writing to you from the beautiful, magical, sun-soaked island of MAUI in hawaii! i am currently sitting on my balcony, cross-legged (duh), overlooking the ocean, listening to the rolling waves crash into the shore, and spying down on my cute parents, sister, and niece chillin’ by the pool while i chug kombucha and type out this post.

( fun fact: i have been told that i have an unusually loud typing-noise, and i think it’s because i type like an absolute maniac. my fingers move PSYCHOTICALLY fast, not as fast as my brain, but i have had a lot of practice over the years so it can sound pretty wild… lol. just thought of this because i was just in ojai with some of my best girlfriends + this came up a LOT! )

i have so much i want to share with you about ojai, my insanely amazing spiritual experience with energy alchemy while i was there, maui so far, and more, BUT today is somethin’ special and i want to get right to it.

( i’m working on posts about everything else that will be live while i am here in hawaii! )

my blogging journey!

so i recorded a solo podcast episode before i left town the other day, which you can listen to here.

it is all about my blogging journey…

including the details of how i stumbled into even starting a blog / instagram, what my life in New York looked like when i first started blogging (while in grad school!), the first product i developed, the second/third/fourth products i developed and how they worked / didn’t work (because trust me, some did NOT!), WHY i decided to start blogging full-time, some deets of my eating disorder (i mean, it was happening at the same time so…. couldn’t avoid talking about it! #OPENBOOK), what i’ve learned, how to prevent burnout, etc.

it was a really fun episode to record because sometimes it can be so nice to just talk directly into the microphone and share with you guys in that way. there are no other energies to balance (as much as i love / adore / am obsessed with my guests) and i can just SHARE. from the heart & soul. one of you awesome humans told me it was like having a long, deep chat together. and that is ALL i want, so that made me very happy.

sharing my blogging journey with you guys and hearing HOW MANY OF YOU are into starting your own blog, have started blogs and are thinking about diving in full-time or more seriously, or have an idea for another creative business really got me thinking.

i want to provide really tangible, helpful info for those of you who are diving into this awesome industry. so i will definitely be doing a lot more podcasts on the topic (woo!) and can’t wait to share more on that front.

huge tip below, one of the juiciest & biggest and i don’t talk about it that often so let’s dive into it!

let’s talk about MENTORS!

i have a lot of mentors. i am really lucky, as you’ll learn in the podcast episode, because i am surrounded by successful, driven individuals from my BFF / business guru brandin, to my boyfriend / business guru / teacher extraordinaire jonathan, to my entrepreneurial & extremelyly business-savvy dad (in fact, all he wants to ever talk about is business lol), to my longtime idol & spiritualality-meets-branding mentor gabby bernstein, to my agents and managers, to BOOKS (so avail to all of us), and so much more.

i believe that having a valuable, trustworthy, confident mentor is one of the most tangible and realistic steps that you can take when it comes to formulating ideas and a plan for your new business. it also makes things more FUN, because you have someone to bounce ideas off of (or a whole community, depending on whether your mentor has a community or social presence to join in on!!) and someone to learn from.

in many cases, having a mentor helps prevent some of the errors in the inevitable trial & error process of starting a business. not all, because they ARE inevitable and you’ll want them because you’ll learn from them — but the big no-no’s that could crash and burn your excitement and your ideas are the ones they’ll help you avoid.

AN OFFER, for those who are ready to take the next step with their business + ideas!

one of my top mentors, the beautiful and beyond successful & abundant gabby bernstein, offers an annual Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital Course that can be done in the comfort of your own home & will legit rock your world.

if you’ve been reading along lately, then you know i’ve mentioned it a lot, but TOMORROW is the final day to sign up. so really, i’d do it today. (who has time to fret about doing it at the very, very, very last sec?)

it’s rockstars like GB who have paved the way for so many of us wellness-obsessed entrepeneurs to create businesses off of the things we love most!

gabby’s masterclass signup link is open for ONE more day, and you can sign up here!

there are a lot of things that set this course apart from so, so many other business + spirituality courses out there that are similar.

in general, i don’t promote business courses. i had a few bad experiences and i even had a bad-ish experience in grad school (#gradschooldropout), so if i’m going to tell you about something it’s going to be because it’s different, BETTER, more practical, and more spiritually aligned with my mission (and hopefully yours too!).

a huge thing that makes gabby’s course different is that there is LIIIIVE energy within the course!! although it’s all online, it has been filmed in ultra-crisp HD video and audio beforehand with the super fun, electric energy of a LIVE crowd because that’s how she filmed the entire thing with her amazing rockstar guests! you’ll feel like you’re right in the room, with the best seat in the house.

