The business of fashion is serious. At Nyla Noor, we take producing high quality handbags and delivering the optimal customer experience of the utmost importance. After all, Nyla Noor is what it is because of every person that supports the brand and relates to our mission to create luxury handbags for the woman who is looking to live a balanced life. As we’ve said previously, balance can be found on so many different levels. As long as it is on your terms, then it is right. One element to balance that plays an integral part of Saifra and my life is laughter. Among never ending to do lists and sometimes an overwhelming number of responsibilities, at the end of the day, we always find ourselves in the exact same position- doubled over in a fit of giggles.

Is it unorthodox? Perhaps. Perhaps not, but one thing we understand is that life is just like the wave design that adorns all of our handbags- there will be ups and there will be downs. The key for us has been to learn to ride the waves with as much grace as we can. For us, that means having a flexible nature and learning to not sweat the small stuff.

Recently, we partnered up with Fashionstake to record a video which gives you the viewer  a peek into a day in the life at Nyla Noor HQ. What didn’t make the video is one of our favorite elements to leading balanced lives- laughter.  Anyone that has met Saifra and me in real life would agree that fits of laughter is the quintessential reflection of who we are and serves as the perfect reminder of an old Irish Proverb ”A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” We couldn’t agree more. Below is a video of Jessica Simpson’s show The Price Of Beauty exploring the benefits of Laughter Yoga, a practice which strengthens the spirit and encourages the act of laughter.

Jessica Simpson experiences Laughter Yoga

Hugs and Handbags,

Nyla Noor

Many people that we come across on a daily basis ask us the same simple but powerful question: Who is the Nyla Noor woman?

Our answer is simple: The Nyla Noor woman is the modern woman who aspires to achieve a life of balance. She does this with an inner strength and fearless spirit.

Our signature wave design, which came in a stroke of creative inspiration, is a symbol for finding balance amid the highs and lows of work and life. And just like so many women out there, Saifra and I also continue to ride the waves, learning and growing from each ebb and flow.

In our past lives as corporate worker bees, Saifra and I walked the line of managing different roles and as time wore on, our obligations to these responsibilities only grew, stretching us further than even Gumby could go. Out of the ongoing desire and let’s face it, need, to achieve balance in our lives, Saifra and I decided that it was time to take the leap of faith- to create the lives that we have always wanted to live. One that allowed us to create our own destiny, which included a company that could represent who we are as women (as well as so many others around the world) while also moving forward through the ups and downs that inevitably come with life. So one day we stepped out of our cubicles and moved into the unknown.

As women today, we are forced into more than just one role. On any given day, we take on the responsibilities as a mother, sister, girlfriend, friend, daughter, mentor, co-worker, employee, wife, boss, grandmother, aunt– this list can truly go on for an age.

Everyone’s idea of balance is different. The key is to find a balance in your life that is realistic for you and can work in your life today, not after you’ve met “the one” or the children are grown up; not once you’ve received that promotion or the day you fit into that dress hanging in your closet.

Balance is holistic. In order to achieve it, it has to be attained on intellectual, emotional, spiritual and physical levels.

The next natural question is always how do I get there? How do I achieve a more balanced life? The small things matter. With the smallest of shifts in the right places you can make changes not only in your life but of those in the lives around you. Start out with making small changes in your daily routine to get closer to the balanced life you have always envisioned. For me, that has meant restarting my yoga practice from scratch and working my way towards balance one downward dog at a time. For Saifra, that has meant paying greater attention to her body’s cues by drinking more water and committing to a sleep schedule. For others a shift into balance can be as simple as adding more color into an all black wardrobe.

A life well lived is thoughtful. So be forgiving with yourself when you face the trough in the wave.

We all sleep in and miss a bootcamp class or overextend ourselves to making those 2 dozen cupcakes for the PTA bake sale. The best way Saifra and I have learned to deal with those times is to face it, accept it, allow it and reboot. Learn to listen to yourself- does my body need any extra hour of sleep? Do I really have the time to make those cupcakes or should I commit to the next sale when I am able to plan better for it?

Putting your needs first may sound selfish but in the long run when you take care of yourself first you have a happier, healthier and more balanced YOU to give to others.

You know our story, but what is yours? How do you continue moving towards that waves peak? How do you work towards achieving balance in your life?

Hugs and Handbags,

Nyla Noor