Member Article

Local Mum Becomes Best-Selling Author (sitting alongside Oprah!) as she Encourages Others to Speak out for Mental Health Awareness Day

A mum of 2 from Darlington is celebrating this week, having just found out that she has become a No.1 Best Selling Author, in several categories on Amazon, with the release of her debut book, ‘Beautifully Broken’ - an intensely personal story that’s combined with practical self help advice, intended to highlight to others going through difficult personal circumstances that it is possible to come out the other side, challenging the stigma around mental health.

In the wake of Mental Health Awareness Day on Wednesday 10th October, Abigail has released her debut book as part of her mission to get more people opening up about mental health challenges and to supply others with tools that have helped her overcome her hardships.

In just four hours after it’s release,‘Beautifully Broken’ has captured the hearts of readers globally and is riding high in best seller and hot new release categories in; Psychological Education and Training and also Teen and Young Adult Women Biographies where she sits alongside Oprah Winfrey’s story ‘From Rags to Riches’. Written for people everywhere who have suffered adversity, 32 year old Abigail Tennant’s mission with the book is to show people that no matter what you face in life, it is possible to positively take charge of your future.

Commenting on the importance of getting the conversation going around mental health Abigail said:“Anyone who has a brain has mental wellbeing. My worry is this is sadly overlooked and people are not making their mental wellbeing a priority. I love that people are beginning to talk more openly however, my concern is as a society we are still uneducated. I often see comments from people judging or having an opinion and as someone who has suffered with mental health I feel like hitting my head on a wall as how misunderstood the subject is. My view is to screw the stigma and the need to livea perfect life. Putting it blunt, life is hard and there will be many times we will be tested. Having said that with knowledge and tools we all have the ability to look after our mental wellbeing and prevent reaching breaking point in what is now a very stressful and pressuring society.”

A mum of 2 whose partner of 8 years left her, only for her to find out a few months after separating, on Facebook the real reason he left and the extent of his affair 3 weeks before marrying his now Russian bride. Abigail found her life becoming ‘emotionally chaotic’ after she discovered the father to her children living a secret life for months. Dealing with this alongside a serious neurological illness that resulted in her being admitted to a stroke ward for 3 days,alongside caring for her 2 children Abigail, who was solely responsible for her mortgage and supporting her kids financially, started to emotionally crumble.

She said: “I thought initially that this was the onset of my mental health illness but in hindsight after counselling I can appreciate that I had actually experienced anxiety and depression for years and struggled with my mental health since I was bullied as a child, and thanks to some traumatic events in my youth that I had tried to bury.”

Covering subjects such as gratitute, self-care and and the importance of recognising how your mind works to help you deal with strong emotions ‘Beautifully Broken’ combines real life experiences with practical exercises and a strong focus on mindset to help the reader identify their own feelings and work through them during challenges they are facing. Reviews already in describe it as “An honest account of a personal battle with depression, self doubt and difficult times. I’m sure many people will relate to Abigail’s story and take inspiration from it” and “Brilliantly written book by Abigail, sharing her life experiences in a very relatable way, covering the often untalked about subject of mental health. Practical handbook with useful take away questions to help you capture your own thoughts as you read through the book.”

Knowing that supporting others through sharing this is her true calling Abigail has today launched her new business, Attuned Mindset, providing 121 mentoring to others who have been through hardship alongside online webinars sharing the things she’s learnt, the techniques that have helped her and the tools she uses in her daily life now to battle her prevailing mental health challenges.

Abigail said: “I now appreciate that me being broken is what helped me to actually get to know myself. It has helped me become more self -aware and find my self-worth. Life isn’t perfect but now I know how to navigate challenges that come my way and for that I’m grateful”.

Currently studying Psychology at Northumbria University with a role of Vice President of the Mental Health Awareness Society she is combing her previous self care knowledge of being a holistic therapist, with her own life experiences, counselling and learnings from her Psychology degree around the workings of our minds to now offer support for others.

Abigail added: “Whilst I was writing this book I was again struck by another health challenge when I had to have surgery for cancerous cells. The old Abigail would have crumbled at this but the new me knew how to handle my thoughts, manage my mindset and get on with life around this happening. I know I am a different person now to who I was 3 years ago and I want others to see this is possible too”.

Bringing this book to life through Authors & Co, whose focus is on telling stories of those who are keen to inspire and leave a legacy, Abigail’s mission to share her story and help others has materialised in just 6 months from concept to completion and it has all been part of processing her own struggles over the last 20 years, as she now embarks on a new chapter herself.

Available now via Amazon - Abigail is hugely overwhelmed about her book’s instant success.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Becky Hayles .