Kelsey SmithHello, and welcome to my sanctuary. I’m Sey. Before we dive into what this brand is all about, I need to share the wild, unexpected story of how I even got here, and how I discovered a path to flourishing after adversity. Have you ever had a moment that completely changed how you saw yourself? A moment that unraveled everything you thought you knew?
For me, that journey started with a simple tube of spit. I took a DNA test, expecting to see the family history I’d been told my whole life. But when the results came back, there was this huge percentage of… Scandinavian. And I had no idea why.
That one result sent me down a research rabbit hole. And what I found was a family secret that had been kept for over 50 years. I discovered my real grandfather wasn’t the man I thought he was. And his father, my great-grandfather, was Count Fritz Don Juan Frederick von Bernstorff-Blenner—a Danish Count. His story was one of bravery—he actually renounced his title to come to America and start a new life. It’s the story that inspired the logo for this entire vision: a noble ship finding a new, more authentic shore.
The Fire & The Winter
But to understand why this discovery of “nobility” and “bravery” meant so much to me, we have to talk about the fire that reshaped my life long before I knew about any of this.
At 29 years old, I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. That diagnosis began a long, arduous journey of treatment and healing.
During that time, I poured my energy into a podcast to help others in the breast cancer community. But a few years into it, as I was nearing what I thought was the end of my treatment, I decided to be brave. I took a test called the Breast Cancer Index to determine if my fight was truly over. On a scale of 1 to 10, I scored an 8.3. A high risk of my cancer returning. My oncologist and I agreed… it was best for me to complete five additional years of treatment. The finish line I thought I had crossed suddenly moved five years further down the road.
At the exact same time, the podcast—the very community I had built for healing—started to feel unsafe. I was facing an internal attempt to financially and creatively take over the project. It was an awful experience with someone who was also navigating her own difficult journey, and she has since passed away.
So there I was. Facing a new five-year treatment plan, and my own creative sanctuary had been compromised. My cup wasn’t just empty; it was cracked. I was trying to broadcast a message of hope while my own signal was fading.
In 2019, I made the only choice I could. I chose to honor my own season. I didn’t just end the podcast; I took my story, my energy, and my vision… and I went quiet. I had to retreat into a deep, personal winter to heal not just my body, but my spirit.
The Vision: A Blueprint for Flourishing After Adversity
So when I discovered this incredible family history, I saw it through new eyes—the eyes of someone who understands seasons. The nobility I connected with wasn’t just a title; it was in the BRAVERY my great-grandfather showed when he knew it was time for one season of his life to end and a new one to begin in America.
That’s what this is all about. It’s the wisdom to know what season you’re in. It’s the courage to allow yourself a winter, so you have the strength to truly flourish in your spring. This is the heart of flourishing after adversity.
This is how the B.R.A.V.E.R.Y. framework was born. It didn’t arrive in a flash of inspiration. It was built, piece by piece, out of necessity. It started back in 2017, in the middle of my treatment, when I asked myself, “What is it that I need to hear right now?” The answer was three simple words: you are Brilliant, you are Resilient, and you are Amazing. That was my mantra for years.
Then, in 2021, after climbing my way out of $27,000 of student loan debt, I earned a new word: Valuable. I had proven my own worth to myself. It was only then that I realized I had an acronym on my hands, and the final pieces fell into place: you must be Extraordinary in your vision, Real in your truth, and unapologetically YOU.
That is the code I used to navigate my own winter and design my own spring. It’s my personal guide to flourishing after adversity.
And that is why I created Sey Your Vision. That is why I am here as @YourVitaminSey. To share the tools and the grace I found in the quiet seasons, to help you flourish, right where you are.
This brand is my invitation to you. Let’s build our Noble Sovereignty, our Soulful Sanctuaries, and our Visionary Blueprints, together. If you’re ready to build your own vision, you can learn more about how we can work together here.
Thank you for being here.
Stay noble, Sey
