Makayla Cooper

Makayla Cooper is a Domestic Violence survivor who has turned her pain into her purpose with The Butterfly Effect. She created this project to bring awareness to Domestic Violence, and create a safe haven for women and families to not only discuss domestic violence, but also bring awareness to it.

Through The Butterfly Effect, Makayla brings awareness, peer-to-peer support, and guidance to women and their families. She helps them navigate their next steps by providing resources. When you’re in a violent or abusive situation, it’s often difficult to speak up for yourself - and Makayla’s goal is to start a non-profit and to create a safe house for women and their families.

It’s so important to bring awareness to domestic violence and its impact, and Makayla also hopes to network with other people who are looking to change the conversation surrounding domestic violence. Makayla is encouraging and empowering families all over the world by sharing her experiences, story and truth, and I’m so excited for you guys to learn more about The Butterfly Effect, connect with Makayla, and follow along!

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

Hello my name is Makayla Cooper and I am a domestic violence Survivor who created a project called The Butterfly Effect. I provide peer-to-peer support, along with guiding women to resources in their area, and providing advocacy to them. What I am working on is creating a platform for victims and survivors of domestic violence to discuss a topic surrounding it. I’m also working on getting a nonprofit organization put together to provide support for victims and survivors, and also help them cross their financial barriers.

How did you get started?

I got started because I remembered how alone I felt during my domestic violence situation. I felt that the system had failed me and there was no one for me to reach out to. I felt like I was all alone, and that inspired me to create a platform for other women and to bring awareness to domestic violence.

What inspired the work that you're doing?

What inspired the work that I am doing is remembering how I felt and also remembering that as a nation we need to stand up for these women and families. I felt inspired to do the work that I am doing because I feel like my purpose is to help others. I also was inspired because I feel like a lot of people do not want to talk about domestic violence because it is such a touchy subject, but the only way to create change is by using the power of our voices.

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

I feel that my biggest passion is helping others. I definitely feel like I'm living my passion and purpose. I have helped women all over the world regain their self-esteem, their independence, and also get away from their perpetrator. I definitely feel that I am living my passion every day, and every day I wake up is a new opportunity to achieve greatness.

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

My joy blueprint is remembering that I am a survivor. I am no longer a victim, and what lights me up the most is when I have women come to me and tell me that they have gotten away from their abusers and that I have been able to help them. What makes me feel the most alive is just knowing I am doing everything that I can to make a difference. I get the most Joy from people telling me that I have changed her life or at least made a difference in it.

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

How I live intentionally is waking up every day and being the best person I can be. Practices and tools that I use are waking up everyday filling my head with positive things like I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am not what happened to me, I am what I am going to become. I stay mindful and grounded by remembering where I came from and keeping my goals in mind of where I am trying to go and what I am trying to achieve.

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

I feel that my younger self would think that I am accomplished and that I have come a long way. I turned my pain into testimony in order to help others. I feel that my younger self would think that I have evolved into a beautiful soul who is capable of tremendous things.

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?

I go more towards affirmation, motivational tactics, and quotes. I use affirmations and statements that help me overcome self-sabotaging or my negative thoughts. I always try to turn my negative thoughts back around into something positive because I feel that everything starts with how we think and that also affects how we feel.

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream would be to have a nonprofit organization, a safe house for domestic violence victims, work with legislators and representatives to change domestic violence laws, and to put a victims protection program into place for domestic violence victims. I also want to continue to grow my platform and network with other influential people who are working to fight against domestic violence.

To learn more about Makayla and her work you can connect with her on her Facebook page here and via email butterflyeffecthope@gmail.com

Joy Corner is a new interview-style blog series brought to you by Seek The Joy Podcast. Our mission continues to be a desire to share your stories, truths, joys and inspiration in your words. We invite you to join our corner, and share your joys, passions, and moments of inspiration as we continue to seek the joy, together. Join this series here

Makayla Cooper - The Butterfly Effect