it’s truly one of a kind. she is goals.

by the way you’ll also have lifetime access, so if you’re like me and you’re terribly fearful to commit to something big like this for fear that “it’s not the right time, i already have SO MUCH GOING ON!!” then you don’t have to worry about that. the course will be available to you at ANY time throughout the year. but you can only sign up now!

more amazing deets:

gabby, like me, believes that the fastest path to business success starts with enriching your spiritual practice. in my opinion and in my experience, you really truly cannot create something meaningful & huge & abundant without first having that deep, authentic, spiritual relationship with yourself.

and I’m not talking about religion. i’m talking KNOW YOSELF! meditation! yoga! journaling! DEEP. DIVE. discover what it is that makes your heart beat a little faster, and go after it.

throughout the course you’ll learn techniques and methods that will help you tune in to your inner wisdom and really hear what’s calling you. we all have access to that, but so many of us are shut off to it.

this course is about SO much more than just getting stellar business training — it’s also about creating the kind of spiritual experience that allows you to embrace your purpose and take action with conviction and confidence you’ve never felt before.

you don’t need any pre-requisites or a pre-existing business, and it’s totally cool if you do or don’t! the only, only, only requirement is your willingness to grow and serve.

boom! yes! do ittttt. signup is here, and it’s available until tomorrow, june 29th, and 6pm EST.

that is my TOP tip for creating the business + life of your dreams. to commit to something bigger than yourself. learn firsthand from someone as knowledgeable and incredibly successful as gabby B (new york times best-selling author and so much more!).

my other top tips for starting a blog & growing a business…

+ stick to what you’re passionate about // if you’re going to create a blog, make sure it is relevant to a topic you could talk ENDLESSLY about! you never know what this might turn into for you and you don’t want to set yourself up to get burnt out or to run out of ideas.

+ join a passionate community of likeminded individuals! // this could be anything from a Facebook group (the soul on fire podcast tribe on FB is on FLEEK, just sayin!), a fitness or wellness community or studio in your area, a blogging network online, a newsletter where you can chat with other people who are on a similar path as you, or even make friends on instagram!

+ engage with others, support, and don’t compare yourself // i think what really sets successful bloggers apart is the non-competetive and non-comparison factor. there is room for all of us. there are billions of people on the internet. support your fellow bloggers and they will do the same in return!! engage authentically with their posts and content. and don’t get too wrapped up in what they’re doing and/or try to imitate, you do YOU and that’s all you need to focus on!

+ MORE !! listen to the pod episode to dive deeper with me, and head to my GABBY landing page for full info on the spirit junkie masterclass and to join this journey of a lifetime while it’s still available!

SaveSave

SO! You all know I have been traveling for the last 6ish weeks, & even before that I can’t remember a time I was in L.A. ( where I live !!! ) for more than two straight weeks at a time. In fact, I was talking to my roomie last night about how neither of us can believe I have lived in this apartment for a full year, & we agreed that that “full year” really means about 6 months total MAYBE, if we are being generous with wording here, because I have been gone so much between last July & now.

Don’t get me wrong. I love traveling. I have not even been back a full week & I am already planning my next adventures to Miami, Costa Rica, NYC and *fingers crossed* Bali. But there is also something so, extremely nice about staying put… a.k.a, having a home base to come back to.

And what really throws me off with all this travel is feeling like my home base is not quite as homey as it should be. I returned from Hawaii & my suitcase from NYC was hardly unpacked! My “blog room” ( I need to do a full post on this room soon… it’s my office, overflowing with boxes of athletic clothing & health food products at the moment) resembles a straight up explosion, & I still have to settle in and stock up on groceries so I can make yummy recipes for you all… and so I can make myself dinner instead of eating out all the time!

Not to mention, I am apartment hunting as we speak! Talk about switching up home bases. 

Swimming my booty off in Hawaii, because swimming is the best vacation workout.

So aside from all of that, it’s pretty nice to keep some semblance of my regular routine while I am traveling. And not only is it nice — it is necessary.

I am someone who gets very, very, very, very, very thrown off if I feel that something around me is not right / if I feel forced to do something I don’t want to do. ( i.e. eat something I don’t want to eat because it’s the only thing around & I forgot to bring my own food; not exercise because no one else is exercising or because there’s not a gym/yoga studio/allotted time slot; stay out way later than I want to because I don’t have another way to get home; you get the picture… )

So pretty much, because of that inherent part of my personality, I have to know what I want, and I have to know how to make that happen. I am not necessarily a “go with the flow” kind of person ( in some ways I am, but not many ) so that means it’s up to me to figure out what I need to do so that I can be happy, content & fulfilled in every situation.

