The Power of Being Well
Holistic brand Lili's founder's story
Happiness. Courage. Accomplishment. Wellness. Challenges. Dreams.
Those words have different meanings to each one of us, depending on our experiences, beliefs, and goals.
In New York City, where everything is measured by the toughest standards, those meanings are tested often to the extreme, and each person - sooner or later - finds out if they will 'make it or break it.'
It's a harsh reality, one though every New Yorker learns to accept, willingly or unwillingly. But that's why the City is such an inexhaustible source of great stories. So many individualities have their tales of the 'what, how, when, and why' they are or stay in the Big Apple.
For a storyteller like me, that's heaven! Never a dull moment if you stay curious and are really interested in listening to what people have to say. Many people are interesting. Some are intriguing. That's what I thought the first time I encountered Lily.
We met at one of my art exhibitions some time ago. Talking about the influence of Eastern culture in my artworks and in my book 'Life is a Treasure' was how I discovered Lily's entrepreneurial venture in wellness.
What struck me about her was her clever and dry way of conversing and her enigmatic beauty. Lily doesn't waste words. Because she doesn't want to waste time, I learned later. In tennis, she would be more a returner than a hitter. She is attractive, for her look, obviously, but, similarly to a sphinx, She is very observing and reflective, with intense and piercing eyes, which makes her charm magnetic.
Lili is her yoga studio she recently launched.
Coming to the US from China a few years ago has posed several additional challenges.
The language barrier, graduating in a foreign country while overcoming cultural differences, adapting to new systems and norms, and being all by yourself when serious problems come your way.
The down moments hit you harder because you know that nobody is obliging you to go through that struggle, endure pressure, or achieve those goals no matter what.
Despite her young age, by practicing and teaching yoga for many years already and having developed a philosophy of life centered around mental and physical health, Lily is a mature and grounded woman and entrepreneur, aware of the uncertainty and foulness that comes with running a start-up business in a post-pandemic world, but also cheerful and proud for fulfilling her plans and ambitions.
Lily also knows very well that, in this time and age, having a public profile and building a digital following are indispensable. Hence, the necessity to carefully craft her social media presence.
On her individual profile, she vehicles the promotion of her brand @liliyogas, along with @lilyji11 and her activity as a fashion and lifestyle influencer based in New York City but with frequent escapes to glamorous other locations.
I was thrilled she wanted to collaborate on the editorial for the next issue of Livein Magazine. I really wanted to portray her dual nature as a businesswoman and wellness coach shelled in the figure of a beautiful female fully immersed in the grind and glitter of New York.
I like that Lily is a very forward person, honest about her intentions and purposes, and comfortable with embracing her full femininity, an element of her personality she interprets mostly through her Eastern culture and heritage, where it's synonymous are softness, compassion, emotional intelligence, and ability to manage people and resources with understanding and fairness, but also being strong and resilient through adversities.
When we met for the photo shoot of this editorial, we had the chance to speak a lot more. Her business vision is that there is, fortunately, an increased awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellness as interconnected elements of a whole that ultimately revolves around a person's healthy life.
The mission of her yoga studio is to reach out and help as many people as possible so they enjoy the same benefits she found with meditation, exercise, and self-discipline.
The mission of her activewear collection is to offer everybody the right apparel and gear to enhance their exercises and accelerate the achievements of their goals.
Lily also tells me that New York is the only place where she saw she could start her business. She is willing to embrace both the opportunities and the challenges this City poses to anyone who wants to thrive in her. After this many years she is a full-ranked New Yorker, used to deal with the craziness and awesomeness of the city that never sleeps.
And she makes a good point. In some sense, New York - in testing you - makes reveal your true self: virtues and flaws alike. In the end, there is no real victory or loss, but the chance to learn more about yourself and - if you find a good use for what you apprehended - hopefully, you live a more conscious, happy, and rewarding life.
I agree with her. I am proud of telling her story. And I am sure I got you interested.
Article and photos Joseph Ralph Fraia - @jrfstudio - jrfstudio.com
Photoshoot: Production and Creative Direction Joseph Ralph Fraia for @livein_magazine