We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Makaila Nichols a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Makaila, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents did everything right from the very beginning. You know how they say hindsight is 20/20? Well I wish they could’ve known how incredible they were when I was younger.

At 25, I can say my parents are my best friends and being an only child, I am so appreciative of them. I think I truly gave my parents a challenge (okay, a-lot of challenges) of which they handled beautifully. It’s not every day your kid decides to chase their dreams at 14-years-old. I can recall them putting their own life on hold to help me go after my dreams. We lived in New York City and Studio City together, meanwhile home base was in Orlando, Florida. From taking me to castings, to helping me study lines to audition, do math homework, monitor my exam taking, from grueling family workouts, to being a shoulder to cry on, they did it all without a single complaint or second thought. I can remember how the younger version of myself was so embarrassed that Mom and Dad showed up to work but now, they are memories I will cherish forever.

When we weren’t dealing with the ups and downs of trying to build a career and juggle school, they were there for me. I experienced horrible bullying and mental health struggles in my youth and I truly would not be here if it wasn’t for the unconditional love and support my parents have always given me. There were times when I would say the most regrettable things like “you’re mean” or “I hate you” but I was kid and I was dumb. Who hasn’t said those lines? Now again, as I age, I wish those words never would have left my mouth, it’s something that haunts me to this day. But nonetheless, they remained by my side, always my biggest supporters, my best friends, my super heroes, my role models and the greatest parents alive.

So yeah… My parents, they did everything right even when I was wrong more often than once and yet they loved me anyway.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I wrote a best-selling book called “Blatantly Honest: Normal Teen, Abnormal Life” when I was just 18 years old. I had no intention of becoming an author but I felt like I had a story to share… my story. I open up about my own struggles with body image, mental health, bullying and more. I wrote the book in hopes that someone who may read it will realize they’re not alone in dealing with any of it regardless of their age. From there I began traveling the country to speak to groups and share my story in person, then came a series of coloring books, an international podcast and ultimately the foundation. The Blatantly Honest Foundation is a 501(c)3 that aims to change the stigmas associated with those heavy topics and inspire those to share their own story because owning your story may just save/change your life or the life of someone else.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I didn’t chose my profession, my profession chose me. There are no coincidences in life and I feel as though everything I have ever experienced, encountered, endured, conquered has led me to exactly where I’m supposed to be. I think that God needed me to experience certain events to become the woman I am today. Had I not gone through adversities I would not have the strength and the experience to be able to make an impact on peoples lives.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

To succeed, you need to know what it feels like to be knocked down repeatedly and get back up. When I hit my own version of “Rock Bottom” it kicked me into high gear, when I thought it was going to be the end of me. I refuse to let my failures, those who wish ill on me, or even certain situations define who I am. At the end of the day, I know myself better than anyone and I know that I can conquer any obstacle that gets in my way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.makailanichols.com or www.blatantlyhonest.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makailanichols/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakailaNicholsPage
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makailanichols/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/makailanichols1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPS9aE6YpO9fwKhtCNuIJPw