The Bright Yellow Office

Make the most out of your Millennial Life! Happiness Enthusiast. Travel. Finance. Lifestyle. Beauty.

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NEW DOMAIN - I WILL NO LONGER BE POSTING TO THIS BLOG 

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Chi-Town for a day - The Jetsetter’s Guide to Chicago 

Flying in from NY is a short flight of a mere hour or so. Keep in mind that O’Hare Airport is about 40 minutes away from the main loop of Chicago. I usually always Uber/Lyft into the city - In Chicago, it’s generally the same price to take a taxi over Uber. I say, pick the ride that will come get you the fastest. I feel that more often, airports have adapted to designate a special spot that Uber drivers can only drive into. I had this same issue when I flew in to Seattle last year. 

Michelin Restaurants 

Chicago is well known for the best Michelin grade restaurants on offered in the Eastern coast, besides New York City of course. If you’re looking to book a table, book it as soon as you book your flights. Restaurants fill up quickly. I made a reservation at Boka http://www.bokachicago.com/ for 2 and the soonest time slot was 9:30... at night. In my case, it was perfectly fine by me since I just had flown in earlier that afternoon. The food was fantastic as well as the service for a price that didn’t break the wallet too badly. Michelin restaurants are hard for picky eaters because they tend to be a set entree. For foodies, it was a dream. 

The Bean! 

The Bean, aka the Cloud Gate park is Chicago’s most well known tourist attractions. My tip is to go EARLY. I left my hotel and headed over at 8am. And there were still a couple of people lingering trying to get their Instagram photo. After coaching my mother to take a good photo and a couple test shots later... I finally got my Insta-worthy photo. 

 Architectural Boat Tour  

I normally am not a fan of extreme tourist attractions but this is something I definitely highly recommend! I did the sunset tour which was about an hour and a half. I went on a Wendella Boat https://www.wendellaboats.com/ with the most amazing tour guides. I think I wouldn’t have enjoyed the boat ride as much if it were a regular tour during the daylight. Watching the city light up slowly as the night falls was something you just have to see yourself. Plus, I got the sickest time lapse as we sailed from Lake Michigan into the river. 

Photo-Ops 

We all know that cafes and cute little brunch spots are the easiest way to get a good photo-op. Anywhere I travel to, I always look for cafes (mainly because of my disgusting addiction to espresso). When searching for a cute cafe, I came across what was called Asado Coffee. What I didn’t realize is that it just recently shut down and reopened as Pickwick Coffee Roasters... and then that previous Monday actually shut down and reopened as Hero Coffee Bar. Whatever it ends up being next, here’s the address for you guys so you don’t have to force your Uber driver to go searching for this place: 22 E Jackson Ave Chicago, IL 60604. I just saved you 20 minutes of nonsense. 

Chicago is the perfect weekend getaway for first-time solo travelers for the East-coasters. I did meet my mom on this trip because she recently moved to Illinois for a couple of weeks. For some reason I thought it was a brilliant idea to only pack heels for my weekend in Chicago. Don’t do it. I honestly give myself some kudos because I didn’t cave until 5pm the next day and had to stop at Forever21 to buy some flats. This is what I get for trying to be cute city-chic. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

That one time I spent over $5k on nothing

Back in my naive days, I thought I was too good for community college and college in general. I moved into my first apartment, feeling like a badass young kid and dropped out of community college just to apply back into what I believed was a “better” college. I was so blinded about what “good” this school could do for me. I didn’t realize that this school has almost no credibility. 

I attended this school for 1.5 years just to, yes, drop out again. When I decided to go back to my first community college the next year, NONE of my credits transferred. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Ziltch. It was like I never went to this stupid school at all. Now, 1.5 years doesn’t seem long. Until you have felt what it’s like to wake up early every day for 1.5 years and work hard, for absolutely nothing. “Frustrating” is an understatement. I felt so broken, where I almost felt like I didn’t even want to finish school. 

The silver-lining in all of this was that I had enough scholarships and grants to pay for most of this stupid school. But I still had to take out a loan for over $5,000. I understand that there is most of America who have over $100k in school loans. But I literally just spent $5,000+ on nothing. Believe it or not, it actually feels worse than if I were to give $5k away to some random person. 

