I don't understand what you're doing.
Does it make sense?
How do Wellness, Fashion and Homeware even amalgamate?
Aren't you doing too much?
These are some of the questions and concerns that have been voiced throughout the years of coming up with my business proposal.
I suppose it's worth telling you a little bit about me; I am a 25 year old Ugandan lady who went to architecture school and therefore most people assume all I want to become is an architect. But even if I still do want that for myself, design is my passion. I have given several testimonials that talk about what I thought I wanted to be when I grow up, and they all sum up to one thing: a DESIGNER.
Now, that seems like a rather broad term, and it is!!! One can be a fashion designer, architectural designer, building designer, jewellery designer, wellness and health designer, you name it.
I refused to limit my design capacities because I love designing every single thing in my life; the way my food looks on my plate, my hairstyle, my outfits, my day, my health and well-being, and I believe this has helped me hone into the idea that I just might be able to help others view their lives in a similar manner.
I started LyfLyn [Designs] at a point in my life where I was so unsure if I was making the right career choices. This was at the end of 2016 when I was doing my Master's in Architecture. It was at this point that I started having multiple panic attacks because university was really competitive and I felt like I wasn't good enough and didn't deserve to be there, especially after being awarded a 100% scholarship for the course. I had the worst case of impostor syndrome and on so many occasions I felt that someone else deserved the award more than I did (even though I had worked extremely hard to get it in the first place).
I didn't know much about dealing with mental health (largely due to the stigma surrounding it in my country), but I knew I had to do something to keep myself going and stop feeling so anxious and depressed. I started with watercolours and painting. Then I would occasionally design things in Rhino3D. They didn't have scale or meaning, they were basically scribbles. And then one day I decided to scale them up and laser cut them... and just like that, LyfLyn [Designs] (formerly LyfLyn Jewellery) was born, with the first collection being the Scribble Collection..
I called it LyfLyn because it was my lifeline back then. You know that line that shows your heart rate (the medics have a better way of explaining it), well that was mine and it kept me going (and still does). It was and is my safe and happy place, my baby.
Although it has not been financially successful, I have continued to do it because designing these unique pieces has kept me going through so many difficult times and the people who have appreciated the pieces have done so with so much love and support by promoting and buying the pieces.
So here I am, dedicating a large part of my life to the LyfLyn mission. I set out to create not only beautiful bespoke jewellery, fantastic homewares such as charcuterie boards and side tables, but also a fantastic set of planners for you and your loved ones to create your life in your own way, to manifest into the highest versions of yourself.
I have always believed that we are in control of how our lives turn out. And yes, there are external factors that influence this, but what if we knew about them early enough to know how to use their influence to our advantage? I think we could always find ways to manoeuvre through even the worst-case scenarios.
If you follow our Instagram you will see that we alternate between promoting our products and posting motivational quotes on self development, self care and wellness. We have even started a #WellnessWednesday post on our story (you can also access it through our highlights) where we share tips on how to improve our days. This is all intentional, with the aim of combining fashion with wellness. If you're feeling good on the inside, it's going to show on the outside, and that Scribble pendant is going to look even better when you've got that glow on you.
We are about to launch the #LyfLynPlanner, which will be a great help in organising your day.
I designed this planner for someone like me, a working class person who has a lot on her plate outside of her 9-5. The planners (a daily planner, a monthly/weekly/challenge planner and a journal) contain tips and tools on how to manage your time, finances, health, relationships and how to challenge yourself to achieve your goals.
I believe that writing down how you feel and organising your life to sort through all the feelings is a big part of achieving the life you deserve.
I suppose if I have to sum things up and answer the pressing questions I've been asked over the past 2 years, YES, it makes more than enough sense to be able to offer products and services that make you, the spaces you work and live in, and your everyday life look and feel great.
We hope you think so too!
PS: I hope we can grow together and I would love to hear more from all of you; my customers, clients, friends and family. I hope to be blogging more frequently on our website and would love to hear from you about any fashion, homeware or wellness topics you would like me to cover.
This blog is dedicated to all my boss ladies and gents who are striving to make it in the motherland! #OneLove