Oh, I also have a ton of anxiety. So if I feel that I need to workout and the workout doesn’t seem like an option… my reaction is not pretty.

So here we go when it comes to the reasons I like to exercise on vaycay…

A) Routine is hugely important to me. Traveling takes you out of your regular routine enough as it is, so if you throw caution to the wind & stop doing everything you’re accustomed to doing at home, it will be that much harder to come back to it when you return. This is the same reason I check my email almost daily on vacation ( even if I don’t respond until I get back, I like to know what’s up ), keep up with my friends & family as often as I am when I am home, & why I like to eat pretty normally to how I usually do. ROUTINE is huge for me.

B) Structure!!! I don’t know about you, but when I go on a tropical vacation (like Hawaii!) there is a whole lot of lounging going on. I love unwinding on the beach or by the pool with a good book, napping in the sun & daydreaming the day away. ( PS, this is one of the books I read in Hawaii… it’s a MUST if you have not read it. ) But I still have that part of my personality that wants to be DOING something. It’s how I am! That’s why it’s extra nice to add some structure to my day so I don’t go stir crazy. If I know that I’ve worked out that morning or have a workout to look forward to in the afternoon, it keeps my day structured & makes me feel productive.

C) Getting the anxiety out: If I am not on a tropical vacay, I am probably in a city like NYC, somewhere in Europe, SF, etc. In that case, structure is not what I need. The trip is probably already structured enough. In that case, I exercise for the mental relief! My body gets wound so, so tight if I don’t workout. I’ve tried in the past to convince myself that walking oh so many miles per day in a city like NYC counts as working out on vacation… but it just doesn’t. There’s something so uniquely satisfying about getting your sweat on and getting lost in your own mind while you exercise. I for one need that kind of release in my life, and I am so happy that exercise provides it.

D) Sitting on an airplane ain’t good for the bod, & I need to stretch that ish out: This is a HUGE reason why I workout on vacation, even if the trip is short. Sitting on an airplane torks my back, neck & shoulders into the most uncomfortable of positions and I can’t just sit by and feel that way for days on end after I arrive somewhere! I need to get on the ground and STRETCH, and the best way for me to do that is usually a power vinyasa yoga class. If I don’t know of a studio nearby, I either look one up or I do my own practice on the floor. It feels heavenly and I am always so grateful that I spent the time to do it.

D) Vacation is my “me time,” & practicing good habits when you have the time cultivates them for the long run. Oftentimes being on a trip gets us away from the stressors of our everyday life and gives us the much needed time to focus on ourselves. If we spend that time cultivating unhealthy habits, we won’t return feeling refreshed & recharged. We will feel drained and depressed to be back. I like to spend the time, while I have it in abundance on vacay, on myself & feeling as good as I possibly can. Although I would LIKE to workout every day while I am home, sometimes I have too much going on to make that happen. On vacation there really aren’t many excuses. And if I sit around drinking all day and not moving my body, I’m not going to return feeling all that refreshed… ya know…

Stretchin’ it out, in the zone.

D) It’s a great way to connect with people! I have had some of my best conversations with people during hikes, surfing, long walks, swimming in the ocean or searching for a good yoga studio. It brings you together with the people you’re traveling with and you’re working toward a common, healthy goal. I dragged my parents on long, long walks with me every day in Hawaii & we talked about so many things we probably wouldn’t have had we just been chillin’ by the pool with a pina colada. My brother-in-law & I have tried so many awesome yoga studios in so many towns & cities because we always seek them out, it’s something we both love. My niece & I always have the best time adventuring together and trying new things because we both like exploring places by diving right in. It’s a great way to bond. And if you’re traveling alone… it’s a great way to meet like-minded people!

E) I like dessert… a lot. I’m definitely not saying that you can’t eat dessert if you don’t workout. That is silly and not true. But I am saying that when I personally have a great workout, I can eat more dessert without having to experience that gross, overly full feeling. I like to indulge a little extra on vacation… for instance, we had the BEST ice cream place around the corner from us in Hawaii, and I went there pretty much every single day. Mint chip with chocolate fudge, baby. And since I was running/doing yoga/going on super long beach walks/surfing all the time, my body was hungry & needed the extra fuel! Plus, I still felt good & confident in a swimsuit because I wasn’t stuffing myself without moving my bod. It’s a win win.