I sucked it up and took my fate as it was. Yeah, I was upset and disappointed. But I knew that dwelling on feeling bad for myself wouldn’t do me any good. So I paid off $20 here and there when I could until I was able to afford to pay a couple hundred dollars at a time. The great thing about this loan was that I didn’t have to officially start making re-payments on it until I was done with school in general. I paid off the unsubsidized loan first because it accrues interest from the minute you take the loan out. The subsidized loan accrues interest once I’m out of school and repayment beings. There was no way in hell I was giving another cent more to this loan. 

After this naive mistake, today is officially the day I have repaid the entire loan completely. I didn’t have to make payments on this loan until 2019, which would’ve estimated my repayment date to end in 2025. And every single penny is paid off before any payments were due. It’s done and over with. It’s officially in the past, in the books, and never to be worried about again. 

Disciplining yourself to do something you just do not want to do, is all mental. Because you’re not doing it for anyone else except yourself. I could’ve waited until 2019 but I was looking out for my future self. You wouldn’t want to put any burden on your family/friends, so don’t do it yourself. You owe it to yourself to pay yourself first!! 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

The Millennial’s Guide to Retirement

Ok so you’re probably somewhere in your 20′s. Time to think about retiring! lol but seriously. It’s tedious to prepare and put money aside for something that will not happen for 20 plus years. The future you will THANK you, trust me. I’m a planner personality. I need a plan to start planning - yeah, that kind of gal. I just like the reassurance. I have this long end goal to retire by the time I am 45 years old. And it will happen. Personally I think we all should be able to retire at an earlier age. Retire doesn’t necessarily mean “stop working and sit on the the porch eating pastries off your Mackenzie Child china every day.” To me, Retirement means I am able to stop working for strictly the means of surviving. After my “retirement,” I plan on fulfilling my lifelong dream of building homes and taking on some bogus corporate job with a ton of benefits. Because ya know, I can’t JUST have one job. lol This is what I call “double dipping” in life. Where I have had already worked hard; blood, sweat, tears, and worries to maintain and build a life. And now in my later years, am able to take the reins on my life in almost every aspect. (excluding the acts of God, of course :)  ________________________

What the heck is a 401(k) ?!?!? 

Having money sitting aside is one way of saving for retirement. But that’s the evil of it - it’s just “sitting.” Wouldn’t you rather have it DO something? For a while I couldn’t get my mind to fathom this amount of money I’ve saved up to just disappear. Visually, that is. The fact that this money is no longer visible in my account where I can see and know that it’s there. But if this money was set aside to begin with, then you do not need it to survive. This is the money that you set aside and are still able to pay your expenses and yourself every month. 

So let’s start with a 401(k) - This is employer based. Where you take a percentage of your pay every period and invest it into your 401(k) account your employer has set up for you. I highly recommend, if you can, contributing the maximum amount your employer is willing to match you. Usually, you’ll want to contribute 5% yourself. Your employer will match the max, of 4%.  Example: Say your paycheck is $1000/week.  5% = $50/week 4% Employer match = $40 _________ 401(k) = $90/week for as long as you’re employed with them

The great thing about this is you don’t have to do anything else. This deduction is automatically taken out every pay period. AND! There are no taxes until you withdraw from your 401(k). (This is a great thing, trust me) 

Along with a 401(k), I personally have another type of retirement investment as well. For some of us who have not begun a career just yet that offers a retirement contribution, you can still start investing. For me, the best product was mutual funds. Everyone is different depending on how much you can invest into your retirement at this time. You should talk to a financial advisor to see which financial products are best for your budget. Start educating yourself on the market and trying to accumulate steady gains. Because remember, sitting money is doing nothing. You want to make your dollar work for you. 

______________________ Okay so what if you live paycheck by paycheck and are just not able to set aside any extra cash you may have? That’s okay! Don’t ever feel like you’re behind because you are not at that point in your life just yet. Everyone has their own pace of life. Start little as $1 a day. Yes, you have a dollar to spare. Mindlessly this all adds up. I have a blog post on how I budget my finances. I know exactly what comes in and out. And if you just “don’t wanna” start saving yet, then honestly, you are not mature enough to even begin thinking about retirement. There is no age limit, just mind set. Mentally if you’re not there, don’t do it. Don’t force yourself because you feel you are “supposed” to. The only right time to start saving for retirement, is as soon as YOU can.  Link to my budget post: http://thebrightyellowoffice.tumblr.com/post/138160062249/budgeting

[thebrightyellowoffice]

Getting a passport stolen in Greece?!?!

