Meet Morgan Vicki Todd | Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan Vicki Todd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan Vicki, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe there is a direct correlation between risk and fear. If we consider something to be risky, it means we are fearful that it won’t work out the way we want it to. Therefore, fear often holds us back from making decisions that could vastly improve our happiness and wellbeing.

Human beings have become creatures of habit and we create environments for ourselves driven by the routine of our daily life. Wake up, go to school, go to work, eat food, shower, sleep, repeat, repeat, repeat.

So what happens if we don’t want to do that anymore? What if we want something different? Something that breaks the mould of what we’ve always known? This could be a job change, moving out of town, travelling somewhere new, quitting an addictive substance or leaving a relationship to name a few.

Enter fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown. We get so comfortable in these routines that the idea of doing anything different can keep us frozen in a state of fear because it feels impossible. So instead, we stay where we are and ignore the internal whispers yearning for more.

This is why so many of us stay stuck, remaining in places not meant for us. We don’t want to leave our comfort zone. We don’t want to feel uncomfortable whether that be emotional, physical, spiritual, financial or all of the above.

That yearning though? Those whispers that get drowned out by our noisy minds? I believe that’s the voice that instinctively knows what is right for us and the voice we need to be listening to. That is where our true calling lies.

A few years ago I started listening to those whispers and making decisions based on what my heart wanted, not what my mind told me. And despite how loud my mind got as it projected every possible thing that could go wrong, I did it anyways. Just like the book by Susan Jeffers suggests, “Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway”… It couldn’t be more true.

In 2021 I lost my best friend to cancer which really highlighted the fragility of our mortality. That experience made me reflect on my own life and the decisions I was making. The whispers I had been ignoring started to get louder. I knew I wanted to do more with my life but I was too afraid of stepping out on my own, simply because I didn’t know how or what my next step would be.

I started thinking a lot about my own mortality and what I would regret if I were on my deathbed today. That propelled me into making big changes… I ended my marriage of 15 years, drove across Canada and the U.S. by myself, quit my marijuana addiction and moved 3 times, including to a different country just recently. It was all unknown territory and I could feel the fear trying to paralyze me every step of the way. But, I did it, and today I am overflowing with gratitude as I am designing the heart-led life that I’m meant to live.

So, to answer the question, I look at risk-taking as feeling afraid but not letting fear stop you (provided that’s the only thing standing in your way), because if it does work out how you want it to, it could make for an incredible story, experience or chapter in your life. A chapter that you wouldn’t get to write if you weren’t brave enough to move through the fear. Taking risks led me here – to a place where I am growing my own business and helping people make a positive difference in the world – where will it lead you?

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
MOVITO is a creative marketing studio that combines my appreciation for the human experience with my desire to support efforts of change.

My love for this work began with an Advertising Design course I took in college in the early 2000’s. And if it wasn’t for the aptitude test my Mum brought home as my younger self pondered what the heck to do with my life, I may never have discovered it.

I’ve always found human behaviour fascinating. As I was trying to decide which career path to take during those arduous teenage years, I was leaning towards research psychology. When the idea of advertising presented itself, it was like an “a-ha” moment for me, as it was the perfect combination of psychology and creative thinking.

Fast forward 20 years, I have acquired many skillsets, from graphic design to copywriting to web design and marketing. One of the skillsets that I value the most though, is my ability to attune to the wants, needs and feelings of other people. This one started from a young age as I learned to fit in, be liked and make others happy. I was really good at reading people, picking up on non-verbal cues and adapting to what I knew they would like.

Today, I am thankful for these experiences because I am able to apply this knowledge to every project I take on. This is an asset to my clients as I work with them to define audience segments, core messaging and marketing strategies for effective delivery. I look at this as an example of everything happens for a reason, because while I developed this skillset as a child looking to belong, it now helps amplify the work I do today.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am an adventurer at heart, and since I am fairly new to the city myself I would probably take them on a random road trip with no agenda and see what we discover.

Aside from spontaneous explorations – which have led my husband and I to some interesting places including an abandoned “early man” dig site in the California desert – there are a few must-visit places we take all our guests when they are in town – Japonica and Creamy Boys Ice Cream in Hermosa Beach.

Japonica is this really cool sushi and ramen place that has a signed Pennywise record hanging in the bathroom. Pennywise is from Hermosa Beach and is also my husband’s favourite band. We always roll down the windows and blare their albums when driving through in hopes that we’ll run into Jim Lindberg one day. But back to Japonica… get the shishito peppers and the kyoto kryptonite roll, those are my favourite.

Just down the street from Japonica is Creamy Boys (New Zealand style) Ice Cream where everyone needs to try the “hokey pokey” (vegan options available)… you won’t be disappointed. And since we’re at the beach a stroll down the pier is always mandatory.

Some other places we love to visit are Book Off, a store in Del Amo mall in Torrance where you can buy used books, cd’s and dvd’s for $1 (we have quite the collection), the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades and the Mr. Brainwash Art Museum in Beverly Hills.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I don’t believe I would be where I am today without the love and support of the Compassion Prison Project (CPP) community. When I discovered this organization in 2020, I knew I was meant to be a part of it. What I didn’t know then is how much it would change my life. When I started working with CPP, educating about childhood trauma in prison, I started to see how certain experiences and events early in life had impacted my brain development and sense of self worth. I could see how those experiences led me down a road of depression, self-hatred and addiction. My belief system was rooted in “I’m not good enough”. and I spent most of my life avoiding the pain I didn’t even know I was carrying because I was either drunk, binge eating or getting high. I wouldn’t make decisions for myself, I would make decisions based on what I thought everyone else wanted.

As I continued to learn about trauma and its effects, I started to connect the dots in my own life. I was able to share about my experiences with people who felt safe, were compassionate and didn’t judge me. It was in those moments that I started to understand what had happened to me instead of what was wrong with me, and I slowly began to see my worth, learning to love and accept myself for who I am. I am still on that journey today.

Alongside the CPP community I have a handful of amazing friends who were simultaneously going through and processing heavy stuff happening in their lives. Being able to reach out and support each other through difficult times, and witness each other’s growth forms a bond like no other. I call them my “integrals”, which is a story for another time.

I credit these support networks with helping me grow to a place where I felt confident enough to uproot my entire life and start again, facing fears that felt impossible to face. Today I am living for me, designing my life based on my own aspirations and dreams, which involved moving to Los Angeles from Medicine Hat, Alberta just last year. I am grateful and excited for what’s to come.

Website: https://www.movitodesign.com

Instagram: @movitodesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-vicki-todd-94703173/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgan.v.clements/

Image Credits
Jayme Younger, Rebecca Schmal