Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to J’Lyn Downes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi J’Lyn, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Throughout my childhood I was always very creative and gifted. My earliest memory is me at 3 years old dancing around the living room and singing Mariah Carey’s “We belong together” that was blasting on the tv- courtesy of my mother who was watching me, through the kitchen. I loved the fashion versatility in the music videos, the melodies and even though I was young I knew that one day I’d be able to move people artistically, the same way my soul moved. By the age of 6 I was cutting my socks to create dresses for my dolls and using sharpies to “dye” their hair. I fell in love instantly every time I was able to create something; anything! The process was so wholesome to me. During 4th grade I joined chorus and band then at home I started to make threaded bracelets and write songs. I was constantly doing something creative, whether it’d be drawing on my classwork, teaching myself guitar and piano or reading fashion magazines..

But, as I grew into a teenager and started to experience life’s difficulties I subconsciously suppressed my creativity. I didn’t really know if what I wanted to pursue creatively could support me financially in the long run. Coming from a poor family and first generation born in America on my maternal side- I kinda always felt like I could go against the grain and have a career that would create financial freedom for my family. Although I faced heavy adversity as a young girl I was severely ambitious.. the outspoken child out of me and my siblings; even the rebellious black sheep if you will. But, the pressure that resulted from my overachiever mentality clashing with my gruesome insecurities that started at 12 years old, created a battle and this war of my heart vs my mind lasted for many years after.

It wasn’t until junior year of high-school where I found myself going through a spiritual journey and rediscovering myself/my purpose. All the pain and trauma that I faced up to that point was too much to bare and I wanted out of that miserable life. I had reached the edge of the cliff of isolation and with the help of books, podcast and close friends I began to transform and see more for myself. I needed to overcome difficult challenges such as depression, grief and anxiety to move into a better place in my life and find peace within the storm. I didn’t know how I’d do it but I wanted to heal & start a business or a music career. I craved to build generational happiness, wealth and stability from something that represented who I was as a person and what attributes I could use to help “change the world”.

J’Lyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Everything that I do for work now has been instilled in me since a child and as I said before I have always been very creative and musically talented. Because of my ambition and drive for success/happiness I am currently in the process of owning 3 businesses. As a young entrepreneur there’s many opportunities for mistakes and plenty more for growth. I created each of my brands during a period of depression and when I started to become aware of the person I was and where I wanted to be within the next 5-10 years. I wrote down everything I ever wanted to do on paper- the pros and cons, how much money I would need to invest and work towards, possible collaborations, what my niche would be.. etc. I wasn’t able to go to college so naturally because I was so hungry and eager I began to work towards having those dreams tangible for me.

The process took longer than imagined but I give myself grace and props for getting started. Dealing with mental health for me was the biggest battle I had ever gone through. Daily there was chaos and often self destructive actions or thoughts but I had to obtain discipline. I needed to stay focused on healing my heart, mind, body and soul. All of my plans were slowly coming together for me but I was still very complacent with the life I lived. I wanted the world but lacked the work ethic to obtain it. Though it sounds cliche it took me getting my heart broken to stand up for myself and say “Enough is enough.” I then invested $500 into inventory and supplies for my brand Essentials by Jt, quit my job of 3 years and prepared for this new beginning of life. It was an impulsive decision but it was so worth it. I was such a perfectionist and allowed all external factors to affect my internal goals and looking back now I wouldn’t change a thing.

My 3 brands are each a reflection of my heart and soul. My brand Essentials By Jt sells authentic crystal bracelets, waist-beads, anklets, crystal necklaces, lipgloss and organic handmade candles. During my healing process I researched many ways of aligning my chakras and diving deep into the holistic/hotep lifestyle. It worked many wonders for me and my mission with this brand is to bring exposure to things like aromatherapy and crystal healing. Things like natural oils, shea butters, sage (which is a smudge stick used to bring in positivity within your home) as well as smoker friendly products like resin ash trays are something to look forward to while shopping with Essentials by Jt this summer 2023.

Throughout my adolescence to adulthood I was very spiritually inclined and gifted. Tarot cards were used during early civilization days in Europe for fortune telling and guidance. In todays time they are often used with oracle cards which can help spark conversations with therapist, friends or family. The cards also have 4 suits which depict emotions, finances, thoughts and actions. I use these cards in my daily life and as I began to practice more and master my craft I began to get noticed by my peers and family. They all wanted readings and were so shocked and grateful for my spiritual wisdom and guidance in their personal readings. I already created a instagram page @Sessionswjayy- that was dedicated to my spiritual journey so I started posting collective readings up there and my followers grew so much. It made me so humble and happy that I was able to help other people with certain situations where they could be feeling stuck. My readings vary from monthly predictions, how to heal, love readings and releasing trauma etc. Recently I collaborated my two brands and the readings are available for purchase on Essentialsbyjt.com. I still offer free collective readings on my instagram Sessionswjayy as well as posting poetry and music I write.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is hands down the positive impact I have on others lives. I get countless sweet messages about how my readings have affected others or how my candles have brought some people a sense of peace. I’m beyond grateful to constantly receive positive feedback from my customers and beautiful souls. Another rewarding aspect is the peace I feel when creating. Prior to this interview I wrote and finished a song and the splurge of peace and warmth radiating from my body right now is so rewarding. I love pouring my soul into everything I do. I love being deep, I love creating jewlery, playing piano, guitar and sewing up old clothes to create something new. It’s an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and purpose, I love it.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that I can’t count on anyone. That mentality has caused me to miss out on some great opportunities because of my lack of trust within others. I always had to do things myself growing up so the conditioning of not being able to count on anyone followed me into adulthood and created room for toxicity. The fact is I can count on people, yes we all have our days and we have to show up for ourselves majority of the time but learning the balance of allowing people to come in my work spaces and help me now gives me a sense of gratitude. I was always stressing myself out in the past but now I feel peace in knowing there’s always someone willing to lend me a hand. And if not I can’t take it personally.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.essentialsbyjt.com
• Instagram: @essentialsbyjt @sessionswjayy @rollupwjayy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069732766473&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
j’lyn downes