My big trip of this year was going to Greece. 9 hours later from Newark to Athens, (Jetsetter tip: Try to fly out of a bigger airport if you can. This saved me $700!!) We’ve finally arrived in Greece! First impressions - Athens is dirty. I really hate saying that and I tried to find the beauty in the polluted buildings but it was pretty bad. From my experience, Athens is a good place to get all of your “touristy” things done. My cousin and I were able to quickly learn the subway system (much easier than NYC) and went to explore Plaka. 

Plaka Plaka is super cute! Right below the Acropolis. They have little shops and restaurants. This is also where we did the famous fish pedicure. (weirdest feeling EVER) If you walk far enough past Plaka, you eventually hit Syntagma Square which is like their huge outlet mall. 

Monastiraki Square Athens nightlife here is amazing. Every roof top bar has a view of the Acropolis glowing in the background. In the early mornings, the flea market here has fresh fruits and veggies. There are a ton of little shops here but the real shopping center is in Syntagma square.

Acropolis This is THE tourist spot. I recommend purchasing an all day pass to all the excursions in Acropolis with a student discount. Our first full day in Greece and we had a foreigner’s nightmare - my cousin’s wallet was stolen, including her passport. 

So what do you do when your passport is stolen in a foreign country?! You need to stay there forever. Just kidding - it’s actually a very tedious process but do-able. Bright and early we were in line at the US embassy. And then waited in another line. and then waited in chairs. and 4 hours later we had a new passport! It’s like waiting at the DMV except 5x worse. Luckily, she only had a few Euro bills in the wallet and credit cards. Even luckier, one of us still had our wallet. My tips on losing your passport/wallet in another country:

1. Panic  2. Ask if anyone has seen it (most likely they have not but doesn’t hurt to ask) 3. Call and cancel all of your credit cards 4. Go to the tourist police department. Yes, there is a separate police station for tourist. File a police report. 5. Go to the US embassy and wait a long long long time.  6. Pay a million dollars about $135 for a new passport/picture. 7. Try not to make this mistake again. 

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Mykonos The next way we hopped on a plane to Mykonos! Such a cute and beautiful island. It takes maybe 45 mins to get from one side to the other. I recommend renting ATV’s which only cost like $25/day. We drove into the town and to Super Paradise beach. I consider this the “Miami” of Greece. Lots of bars and beaches it was very relaxing. The sunset here, was unreal. 

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Santorini Ah, Santorini. This island is the definition of Greece. We took a ferry from Mykonos to the Fira Port and hauled up the caldera to Oia. It was about a 4 hour ride with beautiful views of the Greek islands and glistening Aegean Sea. Oh and a very much needed nap. Let me tell you, this city is breathtaking. It felt like a dream the entire time I was there. This is where the cave houses, white buildings with blue tops and the donkeys are. Everything you’ve ever heard about Greece. This island is meant for relaxing. There’s not really a night life (which I was perfectly ok with). I spent most of the day laying out soaking up the wonderful sun for hours on the rooftop pool. Forecast said it was supposed to be 70 and sunny all day. Felt like 110 degrees. It was hot! And I feel like for some reason, the white buildings made it hotter. Remember how I said the sunset in Mykonos was unreal? - The sunset in Santorini is indescribable. No wonder this is a place is a destination wedding spot. I climbed on ALOT of buildings here. And got yelled at even more. Anything for that perfect Instagram shot right?

Overall Greece was definitely one of my favorite trips. I’m not too crazy about Greek food. I think it’s all the same honestly lol - different variations of a gyro. Slovaki is just a deconstructed gyro. And who doesn’t like tzatziki?  _____________________

I’m including my costs because everyone seems to always ask me how I afford to travel (I’ll try to include this in future travel posts too) -

Round trip flight from Newark to Athens: $600 (Disclaimer: I’m an Emirates member) Flight from Athens to Mykonos:               $70 Ferry from Mykonos to Santorini:            $80 Flight from Santorini to Athens:               $80

Our total trip with major transportation and 4 hotels/Airbnbs: $1300/per person We were here for 7 days. Not including additional spending costs on food and shopping. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

No more traveling?! The next chapter.

Yes it’s true. No more traveling for me. 

