Author Spotlight: Ruby Mabry

Ruby Mabry is an International best-selling author, CEO of New Life Manor I and II, mental health facilities, mental health advocate, speaker, Founder of Live On Purpose Movement group, co-founder of ZoeFinity Haitian American apparel and the marketing and PR for Greater Haitian American Chamber of Commerce.

Under her leadership, New Life Manor has expanded and become one of the areas well-known and respected facilities for adults with special needs. Ruby has been recognized in her field, for her diligent, compassionate care to the individuals that she serves. Her background is in Health Care Administration, nursing, and medical transcription.

In her spare time, she loves to give back, because she is a firm believer that you haven’t learned how to live until you learn how to give. Ruby has been featured on “Mom Talk Radio” (nationally syndicated radio show for moms), “On The Record Radio”, “TATV-Tele Anacaona”, “Women Celebrating Women”,“Your Voice Your Power” podcast, “Sip and Chat Employee to Entrepreneur Podcast” , “Fun, Feisty and Fab Podcast”, “WOLB-1680 Radio”, “Peace On The Streets”, “IHeart Radio”,”GirlTalk HQ Magazine”, “The Huffington Post”, “NBC”, “Fox”, “CBC News”,“Entrigue Magazine”, “Gigare’ Lifestyle Magazine”, “EIN Presswire”,  and “The Best of Autumn Reading 2016”. As well as she has been a “2018 Women on the Rise Orlando, Deeva to Watch Finalist,” and  2017/2018 Why Give? Finalist.

Learn what drives this businesswoman, author, and philanthropist below.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Ruby, Ruby?

Ruby: I describe my swagher as classy, loyal, charismatic, compassionate,and comedic. It’s confidence mixed with some shyness, authentic, and The Boss!

I am in a league of my own. I am not a follower, but a leader and that’s what makes me unique and special. Being different and unique is my swagher.

Fancy: What sparked your interest in mental health?

Ruby: I have always been a very giving person and my background is in nursing. I love to be of help to anyone in need. I lovingly blame my parents. They were role models and were always giving back in the community to complete strangers and anyone in need.  I had great examples of what being a servant leader was.  It was only natural for me to be in a profession that is the voice to the voiceless, as well as, recently being diagnosed with several mental health disorders.

Fancy: Did your work inspire your book in any way?

Ruby: As coincidental as it is, no, my work did not inspire my recent bestselling book. I did not realize that I had mental health disorders until six months ago. I have been chief executive officer of two mental health facilities for 16 years and I’m just realizing that it does not matter who you are, what you look like or your professional status, mental health affects everyone.

Fancy: So what did inspire your book “Broken Chains”?

Ruby: Well, I have traveled all around the world, and one thing that I encountered at every location, is the powerful stories of strength, courage, and faith of women, which made me decide to collaborate with women and do an anthology to share their stories of how they overcame their obstacles in order to help someone else going through similar situations. As for my personal story, I wanted to be transparent, from the heart, and share my invisible illness story.

I knew something was not quite right, and last September I took an online body dysmorphic test and failed miserably. I’m a pretty tough girl and people never see me cry, so I truly realized I had a problem when I was just all over the place with my emotions, shaky, chest pain, anxiousness. I was seen the last two years in the emergency room for what I thought was a heart attack, but it was a panic attack. My final straw was last October for a family member’s birthday party. I bought “seven” dresses, and I did not like how any of them looked on me. I always see someone in the mirror who is overweight, but others see me differently. The dress I wore to the party, I still did not like, but compared to the other six, that was the better fit to me. I was miserable in my own skin all evening, but I had no choice. After the party, I saw a therapist and this is when my jaw dropped and all the feelings of inadequacy that I felt for over 30 years had become a reality. I was diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety, anorexia/bulimia, and depression, all of which are mental health disorders.

Fancy: How did you discover your own purpose?

Ruby: I think I discovered my true purpose after I was diagnosed. I realized how much time/years I wasted with negative self-talk, negative body image, and holding back my true potential due to fear, so I decided to take the leap and do everything that scares me in 2019. So far it has been rewarding, yet scary. I truly feel as though you will never get to your destination if you cannot be honest with yourself and stand in your truth. I finally made ME a priority on my to do list and put myself first.

Fancy: How did you decide which stories you would share, and so are the stories in the third person or first?

Ruby: It was truly easy to decide on the stories because every story submitted came from the heart and the authors were transparent while sharing their journeys. The stories are in the first person. Every author shares their personal stories of overcoming their obstacles.

Fancy: What is the one piece of advice that you would give to someone overwhelmed by life’s obstacles and struggling to live on purpose?

Ruby: One piece of advice I would give is to choose your words wisely when communicating with others, because you never know what someone is going through. Words have power. How we use them and what we say to each other can either build or destroy.  Many people that we surround ourselves with on a daily basis are suffering with a mental illness. 1 in 5 suffer with a mental health disorder. I cannot stress the importance of looking at the individual, not the illness. My mission is to spread more awareness and get people like you and me to seek help if they need it. We need to look at the person and not the illness and raise more awareness and have more conversations to end the stigma, especially in the African American community. Speaking up does not show weakness, its shows strength. People die in silence everyday. Lets start the conversation.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?

Ruby: Yes, I am a speaker at the upcoming Taking Off The Mask International Mental Health Tour in Miami, FL on August 10^th.

Look out for my upcoming self-care and mental health workshops.

Look out for more information that will be coming soon regarding television.

Also, if anyone is interested in my upcoming anthology project, Broken Chains, Volume II, please contact me to be a part of this amazing project. We are looking for 25 men/women for this collaboration.

Connect with Ruby below.

Facebook: Author Ruby Mabry

Instagram: Author Ruby Mabry

Email: AuthorRubyMabry@gmail.com

Website: http://www.liveonpurposemastermind.com/