5 Tips For Managing Your Mental Health With Author Kinyatta Gray

Kinyatta Gray, a three-time author, knows first hand the struggles of maintaining one’s mental health. Following the death of her mother, and only parent, as an only child, Kinyatta struggled to come to grips with the tragedy. Her first book, ’30 Days: Surviving The Trauma And Unexpected Loss of a Single Parent As An Only Child,’ detailed those struggles while providing her an outlet to grieve. It’s why she’s since dedicated her work to fighting stigmas around mental health and helping those suffering in silence.

Here are five tips she provides in combating mental health challenges and how to best combat them.  She says:

1. Follow the prescribed treatment plan by your mental health provider.
   If you have made the decision to seek treatment, it’s important that you trust that your provider has evaluated your specific symptoms and situation and has created a treatment plan to assist you on your road to recovery. I encourage you to follow your medical provider’s treatment plan in order to attain the relief and quality of life that you deserve.
2. Check-in with your mental health provider regularly or when you feel you need to. 
   Develop a trusting relationship with your mental health provider so that when you feel that things are going left or you’re not feeling your best mentally, you won’t hesitate to set an appointment with your provider to discuss the issues. After one or two initial appointments you can usually tell if you and your mental health provider have made a professional connection that’s in your best interest and worth continuing. Establishing a connection and trust with your mental health provider is essential to your progress.
3. Wake up every morning and find one thing that you’re grateful for. 
   We can easily become distracted with the five things that aren’t going as planned, but when you can look at your life and appreciate the 6 things that are going as planned, that’s when you also need to practice being grateful for all that is well in your life. You attract what your energy puts into the universe. Practice being grateful and the universe will reward you with more things to be grateful for.
4. Exercise regularly and eat well. 
   You are what you eat. Your body is your temple and we are responsible for maintaining our temples. Eating well is not only essential for weight management it’s essential for mental health as well. Have you ever heard the expression to take a walk or jog when you are feeling upset or anxious? When you do so, your body releases endorphins that help to change your mood. I can tell you that I have had many days when I wanted to pull my hair out and I released all of that energy on a treadmill and felt invigorated and ready to face and resolve the obstacles that were in my way.
5. Notice the times, places, & people you’re around when you feel most happy, joyful, grateful, loved, and appreciated. Repeat. 
   I know exactly when I feel my best. It’s immediately after I log off my computer at work, when my spouse comes home 30 minutes later, I pour a glass of champagne, turn on the outdoor fire pit and look up at the stars. At that moment, life is good. Because it feels so good – I repeat that as much as possible. Find your precise moments when life is good and repeat. It’s okay to make yourself feel good.

For more information on Kinyatta Gray and additional books she has published, visit kinyattagray.com.

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