Be Like Water: Feed Your Soul with Keenyah Hill

Today on Feed Your Soul we are talking about a few of our favorite things: self-love, finding inspiration, and Keenyah Hill. 30-year-old model and actress, Keenyah is a woman who knows all too well the power of self-love and what it means to embark on the journey of accepting yourself. Her insights and advice on living and dealing with a mental health issue are something that have the power to really make a difference in the lives of those who are listening to her.

In February, Keenyah announced to the world via Facebook of her diagnosis of bi-polar disorder, something that the model has been struggling with for years now. Now that she has put it out there, Hill is determined to give people with bi-polar disorder someone to look up to. “We must learn to say, ‘people diagnosed with bi-polar disorder’ instead of using the term ‘bi-polar people.’ That's something I want to change.” Keenyah feeds her soul with a purpose to teach those with bi-polar disorder that there is much more room for acceptance in their lives than they might think. In a world that is becoming increasingly politically incorrect, Keenyah is hopeful. “Maybe in 2050 I’ll have an episode and it will be in a safe environment – a place where people will accept that this is the way I am and many others are.” Keenyah’s experiences with her episodes have been traumatic and emotionally degrading in some ways, but she has gathered some impressive understanding of how she can bring herself back up again. “When you come out of the hospital or program or wherever you are to get back to yourself, you have to piece the puzzle back together. But the things that have helped me after my episodes are first to know my worth, to love myself, and to remember the self-love that I have for myself. Those things always get me through, and it gets easier with practice.” Keenyah also tells us “You have to turn problems into learning experiences. Basic wisdoms like ‘this too shall pass’ and 'the only thing that is constant is change' help keep your thoughts in order, and you won’t feel as bad.”

Keenyah understands that you must know yourself and know your worth. According to the model, who also works at a meditation studio in Santa Monica, being creative requires inspiration. When Keenyah is inspired, it’s all about feeling it. “It has to come from the inside. Which to me comes from God and from using meditation to be able to de-clutter my mind.” So much of your imagination can be used when you have more space to be imaginative!  Being in nature, looking at other artists, and ensuring that she has the space, privacy, and time to be creative are all key to Keenyah’s creative feelings. Oh and speaking of talking about our favorite things, Keenyah also loves to vision board! “My inspirations behind these are my dreams and my visions of what I want to bring forth.”  On the meditation side of things, to get in the zone Keenyah meditates twice a day, every morning and every night, focusing on her breath.  She also listens to guided meditations – David Ji is a favorite of hers.  Also among her meditation practices are body scan meditations she finds on SoundCloud. “Mr. C does the best body scan! He guides in relaxing you from the tip of the toes to the inside of your skull. The first time I did it I really felt like a soul inside of something; that my consciousness is running my entire being.” https://soundcloud.com/mrcsuperfreq/guided-meditation-technique

Keenyah has learned to surround herself with inspiration and those things that will induce her happiness. Will and Jada Pinkett remind her of this, too. All three of them (Will, Jada and Keenyah) are all Virgos who’s paths have crossed a couple times. “They have this glow about them – not the money and the fame – it's their perception of life and themselves and their love. They have a lot of it.” Will is all about finding what you love and doing that and that only. He taught Keenyah the difference between depression and joy: to live in service to humanity, which is the purest form of joy.

Keenyah left us with one of her favorite quotes, by Bruce Lee: “Empty your mind, be formless, be shapeless, like water.”  Keenyah’s determination and potential to expand people’s minds and make them more open-minded is boundless, like water. And we are soaking it all up.

Keep up with Keenyah and see what she’s up to…social media:  Twitter and Instagram

Written by Katie Girouard.