May is over! Summer is almost here!
The last month was all about hanging out with friends and family, recuperating from my month of travel in New York and Mexico, and getting ready for my upcoming travels to Europe.
Needless to say, exciting things are happening and I can hardly contain myself! May was also a pretty productive month, and I can’t wait to share my insights and lessons with you.
Read on for exactly what I got up to in the month of May, and stick around ’til the end for some great links and resources from around the web.
In May of 2016…
I found myself (alone) in Mexico.
Solo travel is good for the soul, guys. Even when you don’t want to be alone, even when it downright sucks, it’s good in unexpected ways. It pushes you further outside of your comfort zone than you ever thought you could go. And it never fails to teach you some pretty profound lessons, even if you don’t know it at the time. My two weeks in Tulum did just that.
I had some experiences in my final few days that I just don’t know how to put into words. In fact, I may never–they might remain entirely my own for the rest of eternity. Do you have a secret that you’ve never told another soul? In a way, though, keeping it to myself feels selfish, so hopefully someday I’ll open up about it. Let’s just say that I’m not the same person I was before Tulum, and I mean that in the best way possible.
I rebranded my site!
Yay, change! Saying goodbye to The Mochilera Diaries was gut-wrenching, but so necessary. You know something is going to be good when it scares the living crap out of you, and that’s exactly how rebranding my website felt. I feel so fortunate to have received so much positive feedback from my readers since the big switch–everyone seems 100% onboard with the evolution and new direction of this site, so a big thank you to all of YOU! If you missed the post announcing the changes, find it here.
Oh, and I also said goodbye to my longest-running series, Friday Snapshots, by looking back at its evolution over time.
I decided to give up meat.
This was another one of those things that was a long time coming. I may very well have gotten the final push while still in Mexico when all those strange and wonderful things were happening.
To be clear, I haven’t gone full veg–I still eat eggs and dairy, and while I’m not a big fish person, if a plate of salmon came my way I probably wouldn’t say no just yet. I figure this is a process just like any other, and it will take time to adjust and figure out exactly what I want to achieve with this new lifestyle. Not only that, but I’m realizing how inadequately prepared I am to cook vegetarian meals. I’ve always relied on meat as my main source of protein, and suddenly find myself staring blankly into my cupboard thinking “Well, shit. ”
That said, if anyone has some great vegetarian recipes to share with me, feel free to link to them in the comments below! I’m also curious to see how this impacts my travels; I’ll definitely be seeking out my vegetarian blogger friends for tips!
Meat-free in Mexico
I’ve made some major progress on my location independence eBook!
My eBook is really starting to take shape, and while I’m thrilled for its release later this summer, I’m also so nervous I could vomit! It’s easily the biggest resource I’ve ever put together and I want so badly for it to measure up to everyone’s expectations. I’ve carved out a little bit of time every day to work on it (even on airplanes!) which has really made all the difference; it doesn’t feel like such a daunting task when broken down into small pieces.
This book will include my own story and lessons from becoming location independent, interviews and tips from other successful digital nomads, resources for finding freelance work and so much more! If you’re not already on my email list, sign up now to gain access to early bird discounts and exclusive material that won’t make the cut!
I bought a ticket…
To TBEX Europe! I remember the palpable excitement that filled the room at TBEX Costa Brava last year when they announced Stockholm as the host city for 2016. At the time, I hadn’t been there yet, but even after spending several months in the “Venice of the North” I am ecstatic to be returning! Winter was beautiful, but I’ve heard that summer in Sweden is absolutely stunning! I won’t be joining any pre- or post-BEX tours as I registered pretty late in the game, but I’ll have plenty of time to explore on my own since I’ll be posted up there most of the summer.
I figured that following the rebrand, the best way to start getting my new name and new message out there was to do some in-person networking, and TBEX is always a great opportunity to catch up with my favorite blogging buddies and meet new ones! Anyone else attending this conference? Can’t wait to see you all there!
My Most Popular Posts
Stay Safe on the Go with the Allianz TravelSmart App
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5 of the Greatest Lesson I’ve Learned While Pursuing Location Independence
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A Few Things I’m Loving
Johnny FD’s monthly income reports – If you’re looking for a location independent role model, you need to get on the Johnny FD train! This guy is more passionate about this lifestyle than anyone I know, amazing at what he does, and incredibly generous with his knowledge. Every month he breaks down exactly what he earned and how, and it’s inspirational to the max.
Why You Can’t Trust Yourself – Ufff, this article by Mark Manson hit me RIGHT in the gut! I’ve been thinking a lot about so many of the themes he talks about–how we’re much more fluid as individuals than we think we are, how much our emotions dictate our actions, and how the world we experience is actually just a tiny sliver of reality. An eye-opening read, fully backed by research and scientific fact.
#Girlboss Radio – I’ve discovered my podcast soulmate in Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss Radio (founder of Nasty Gal and author of #Girlboss). In every episode, she interviews one incredible woman about her path to success, whether it was starting her own business or becoming a powerful CEO. These podcasts are full of so many gold nuggets of business and life advice, and they’re hilarious to boot. They have me seriously considering buying [easyazon_link identifier=”1591847931″ locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″ cart=”y”]the eponymous book[/easyazon_link]. I like to put them on while I’m working (or working out) and just absorb the greatness.
That’s it for May…onward and upward!
