Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mykaylah Gray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mykaylah, Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career? If so, please share the backstory so we can fully understand and appreciate the moment and take in any lessons or wisdom that might be learned from your experience and story.
I’ve realized that, a lot of times when we are asked questions, we are able to answer them based on our own understanding. However, I’ve always been the type of person to understand things my way and also search for the true definition. When I looked up “defining moment” the definition was: a point in your life when you’re urged to make a pivotal decision, or when you experience something that fundamentally changes you. My defining moment in life is when I was urged to make a pivotal decision about staying alive. I was on the floor crying out to God, asking Him to take my life, so I wouldn’t have to do it myself. The decision that changed my life forever was to choose life and restore my faith. I had to rebuild my personal foundation, by revisiting my past trauma, healing from my depression and anxiety, and I had to learn how to survive in my own mind. God heard my prayers in January 2020 and told me that I am more than enough. I kept hearing “I Am Sufficient” and I came across 2 Corinthians 12:9. I felt like this was a sign and an answer to my prayers, finding out my purpose in life. I desired to give hope to the hopeless by being who I needed when I was struggling. So I started I Am Sufficient Clothing LLC, to bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention by sharing my own personal testimony, while also addressing the battles people face silently everyday. This was a huge defining moment in my life, and career because I birthed this amazing movement that turned into a business, by doing what I love the most… helping others and breaking the stigma of mental health.
Mykaylah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Mykaylah I am from Worcester, Massachusetts and I am a child of God, mother, poet, and mental health advocate. I am also the Founder and CEO of I am Sufficient Clothing LLC. I started this business by simply being who I needed. I decided to take the broken pieces in my life and turn it into something beautiful… As someone who has dealt with attempts and suicidal ideation, I wanted to be there for those who have also dealt with this in their past, those who survived and fought through it. I wanted to listen to those who were working on overcoming mental health obstacles and learning how to put their mental health first, and help educate people who might deal with any mental situation that might arise in their future or to someone they love. I am by no means a licensed therapist or a counselor… I am someone who has been through life’s trials, and has a heart for people. I learned to be vulnerable and open to sharing my feelings with the world in order to encourage others. My goal is to change the stigma around mental health and remind someone that they are not alone and that they are not a mistake. So if you come across this, I hear you, and you are loved. Keep going!
During my healing process I was originally looking for an outlet or a listening ear, so I decided to make a shirt that said “Suicidal to Sufficient, I am more than enough” I posted the shirt on Facebook during the beginning of the pandemic and I was amazed at the response! I honestly didn’t realize how many people could relate to this feeling. The moment that I started receiving orders from across the country, I knew I had to really start taking things seriously. I was overwhelmed by the messages people were sending me. I didn’t realize that the shirt was going to save lives and allow people to be open and vulnerable by sharing things that they have never shared before. God‘s timing is definitely the best time because I truly believe that the pandemic allowed people to realize how important prioritizing their mental health is, and it opened many doors for my business. I Am Sufficient Clothing is a faith based mental health awareness and suicide prevention brand that uses testimonial driven phrases, stories and quotes to help give hope to the hopeless by being who we needed. We share messages of awareness and hope on our clothing and promotional items, hoping to touch the lives of those who pass by us daily. Whether we are in church, at work or school, at the grocery store or on vacation.. most importantly in our communities. To say all these things, you never know who is fighting a silent battle. After the initial launch, we came out with shirts for educators, athletes, artists, anyone who has faced racial trauma, mental illness, suicide attempt survivors and those who have lost someone to suicide.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
As an entrepreneur and mental health advocate, I think the most helpful thing that I can do to succeed is to be honest with myself and to those who come across I Am Sufficient. Acknowledging when I am having a bad mental health day and being transparent with my supporters. Prioritizing my own mental health, and not just talking about it for likes on social media. Sometimes it’s hard to be so open and vulnerable with strangers, while in the process of encouraging and motivating others, you’re being judged or looked at as being weak. It is also easy to fall short of taking care of yourself and in the past I’ve learned that the hard way. I can not be successful in this field if I am not at my best mentally, physically and spiritually.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
There’s a quote that says “check on your strong friends’’ as I get older, I am realizing that I have always been considered a “strong friend” or strong acquaintance to many. Through sharing my testimony, there are a lot of people that never knew about the battles I was fighting physically and inside my head. I remember meeting with someone I went to high school with and she said she loved being around me because I was always happy and I could make anyone’s day better by putting a smile on their face, making them laugh or leaving an impact on their life. During my healing process, I had to unlearn what the world considers as being weak, sensitive or too emotional and I learned that my feelings, my past and vulnerability do not define me as a person or make me weak. I’ve recognized and accepted that all of my feelings are valid and I love myself for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: iamsufficient.com
- Instagram: iamsufficient.clothing
- Facebook: I Am Sufficient Clothing
Image Credits
Becky Noble Isaiah Moore