Peanut butter pie with chocolate crust at Honu in Maui is life… Life!

E) It can be a great way to experience the culture. This is true in some places, but not all. Like in Italy, working out outdoors is not a great way to experience the culture because they simply don’t workout there (lol, trust me… running on the street in Italy is like asking to get hit by a car and annoy every pedestrian there is). In Costa Rica, it was SO COOL to run on the streets & familiarize myself with the towns nearby. In Hawaii, getting in the water and surfing is part of Hawaiian culture, and same with waterfall hikes, beach runs & mountain biking (I don’t bike, but if you do like biking it’s a great way to experience Hawaiian culture/history). Getting OUTSIDE means living… moving, breathing, enjoying the bodies we live in. It’s important.

Lastly… I finally started the #TBBTribe email newsletter ( !!!!!!!! ) & I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so ( wow, I’m insane ) stoked about it. You can SIGN UP HERE, & emails will be going out every Sunday evening! YIPPEE. More to come on my newfound structure / schedule soon– I am feeling real good about it. 

What are your thoughts on working out on vacation? Are you a total “let me lounge I’m on my vacay” kind of person (that’s cool too, we are all diff), or are you more like me & need to move your bod in order to relax?! Would love to hear.

If you only know one thing about me, you should know this: I love the ocean. It makes me feel alive, and gives me a surge of passion & energy that inspires my creativity to be boundless. The ocean, both swimming/surfing/paddleboarding in it & gazing out at it, reminds me how small I truly am in the scheme of the world… how small we as humans all really are. In the same way it reminds me that because we are so damn small, there is no reason we shouldn’t all be ridiculously, madly, insanely, hugely in love with the lives we live.

I am a city girl, but the island life suits me well. I am 99% sure that one day I will move to Maui for at least half a year, if not more. Maybe I will write my next book there.

I am playing major catch up over here in TBB Land this week. (Did you know that while I was away we sold the MOST TBV Apparel tees in a 2 week period than we ever have before?! Thanks to Elite Daily for the killer shout out). FIRST UP ON MY CATCH UP LIST: What I Wore in Hawaii bloggy blog post.

I have been organizing photos from the trip & gathering links upon links so I can share all of my #islandlife outfits with you. Whether you are traveling this summer or just chillin’ by your pool, I think you’ll find a lot of these outfits to die for. They are all at the top of my summery list.

What I Wore in Maui… #IslandStyle

ViX dress: This ViX maxi is an absolute favorite of mine. I love throwing it on after a beach day and dressing it up with some wedges & delicate jewelry. I also love dressing it down with beach waves, my Wildfox wayfarer sunglasses & a good, icy cocktail in hand. Ridiculously comfy & oh so beachy chic.

Dress (On sale!) || Similar, diff brand || Same print, bikini || Same print, coverup || Wildfox Wayfarer Sunglasses

Nike Swimsuit: This sporty suit has been my go-to ever since I bought it two summers ago (gasp!). But don’t worry, they have lots of new, cute styles that are very similar & just as colorful. (Links below.) I love the way it fits because it’s snug & supportive, so it’s perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, surfing & my endless beach walks. One note: they run small, so you might want to size up!

Similar colors, diff brand || Similar suit, same brand (So sporty I love it) || Similar suit, same brand

Target Swimsuit: I adore this Target suit. Not only is it super affordable but it fits great, is always comfortable & I always get a ton of compliments when I wear it. It makes me feel good about myself… and that’s the point of clothes/swimwear in the first place, right? Again an appearance by my Wildfox sunnies.

(Exact style sold out) || Same print, diff style || Same brand, diff style (I need it) || Same bottoms (Comfiest I own) || Sunglasses

Crop top, Maxi Skirt, Kimono get up: This is my favorite outfit that I wore on the trip. It combines my hippie, boho style with the the elegance and class of a simple sheer maxi & fitted lace crop top. The long, beachy hair and haiku booties top off this look & make it the perfect dinner (or date!) ensemble. Also special about this outfit is the paisley duster kimono made by the fab Anna Slevin Collection. (Totally unrelated to me wearing this kimono, I met one of Anna’s best friends on my recent Costa Rica trip & we became super close– how’s that for a small world?)

Bustier crop top (Exact style sold out) || Very similar top || Similar, inexpensive  top || Similar, scalloped lace top (Need) || Sheer maxi skirt (Exact style sold out) || Very similar || Similar || Similar (gorgeous) ||Dolce Vita booties

Free People maxi: Bought this dress right before my trip & I am so glad I did, because it’s the perfect throw-on maxi for dinner, drinks, lunchtime, post-beach, anything! You can dress it up or dress it down. I love the fun color and print, and my mom has it in the more subtle black & white. Both fab. Plus, I love how high the neckline is… makes it fun & different for a change!