2016 was the best year of my life. And 2017 will be the best year of my life when that comes to an end. I really needed this past year. I have no regrets of anything that happened. Although I was able to experience and learn a million and one things from my travels last year, I also had to give up something that was back home waiting for me: My plans. The building of my empire, The Bright Yellow Office. (Not the blog, but my overall goals and plans)

I had to come to a realization that I needed a break. I am a workaholic and I don’t want to stop. Because stopping, to me, means that I’m slowing my progress down. But to efficently output the quality of work I wanted to bring to my life, I had to take a break from that lifestyle for a while. Every month I flew to somewhere new by myself. For myself. Every trip was an unforgettable experience. Would I do it again? Absolutely not. Why? - Because that lifestyle is not meant for me. I love traveling! I always will. But I love work more. And that’s where I’m supposed to be. Because of 2016, I regained my insane love for life and my happiness. But that’s another chapter in the books, and it’s time to move on. 

Toward the end of the year, I experienced a lot of health issues. This is how I knew that this chapter has come to an end. I believe that every person has a path in this life and it was at that point where it was time to take my next turn. If something no longer serves a purpose in your life, you will know. 

From catching flights, to going to all 3 of my jobs, to going to school, etc. - I missed out on a lot of sleep. Which I was completely okay with. But my body was not okay with that. I had to learn that it’s okay to be a go-getter workaholic and strive to build your empire, but you need to rest in order to efficiently work. I had to get an MRI due to severe migraines I was suddenly experiencing on a regular basis. I had to cut caffeine out of my diet completely because of several caffeine overdoses. 

It’s time to move onto my next chapter and I’m more than excited! I put a pause on my business plan because I was so unhappy and I needed a break. 2016 was that purpose in my life. I had an unbelievably amazing 2016 experience and now, 2017 is the time to get back on track. I’m ready. I debated on whether or not I wanted to share my aspirations of what will happen this year. But I honestly am not 100% sure myself. I have a general idea/plan but life is so unexpected. I just know big things are going to happen this year. Your mind must arrive at your destination before your life does. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

2017.

Well. It’s officially half way into the first month of the brand new year. How do you feel? 

I’ve heard numerous of sob stories about how 2016 was the WORST year ever and how they cannot wait for it to be over. What is a new year other than another day and a flip in your calendar? 

I get the whole concept of why some people think that a new year is a new start. I honestly think it’s just an excuse. Maybe I’m being brutal but think of it as this - You know you are capable of being happy. So why not just be it? Why wait for another year to “start fresh” ? Resolutions are cute and maybe are needed for some umph of motivation. You should feel that way all the time. Constant new motivation throughout the year. Because once you start relying on your “fresh start” every year, you’re going to be let down once something unfortunate happens. Oh well - There’s always next year. 

2016 was the best year of my life. As every oncoming year is. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Sh*t happens. You get over it because you realize you have an awesome life. “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours.” and an Amen to that. 

Notice this trend about how I keep talking about mind set? Your mind must arrive at your destination before your life does. 

Oh and please, no more excuses. I have no sympathy on excuses. An excuse is just a way to rationalize on giving up. When it rains, it pours - Only because YOU don’t want to go grab an umbrella. 

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There are huge things coming in 2017. Will I still be traveling? Yes, but not intensely like I was in 2016. Traveling is one of the things I love most in this life, but the way I was traveling is a lifestyle. And it’s not a lifestyle for me. With all the glam comes with a price, which I will talk about in my next blog post. I plan for a bigger future which may involve traveling but is not going to be built upon traveling. I am a business woman who is passionate about my goals and my overall business plan that has progressed within the past 2 years. I am so thankful for 2016- I really needed that. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. 

2017,  BRING IT!!

[thebrightyellowoffice]

Why Does Her Life Look Better Than Mine?

The millennial generation is at an age right now where we are in between half of us getting married, and the other half of us still in “college” mode. It’s confusing on where we think we are “supposed” to be in this moment of our life. You’re scrolling through Facebook and see that another person in your graduating class is having a baby. Am I supposed to be having babies right now?! Should I feel bad that I’m not?! Absolutely not. We are all the same age, as in, we were all born around the same decade. This does not mean we are all at the same point in our lives. Every year is a new point in your life. You were definitely not the same as you were last year or going to be in the next following year. 

So why do I feel so bad that my life doesn’t seem as great as hers!??

Perception is an illusion in a way. There is so much more behind it all. Essentially, the way you react to someone else’s life is a perception on how you actually view your life and happiness. People tend to cheer on their colleagues through their journey to success, but then hate on the “person that they’ve become” once that person reached their goals. They didn’t change, your views did. Of course we all grow more into our lives that make us handle situations differently, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we have changed entirely. 

Comparing your life to someone else’s will only make you miserable. There will always be someone better than you, it’s impossible to be the very best. Unless you’re Ash Ketchum and you are the very best at catching them all. Duh.  Otherwise, You will kill yourself trying to achieve the title of “better.” 

