running out.
Makini Smith (39:37):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (39:38):
But I think what's important is the
alignment piece so that you can attract
the things that are for you. They're
not gonna do.
Makini Smith (39:47):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (39:47):
But you also have to know what
they are now you worried about so
and so. That's so and so's journey.
That's their path. And like you, I,
I'm, I'm always like, oh my gosh,
I love that for you. I love
that was able to happen for you
that you were able to do that.
Makini Smith (40:04):
Yeah. Yep.
Kenisha Hanson (40:08):
But again, to your point, like I,
I, I'm not a part of hustle
culture. And even sometimes I toy with
that. Right. Sometimes I think about that,
I'm just like, oh. Sometimes I'm like,
well, maybe I should be doing more.
And I'm just like, no, I'm doing
exactly what I need to be doing.
Yeah, I'm doing exactly what I need
to be doing. I'm, you know, showing
up for myself. And I think, when
(40:31):
I think about how and what I
believe God has put me on this
earth for, it is to support people,
to, for them to see how great
they are.
Makini Smith (40:42):
Right.
Kenisha Hanson (40:42):
In order for me to hold that
kind of space, space for people, I
have to be well.
Makini Smith (40:47):
Yes.
Kenisha Hanson (40:49):
I have to be well. There's no
if, ands or buts because when I'm
not well, then I'm not able to
shine the light on you. For you
to see yourself.
Makini Smith (40:57):
Yes, absolutely.
Kenisha Hanson (40:58):
I have to be well.
Makini Smith (40:59):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (41:00):
So me taking that intentional time for
peace, me taking that intentional time and
maybe saying no to things, you know,
all of those things, boundaries, when we
talk, it's, it's so, it's so layered,
but it's, it's all encompassing. And that
I have to be well in every
area of my life so that I
can show up in a way that
I feel is, is, is my purpose
(41:22):
is that is aligned with, you know,
what I believe that I'm supposed to
be here for.
Makini Smith (41:27):
Absolutely. I, I feel like when I,
when I say no to someone or
something, I feel like I'm actually doing
them a favor. Because by me saying
yes, I am going to show up
tired, I am going to show up
burnt out. I am not going to
show up as my whole self and
you're going to get a half assed
version of me and you're going to
be like, what is wrong with this
girl? This is not what I asked
for. So by me telling you no,
(41:49):
that is me respecting you to say
I'm not going to give you my
bare minimum right now. So no.
Kenisha Hanson (41:55):
Yeah, absolutely. Because we've all seen it,
right? The person who doesn't want to
Be there. And they're just kind of
in the corner or they're on their
phone and it's like, well, that's not
a great experience for anyone involved. So
to your point, like, if that's how
I feel, if I'm not up to
it, then I have to say no.
And I've had people be like, oh,
well, why? And I'm like, because I
(42:15):
don't want to. Right. It's usually because
I don't want to.
Makini Smith (42:21):
Yeah.
Kenisha Hanson (42:21):
And that, like, oh, you're being honest.
Like, I. I don't.
Makini Smith (42:28):
They're so used to people faking the
funk and trying to be polite for
the sake of political correctness that when
someone is actually honest, it's like, oh,
my pearls. You said no. You don't
want to.
Kenisha Hanson (42:44):
No, she doesn't. Yeah. Oh, like, next
time maybe, but right now, no. I
hope you get so much fun, though.
Like, it's going to be an amazing
like. So.
Makini Smith (43:00):
I have said no to the point
where it shocked people, where they had
to laugh. It's like one person, a
male friend of mine, invited me to
his birthday party and he sent me
the invite details, and I said, oh,
Sony, I'm so sorry, honey. That is,
like, past my outside time. I'm not
coming. And he was like, what?
Kenisha Hanson (43:19):
What do you.
Makini Smith (43:19):
I'm like, leaving my house at 10pm
that sounds like when I'm going in
the shower to get ready for bed.
Yeah. No, I love you, but I
love you enough to let you know
I'm not going to be there.
Kenisha Hanson (43:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Makini Smith (43:40):
Okay. So how has your definition of
legacy evolved as you've integrated wellness, AI
and holistic leadership?