Dress || Similar, darker (Obsessed) || Free People Racerback Bralette || Sunglasses

Here’s the ‘fit in action with my beautiful fam in our yearly photo spot at Mama’s Fish House.

Jen’s Pirate Booty: Okay, it’s no joke that I LOVE, LOVE my Jen’s Pirate Booty tunics. I am wearing one on the cover of my book (how’s that for special?!?!?), and I love wearing them as coverups or over little underdresses/camis/neon bralettes etc. for going out.

Janis Tunic (On Bella) || Wildflower Tunic || Topshop Strappy Sandals (On Bella)

DNKY Swimsuit: I don’t wear one pieces very often, but when I do they usually have cutouts, fit like a glove (I have no choice, my torso is extremely long) & are so freaking comfortable I could do cartwheels for days. Plus, they are supportive enough to run it! Love, and love sticking with a timeless brand like DKNY.

Swimsuit || Similar

ViX Caftan Coverup: This photo is from Costa Rica, but it counts because I wore this coverup on the daily in Hawaii, too.

L Space Cover Up: Love the cold shoulder, love the breathability, love the flowy bell sleeves, love the color.

Cover Up || Hat

TBV Apparel: Because I WOULD rather be a mermaid… Wouldn’t you?!

Last but not least, if you want to shop these looks, you can Shop the Post below!!! I was there for so many days I only picked all of my fav / most island relevant outfits to share with you… but if you want to see more, just holler and I will do a second #whatiwore in Hawaii post!

How is everyone else’s week going?! What else do you want to see from my Hawaii trip?! Food, surfing, local spots, shopping, musings/reflections?! I am happy to share it all… I’ve missed ya! PS I am regulating my posting schedule AND my YouTube video uploading schedule, and I am stoked to be back on the regularity thang. LMK what you want to see!!! Love you all!

Hi beauties! I am writing to you today as a sun-kissed, ocean-soaked, beach-blissed out, vacation-brained, mermaid-haired (a.k.a beach waves+not a whole lot of hair washing or brushing) tropical smoothie-drinkin’ Maui islander. I first started writing this blog post by explaining all about how I am on vacation with my family, and when I am on a family vacay I try to unplug from work for at least 3/4 of the trip.

But then I stopped writing and deleted all of it because it sounded boring and explanatory and it didn’t capture the true essence of what I’m feeling right now.

What am I feeling?

Total, pure, happiness and gratitude for where I am, where I’ve been, who I’m surrounded with and the fact that after years of being such a tightly wound person, I can actually unwind & bliss out on vacation and know that my business will still run just fine. It will still be there tomorrow, and more importantly it will be there when I get  back and have my full energy to pour into it.

I’m going to give you the fulllll run down of my trip, what we did, the books I read, the yummy foods that I ate (including the acai bowl spot I FELL IN LOVE WITH and forced my mother to approach Helen Hunt at), but at the moment I am still here and soaking it all in. And when I have island brain like this, my posts are fewer and further between because I’m on the beach dreaming up novels I want to write, dipping into the ocean with my niece babies and the rest of my fam, and going on long beach walks!

But for now here’s a little breakdown:

A) I got a GoPro right before this trip. and I am OBSESSED WITH IT. I have been taking so many pics and can’t wait to share them with all of you!

B) We just moved from the Kaanapali side of the island to the Wailea side of the island, and I am all too stoked about it. The Wailea side is like home to my family, since we’ve grown up coming here every summer since before I was born, and pulling into the familiar surroundings yesterday afternoon was one of the most calming, comforting feelings I’ve felt in a long time. If you have ever experienced a true home away from home feeling, you know what I’m talking about.

C) So much beach yoga. So much amazingness. I’m even getting little Liv to join in the fun with me!

D) Finished Breaking Vegan edits fully & for real this time since I’ve been here, and it feels amazing.

E) Surfing tomorrow! Yippee!

F) The best freaking ahi bruschetta I’ve ever had in my life went down on this trip.

G) Daily Burn did an amazing piece on Breaking Vegan and I am thrilled! Check it out!

H) Photos speak louder than words, so….

I would really, truly rather be a mermaid. <3

To follow along with the rest of my trip via Instagram, check out my photos & my #tbbtravels hashtag. Xox