Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Kittrell.
Hi Courtney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey to becoming a three-time published author and a podcast and radio show host began when I made a personal thought post on Facebook on Veteran’s Day, 2018. When I posted my thoughts about people not truly understanding what it means to thank a service member, I never intended it to catapult me into a brand that would turn me into a motivational guest speaker.
This is what I wrote:
“Even though service members post happy pictures of promotions, retirements, reenlistments, moments with our battle buddies, countries we travel to, deep down, WE are tired. It’s hard to have unpredictable daily schedules, missions, and deployments with last-minute notice because new leaders always have new ideas on how the military should operate. It’s hard thinking about the birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, births, and deaths that you KNOW you will miss and can’t do anything about it. It’s hard having to be a parent, mentor, guidance counselor, pastor, disciplinarian, etc., to people who are old enough to know better, and it does not weigh you down, but it does. It’s hard to be strong for your shipmates and junior personnel when someone is killed or commits suicide when inside, you are just as hurt as they are, yet you still stand tall and act like nothing is bothering you. You help others with their sadness, hope you don’t have nightmares, and continue with your mission. There is no grieving time because we have a mission to complete! Then being traumatized, walking around with PTSD, not wanting to get help because mental health issues make you weak, and if you’re weak, maybe you need to separate from the military because you can’t be a weak warfighter. We are tired. WE are tired of being told to suck it up, buttercup, and our families not being able to understand why we don’t have empathy, why we don’t show emotions. We love our families, but WE are trained not to show emotion, move on, and get done. WE are tired of being used for political gain by people who have NEVER served in the military and the other 99% of the population believing everything they see and read about regarding the US. We are tired. WE are tired of coming home from deployments, and families want to have big Welcome Home parties. Still, all you want to do is come home to peace, a hot bath, and a home-cooked meal because you have been deployed with 5,000 people you never want to see again for the last year, eating foods you can’t pronounce in countries people only dream about and dealing with more people is not what you want right now. However, you are considered selfish, and your spouse doesn’t understand your thought process because they want to love on you, and you want space. It’s hard having kids and telling them mommy/daddy has to leave and them not understanding really why and that you are doing it for them. When you return home, your child has grown, and you have to bond with your child all over again because you are now a stranger. It’s hard trying to pretend you are strong and nothing is bothering you. Still, at home, you have a pending divorce, your child is sick, your parent’s health is poor, you’re behind on your bills, you’re scared to come out of the closet, you’re contemplating suicide, and everybody wants you to do everything, your stress level is at an all-time high, and your only friend is the bottle because you don’t want to ask for help dealing your situation. How dare you show weakness while you’re helping a junior person with their issues, and no one has asked you how you’re doing today. Trust and believe the struggle is real because you see the good times. WE all know that somebody is dependent on us to complete the mission, so we do it despite the stress, tests, anger, confusion, depression, and the deaths. Only the strong survive, but we still need to be checked on because WE get weak. We are tired.”
This post went viral on FB. So many men and women were messaging, saying how they felt like they were the only ones who had this feeling. I was told over and over that I should write a book. I laughed it off. But when different people from different parts of my life kept saying the same thing, I took it as a sign.
I have a retired Master Chief friend, Leon R. Walker, an author. That year, he had just published his first book, a memoir titled Broken. He mentored me through my writing process, giving me homework, and re-work to do. He was my number one motivator, mentor, and support system, and he was it all.
I could probably say the thought of other people’s pain and their suffering in silence is what started this motivational journey for me. That post was the pivotal moment in my life where I began to use my voice to help others get through and past their trials and tribulations.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Over the 23 years I have been in the Navy, I have understood that life is not meant to be easy or that everyone would want to live. If you take everything personally, life will always seem as though it is filled with obstacles instead of opportunities. It’s not about how smooth the road is or how easy life can be. It’s about who and what you allow to control you emotionally.
When I motivate or encourage others, it can sometimes drain me emotionally. I am an empath. I absorb people’s energy, their vibe, and their emotions. I place myself in their shoes to understand what is holding them back, why they feel the way they do, and how I can empower them to see the greatness they possess. What can be truly disheartening is when you give so much to someone, and they disregard what you talk about. They walk away from opportunities that you helped them achieve and leave you with no explanation. That is when understanding you can’t save everyone is highly important. It’s hard when you want the best for others, but they don’t want the same for themselves. They would rather play the victim because it gets them the attention they want instead of pulling themselves out of the darkness to live a healthy life.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
There is a reason why I stayed committed to the service. I am a 22year active duty Master Chief in the US Navy. I specialize in the aviation field. My success in the Navy did not come without highs and lows and even times when I wanted to separate from the military. But for me, I believe everyone’s presence has a purpose.
I have been deployed onboard USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, USS JOHN F. KENNEDY, USS ENTERPRISE, and USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH. My journey has taken her to many countries, including Spain, Portugal, England, Turkey, Bahrain, Dubai, Israel, Italy, Croatia, and other places.
I am what some like to call a unicorn of leadership. As a Master Chief in the Navy, I make up 1% of the population. As a female Master Chief, I make up less than 1%. When I do speaking events or visit different military installations, I often get surprised looks because they have never seen a female Master Chief.
Being a unicorn makes me proud. When Sailors seek me out to talk about their personal and professional development, I feel honored because they could speak to anyone, but they choose me. So many people need someone they can look up to, be honest, and to who they can relate, and I’m proud to represent that.
What’s next?
Currently, I have two years left with the Navy. Besides writing my books and recording my podcast and radio shows, I also do life coaching. I am blessed to be a part of the Navy’s newest mission, MyNavy Coaching, which is adopting life coaching to help Sailors and Officers set goals, both personally and professionally, to achieve. When I retire from the Navy, I plan to continue writing when the bug comes around and hosts my shows. Still, I would love to continue working with the Navy to implement Life Coaches as resources to help anyone who feels lost, without a purpose or plan for their career or even after.
Lastly, my first book, Unapologetically Favored: A Woman—a Leader. A Testimony has been turned into a screenplay, so I am incredibly excited to see where this may lead!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.unapologeticallyfavored.net
- Instagram: unapologeticallycak
- Facebook: unapologetically favored
- Twitter: ufavoredpodcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8S066yeOdYBH2a3fE3YuDA
Image Credits
Tiffany Barber, DreamCatcher Photos