Kenisha Hanson (43:51):
Yeah, I think for me, I think
one of the things that. I think
I read it in a book or
something, that I'm always reading something or
listening to something, and I think it's
like, how do I show up as
myself? Fully like. And maybe that's what
I'm supposed to do, right? Just show
(44:12):
up as myself completely. Give other people
permission to be themselves. Give other people
permission to shine their light in this
world so that they feel that it.
Like, it's okay. It's okay to be
me. It's okay to navigate challenges. It's
okay to figure things out. It's okay
to say no. And I think that
when I think about legacy, I think
(44:34):
about all of the lives and all
of the people that will be able
to show up as themselves. Right. Maybe
for me, I don't know if legacy
is, you know, some business or some
structure or some Entity, but maybe it's
just a light source that I leave
behind so that people can be themselves
(44:55):
and people can be. People can love
themselves. Right? I feel like so many
of us, we don't show ourselves enough
love. And if I can support you
to see just how great you are,
and maybe, you know, you show yourself
a little bit more compassion, you give
yourself a little bit more grace, you
(45:15):
know, you feel yourself a little bit
more. I think that that will, you
know, that can transcend so many generations.
And I think when I think about
legacy, like, that's what I think about
in terms of, like, me and what
I'm here for.
Makini Smith (45:29):
We. We are so aligned. Because it's
like everything you just said, I completely
resonate with, and that's exactly how I
view it, because I think, like legacy,
it's. It's like the butterfly effect, right?
You know, they talk about a butterfly
flapping its wings on the opposite side
of the world can affect things. You
know, it's like you have no idea
how you helping one person to feel
(45:51):
better about themselves, the effect that that
can have, the ripple effect that that
can have, how that can go on
for generations, how that can spread across,
you know, them being kind to. To
someone or, you know, teaching their children
to be more kind and. And so
on and so forth. And I had
learned from my mentor many, many years
ago, leave everyone with the feeling of
increase. So it's. Leave people better than
(46:13):
you found them. Right? It's like everyone
that I'm connected to, letting them know
how great they are or helping them
pull from inside of themselves the greatness
that's within them. Right. The focus on
making them better. So I love that
you said that. Well, okay, so for
(46:33):
anyone who is in the middle of
a major life transition, what would you.
Or what's a step that you would
recommend towards clarity and peace?
Kenisha Hanson (46:44):
Start with awareness. Start with taking the
time for yourself. I don't think that
you can start outside with the external
pieces. I think that you do have
to take a minute pause and look
at where you're at, right? Where. Where
are we right now in the midst
of all of where we're at. And
(47:04):
then think about, well, where are we
trying to go? Think about what it
is, how it is that you're feeling,
you know, who's around you, what resources
you have to navigate whatever it is,
what have you done before that can
give you proof that you can do
this again? Like, just think about. Like,
just take a moment for you and
(47:26):
almost just do an inventory of yourself
where you're at in the world because
that. That I find so helpful. Because
it's almost like developing a new relationship
with yourself so that you have the
will, the means to continue. Because sometimes
we're so disconnected from ourselves, disconnected from
(47:49):
what we from love, self, love. So
paying attention to those thoughts, the things
that are coming up, like if I.
I firmly believe that, like, if I
didn't have the mindset to, you know,
ground myself and, you know, talk to
myself. I talk to myself all the
time. I'm not saying you have to,
but that's something that I do that
(48:11):
I don't know that I would be
here. Right. Because our mind is so
unbelievably powerful. So unbelievably powerful. We have
to monitor those thoughts. We have to
think about, like, what it is that
we're feeling, where it is that we're
going, how it is that we're showing
up, and how it is we're showing
up for ourselves. So I think start
with that because that in itself can
(48:35):
also be a contributor to a lot
of the problems that we have realistically.
Right. How we show love to ourselves,
how we allow others to treat us.
Like all of these things are interconnected,
right?
Makini Smith (48:49):
Yeah, absolutely. There's so much there that
I could unpack, but we'd have to,
like, do a punk too. So. Okay,
so on that note, before we go
to the final segment, I want you
to tell the listeners where they can
stay connected with you, where they can
learn more from you, where they can
buy your book.
Kenisha Hanson (49:09):
Yes, absolutely. So you can find me
on Instagram at thekeneshahanson. I'm there. You
can find me on LinkedIn. If you're
a professional, you want to connect with
me on there. My book. I have
website. Peaceandsuccess.com My new website, will be
dropping soon. It'll be Keneshahanson.com they'll all
be linked so you don't have to,
(49:29):
you know, fuss about and look for.
