We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Walt McKinley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Walt, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
I’ve lived what seemed like multiple lives in one and have had incredible success both personally and professionally, but based on my childhood I knew I was an exception. My childhood was something movies are made from and the abuse I endured left me an angry, self-sabatoging, and mentally struggling young man. I knew I needed to make the choice to embrace my past and let it fuel my future. I set out on a mission to heal myself from the only pain I knew and turn towards finding love and happiness. I wrote my memoir, “Monsters in My House, A True Story”, and speak around the world about how to heal from trauma and own your story. My purpose is to show others your history doesn’t define your legacy and where you start in life doesn’t have to be where you end.
I know there are millions of people living in quiet desperation and teaching others how to embrace their story and fully live a joyful life is my life’s mission. I knew if I could find true happiness and success I could teach others to do the same, because the only thing separating me from anyone is a decision to do the healing work.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I’m a retired Naval Intelligence Officer and former corporate 300 executive. I left corporate America July 2021 on a mission to breathe life into humanity, teach others how to heal from trauma, and speak about removing the stimga of talking about mental health.
I wrote my memoir and was blessed to see it go #1 best seller in multiple categories, but I’m most proud of how people have leaned into their own healing journey after reading it and finding the belief that if I can find happiness then so can they. It’s unlocked a joy that I didn’t even know I was missing out on and I’m happier than I’ve ever been.
I host monthly 4 week masterclasses taking people through the “4 Keys To Living An Extraordinary Life” and my trauma healing ladder. I use my personal stories to give tangible and usable strategies that help others learn the tools needed to catapult their life. My magic is in giving others the belief they will use their story as rocket fuel and change their legacy forever by doing the healing work now. I create a safe space and micro-communities during my course that show others they are not alone. It’s time to do the work to fully embrace everything life has to offer, but it takes you making the choice to love yourself and do the work.
I also speak and train around the world, in companies and events, using my personal experiences and professional “boots and boardroom” experience to help people win! I speak about healing from trauma, how to build high performing team first cultures, the importance of mental health in leadership, and how to build grit and resilience.
All of my services and social media links can be found at www.waltmckinley.com.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an author and speaker is watching (sometimes in real time) people choose to love themselves for the first time. To see someone’s body language, posture, voice, words they use, and eyes fill with power, love, and hope is something only found when truly serving others.
I’ve received thousands of comments from people on this journey of how they’ve found themselves through my words. There is nothing more humbling, gratifying, and inspirational to me, its genuinely unlocked another 20% of happiness in my life I didn’t know I was missing out on.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
The mission to remove the stigma of trauma and make talking about mental health a normal and applauded thing is my mission. Showing others their history doesn’t define their legacy and helping them change, not only themselves, but transform their families legacies is my driving force. I will spend my last breath on this earth helping someone if it helps save one more life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.waltmckinley.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waltmckinleyinspiration/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walter.mckinley.7
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltmckinley/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WaltMcKinley
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnduhZ9xNF6hK-5L_irw4Q
Image Credits
I own the rights to these pictures