Where to eat in Downtown Tulum:
-Taqueria Honorio (cheap, yummy tacos and also a popular local spot!)
-Antojito La Chiapaneca (another popular spot for tacos)
-El Camello Jr. (local favorite)
-Del Cielo (if you're craving some American brunch)
-Burrito Amor (popular spot, more of an American version but still good)
-Raw Love Cafe
-El Pollo Bronco (rotisserie chicken)
-Prieto (lovely cafe)
-Flor De Michoacan (delicious popsicles!)

Sight-see:
-Cenotes! I only had the chance to go to two, but I really enjoyed my time. I went to Gran Cenote, a popular spot but heard that Cenote Nic Te Ha is another great spot if you're in Tulum.
-Mayan Ruins (didn't get to go but definitely on my list next time I visit!)

Tips:
-Exchange money at Cancun's airport - they don't charge a service fee.
-Rent a bike! Best part of my trip was biking everywhere, so fun and a perfect way to get around Tulum.
-Go to cenotes in the morning when it opens or close to closing time. I would suggest to go before noon because it gets really crowded after noon. Also, find out their entrance fee (typically cash only) and hours they're open. Some cenotes don't allow you to enter 45 minutes before closing.
-Check your phone plan and see if you have service in Mexico. I have Verizon and my phone plan covers free talk, data, and text message in Mexico.
-Bring a book to read or download an app so you can listen to an audiobook! I'm currently listening to Tiffany Haddish's audiobook, The Last Black Unicon - a must read/listen! She is seriously so hilarious! People may look at you crazy because you can't stop laughing.
-Stay hydrated! I bought bottled water at OXXO (which you can find easily) and found it to be the cheapest. Restaurants will up-charge for bottled water so I suggest buying water ahead of time, which you can bring around with you.
-Take the ADO bus to Tulum, it is way cheaper than taking a taxi. One way cost me about $15 USD compared to $60-70 USD if I took a taxi. The bus is clean and has AC! Also check the times as it runs about every hour or so depending on where you're trying to go.
-Haggle with the taxi drivers as a lot of times they will overcharge. Also I was told you don't need to tip taxis.
-Say hola! and smile :) Small gestures such as learning short Spanish phrases go a long way and also if you're in another country, why not learn their language?
-Don't carry a lot of money with you. I only brought as much as I would need for that day, about 1300 pesos (about $70 USD) per day. If I was going to go sight-see, I would bring extra money that would cover taxis and entrance fees. A lot of times I had money leftover.
-Wear comfortable shoes and items you're ok with getting dirty. I brought my Birkenstocks, espadrilles, and one sneaker to wear throughout my trip. I also brought totes and bags that I didn't mind throwing away or tossed around.
-Bring an external battery to charge your phone because you'll want to take pictures of everything!

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm glad I didn't quit daydreaming and decided to take a risk and go for what I love to do. In my experience it was difficult convincing my parents that I wanted to pursue an unconventional job as my career. Especially since my parents immigrated to the States from Korea I wanted them to be proud of me. I often found myself lacking interest in school and would skip classes, forgetting that I would later regret it because it affected my GPA. I started working in high school and worked different jobs to be financially independent. My first job was at Panera and later on worked at a bank, a bookstore, Nordstrom (didn't help my spending habit), and at one point wanted to be a hygienist so I worked as a dental assistant. After working different jobs, nothing piqued my interest and I told myself I couldn't work a 9-5 job because I was unhappy. I wanted to be my own boss but I didn't know what I wanted to do in life.

Fast forward a couple of years and I discover my newfound hobby, photography. I started posting photos on Instagram and realized I was able to monetize by working with different brands. I was still in college at this time but decided to quit working as a dental assistant and focus on school. I was slacking off in school and decided to put school as my top priority so I could graduate. All of my friends had already graduated and I was still stuck in school, my parents would joke that I was getting my PhD. Luckily I graduate and pursue photography full time which has opened many doors and opportunities to travel. Travel has allowed me to be open minded and see the world in a different perspective. I'm still daydreaming about one day opening my own coffee shop, going on mission trips with my parents, writing a children's book, and work with amazing organizations such as Charity: Water, UNICEF, etc. I love what Humans of New York is doing and want to follow in his footsteps, bringing awareness to people's stories around the world. I'm always fascinated hearing about people's lives and the story that shaped who they are. I would love to use my platform for good and give voice to those that don't have one.

My advice is to make your dreams a reality and don't quit daydreaming! I know I need to take my own advice as well, but you all have gifts and talents that are being put to waste if you're not using them. I know it's not always easy and there are circumstances that may prevent you from doing so, but why not take a chance if you can? At least make an effort to go for it! One of the questions I always get is how I started blogging. Its always the hardest, but first step is to just do it. I'm not telling you to quit your job because it's not always realistic, but you can always start and see where it takes you. Go the unconventional path and do what you love as cliche as it sounds. Don't let a certain salary be your definition of success, my definition of success is finding happiness in what you do.

Also, I have received a lot of questions about traveling. A majority of my trips are not sponsored and I pay for most of my travels. I will have a post up about how I'm able to go on trips, tips on saving money, etc. If you have any questions leave them below!

I'm currently listening to Justin Bieber's Love Yourself as I type this, thanks for the inspiration JB. I was asked to share my thoughts on self-love after sharing my post on mental health. I think self-love is something we all struggle with. We're our worst critic and there's always a flaw we can pick about ourselves which I believe leads to unhappiness. But when you find at least one thing each day knowing you are blessed, you slowly find yourself becoming positive and less upset about the little things that don't matter. I think it's one of the reasons why I love traveling. Traveling has always been an escape for me, but also a reminder to be grateful for the opportunity to even take time and explore other parts of the world. I love learning about other cultures and traveling has really opened my eyes and perspective on how lucky I am to even have access to clean water.

For the past four to five years since I've started posting on social media, I found myself slowly losing myself. I was already very insecure, but social media magnified my insecurities. I always told myself if only I lost a x amount of weight I would be happy. I didn't love myself and it showed through my demeanor, I was miserable and constantly obsessing over my appearance. Obviously, looking a certain way doesn't equate happiness if you're rotting on the inside. I would constantly compare myself to everyone and wonder why my life wasn't like how I planned it out to be. One thing I learned was to stop being so hard on myself, we all have different timelines. I needed to learn patience and know that sometimes God redirects our plans and future. It took me about six and a half years to finish college and I didn't have any goals in life. I felt like a failure. I wish someone had told me to stop focusing on what I don't have but on what I already have. I had trouble seeing how wonderful my life was and always found something in my life to complain about. Once I prioritized my life and rebuilt my relationship with God, family, and less on what I owned I discovered happiness. Of course I still have my bad days but I learned to focus on the good. Yes, my life may look amazing on Instagram but there's so much more to my feed that I don't share or post.

I would also like to emphasize how important it is to have encouraging, positive people in your life. I was in a toxic, emotionally abusive relationship for years that left me hating myself. Know your self worth! Surround yourself with people that genuinely want the best for you and love you for you. Don't give up on yourself and hope you take time to find gratitude in the little things.

What are your thoughts on self-love? P.S. these lovely self love notes are from Jasmine Dowling's shop.

a flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. it just blooms