Everything my book will be is currently
sold on all my retailers. So that's
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, and wherever
you get your books from online worldwide.
I think we have books that have
gone as far as Germany and wherever
else. So it's not. Yeah, right. Yay
me. Definitely not limited to Canada at
(49:54):
all. And so, yeah.
Makini Smith (49:56):
Yay. Okay, so I will have all
those details in the detailed section below
the episode so they can just click
and connect with you directly.
Kenisha Hanson (50:04):
Thank you, Fenw.
Makini Smith (50:06):
You're welcome. So for the final segment,
it's kind of like a rapid Fire.
You can answer one word or one
sentence, and if you feel the need
to unpack, you're more than welcome to
do so.
Kenisha Hanson (50:15):
Okay.
Makini Smith (50:16):
All right. When was the last time
you cried?
Kenisha Hanson (50:21):
When was the last time I cried?
I think it was. I think it
was, like, last week. So host cancer.
Small elaboration. I'm definitely a crier. I
wasn't before, but now I'm so much
more in tuned with, like, my emotions
and, like, my intuition that, like, I'll
cry, like, if my. I think my.
One of my friends told me something
good that happened, and I started tearing
(50:41):
up. So, yeah, last week.
Makini Smith (50:45):
Listen, I feel I am a complete
crier. I cry for commercials. I cry
at, like, a dog, puppy outside, like,
yeah, I'm a crier. So I get
it. Okay. Describe yourself in one word.
Kenisha Hanson (50:59):
Grounded.
Makini Smith (51:00):
What would you say is your superpower?
Kenisha Hanson (51:02):
Helping people see the light in themselves.
Makini Smith (51:05):
Love it. When was the last time
you apologized to someone?
Kenisha Hanson (51:09):
Probably last week to my partner.
Makini Smith (51:13):
What's the first thing you do in
the morning and the last thing you
do at night?
Kenisha Hanson (51:17):
Pray for both.
Makini Smith (51:19):
Love it. Okay. What's the most repeated
thought you have in a day?
Kenisha Hanson (51:25):
That's a good question. Most repeated thought.
It's probably some affirmation like, everything's gonna
be fine. Today's gonna be a good
day, or something like that. I don't
know which one, but, yeah, one of
those types of things.
Makini Smith (51:40):
And last but not least, what would
little Kenesha be proud of you for?
Kenisha Hanson (51:46):
Oh, my gosh. For showing up. For
trying. For loving herself. Yeah, for just
being who I am and just showing
up as. As I. As I am.
Makini Smith (51:58):
I love it. Thank you so much,
Kenesha, for taking the time to share
your story, your wisdom, and your energy
with us. I do not take it
lightly. I excited that I even got
the opportunity to get to know you
deeper. And, you know, we've been connected
through social. I got the opportunity to
(52:19):
help you publish your book, but I
feel like I got to know you
on a deeper level here today. So
thank you.
Kenisha Hanson (52:26):
Thank you. I'm so happy that we
got to do this. I'm very grateful
for the opportunity to connect with you.
And, yeah, thank you for all that
you do for your listeners, for the
world. Thank you for continuing to show
up and share your life.
Makini Smith (52:40):
My pleasure.
Kenisha Hanson (52:43):
Thank you.
Makini Smith (52:46):
Thank you so much for tuning in.
And remember, healing starts with what you
say to yourself. 111 affirmations to help
you heal is my second book that
is filled with daily affirmations to uplift
and empower you speak life over yourself.
Grab your copy on Amazon or or
mckinneysmith.com I just want to thank each
(53:09):
and every one of you that continues
to listen each week to help the
show rank globally in the top 1.5%
of most popular podcasts. If today's episode
resonated with you, please subscribe, rate the
show, and leave us a review on
Apple Podcast. Now, I want you to
think of two people that would benefit
(53:32):
from today's conversation. Share this episode with
them. Someone out there needs Kenesha's testimony.
Screenshot this episode. You can tag us
on Instagram, you can tag Kenesha Thekaneshahanson.
You can tag myself TheReal McKinney Smith.
(53:52):
And let's keep this conversation going. A
healthy community is a healing community, and
a healing community is full of hope.
So let's continue to heal her.
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