The Protagonists: Hannah Keys, Stylist & Founder at Athlette, New Zealand

There’s something magical about that hazy limbo between Christmas and New Year’s. The days blur together, time feels endless, and it’s the perfect moment to pause and reimagine your life. For me, it’s always been a time to reflect on the year gone by and sketch out a new direction for the one ahead.

That’s why I couldn’t think of a better person to feature in this instalment of The Protagonists than Hannah Keys. A stylist and the founder of Athlette, Hannah is one of my favourite people when it comes to mastering the art of reinvention. When she bought The Plotline©, I knew her story would be the next one I’d want to share.

“I like to do The Plotline© as part of my morning routine, which usually consists of waking up just after sunrise, heading to the gym, then having my breakfast sitting in the sun while I journal and plan my day. Whenever I can I exercise first thing - the endorphin high just makes me feel like anything is possible.”

Hannah’s journey is a testament to what happens when you embrace change and rewrite the narrative on your own terms.

Enjoy x,

Meghan

What’s the one book or movie that feels like it’s written about you?

Ok I don’t know if this entirely counts, but there’s this one book that I first read in my early twenties that has always stayed with me—They Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers.

There’s this sense of foreboding (I’ve lived for most of my life with massive anxiety), but also this sense of wonder, spontaneity, silliness and generosity that I feel like are core to my character.

It also deals with loss as a catalyst, and the loss of a close friend at 20 years old changed the course of my life.

Who do you look up to?

I adore Maya Angelou and everything she was, no one can compare.

What’s a fragrance that captures the vibe of your current plotline?

I’m currently wearing a selection of DedCool layering fragrances—I think they’re bold and sexy and attention-grabbing and I love layering the different scents to reflect my different moods each day.

What’s one quote, lyric, or mantra that you’ve scribbled in your Plotline that’s been keeping you grounded?

“My heart is all my own”. It’s a snippet from a longer quote by Goethe. It reminds me that no one else can possess what’s in my heart (when I’m comparing myself to others or feeling like an impostor), that no matter how the world tries to tell me how to be, my heart and my spirit are mine to keep, and no matter what I do, if I do it with love and put my heart into it, I can be proud.

If you could rewrite one ‘scene’ from your past, would you do it, or let it play out?

This is funny because I’ve been doing so much inner work over the past few years, including going back in my mind to moments in my life and kind of ‘interfering’ with the scene as the stronger, tougher, current version of me, assisting my younger self.

So I guess I’ve been doing a lot of rewrites! But it’s also helped me give myself grace in those moments, and forgive myself for not doing the things I wish I had. And all those moments led me here, so ultimately, I’d let them run.

What’s the candle, playlist, or mood-setting ritual that helps you get into character for your day?

Music is massively important for getting into character for me; depending on the day, it’s either motown, 90s rock, chill RnB, hip hop or country blues - honestly I just choose what kind of mood I want to be in for the day and set the music accordingly

Find out more about Hannah here.

Ready to start changing your story? Order your copy of The Plotline© here.