People have this undying need to show off that they are doing better. Better than what? The only person you can be better than is your past self. When people show off their lives, they are looking for acceptance. For example, when people take pictures of their “stacks of money,” they feel this need to have to prove something to people. To me, it just looks like this is the only money you have to your name, and that is concerning and I feel bad for you. If you really need to go through that extra trouble to take a snap of your money, you need to re-evaluate your priorities. Because clearly, showing the pictures of your “success” to the public is your only motivation. 

The moment you stop focusing on how your colleagues are doing, is the moment you start getting better. You need to focus on YOUR aspirations, YOUR success and building YOUR empire. Trust me once you block everyone out of your perception of negativity, the negativity will go away on it’s own. I feel like I blinked in 2011 and now it’s 2017; I am better than I was. The only thing I can see in my tunnel, is ME. I am not happy because I have a great life. I have a great life because I am happy. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

Iceland

Another weekend trip in the books! And more questions about how I manage to travel internationally just for a day and a half. 

Flight

Let’s get something out of the way here - Iceland is very close to the East coast (approx. 5 and a half hours) and there are a ton of airlines that fly straight out of NYC directly to Keflavik. I flew on a budget airline called WOW Air - and let me tell you, they are a budget airline for a reason. This trip was the cheapest flight I have ever purchased. I’ve bought more expensive tickets to Florida before. 

My round trip flight from Newark to Keflavik was $400! Yeah you heard that right. But with this insane price comes the other hidden costs. They call it WOW air because it stands for “WOW, look at all these extra ridiculous fees.” I normally fly with Delta airlines (favorite) but I’m a frugal person and will try to find the best deal possible! My carry on is a tiny little thing that I some how managed to fit all of my crap in and I still had to pay for it to fly with me. In the WOW air ticket, they state that the price includes one carry on bag that is 42x32x25 CENTIMETERS that is. Being the extra planner I am, I measured my bag... 4 times and reread their regulations another 10 times. 

When I went to check in, I had to pay an extra $50 because my bag counted as a “large” carry on. TIP: If you fly with this airline, use a soft case bag. They will physically make you put your baggage into the measurer. Another TIP: I found a loop hole - Keep the tag they put on your bag when you fly back home because they do not check the size if it’s already been tagged (from my experience. Don’t quote me on this) This saved me another $50 for my flight back to Newark. :) 

The seats on this flight are also another extra fee they get you with that’s not included in the initial flight price. It’s not too bad if you just want a basic seat - I’m tiny so I can manage to fit anywhere lol. TIP: For any flight, the best seat in economy is behind exit row seat next to the window. More leg room and it’s a window seat. 

Getting around in Iceland 

Personally, I think the best way to get around in Iceland is with a rental car if it’s not during the really bad winter months. It’s super easy to get around and my rental car only cost me $240 for 2 days. Trust me, that’s a good deal. Plus, they give you a pocket Wifi device with allowed me to use my phone while I was in Iceland. WIN WIN! No need for an extra international cell phone plan. You can carry it in your backpack or pocket and use your phone’s wifi for GPS and uploading pictures to FB and Instagram of course :p Age to rent a car in Iceland is 21 years old and this allows you to explore the beauties of Iceland without a tour bus. TIP: Drive south of Reykjavik if you have time. It’s beyond beautiful with black sand beaches and waterfalls. AND that’s where Justin Beiber filmed his “I’ll Show You” music video. 

If you choose to not rent a car or if you are traveling during the brutal winter months, I recommend buying a bus pass, although keep in mind the bus takes a lot longer than traveling by car. If you do choose to go this route, I also recommend booking an Airbnb or hotel in their main city, Reykjavik. 

Hotel or Airbnb?

I usually always book a hotel - but that’s just my preference. There are a ton of Airbnb’s that you can rent for way cheaper per night than a hotel. I recommend going with Airbnb if you are staying longer than a weekend. 

I stayed at an Airport hotel because it was super cheap and close to the airport. This worked for me since I was only in Iceland for one night. 

Food

Everything in Iceland is expensive simply because it’s essentially an island. Think about it, they have to import a majority of things. I decided to have dinner in Reykjavik because I was traveling for over 20 hours at this point and was starving. The tour bus I took dropped us off in Reykjavik and I spent about $45 on one entree and a coffee. Yeah, ouch. Did I mention I’m super frugal? 

Eating is going to be expensive but it’s just something you have to deal with while traveling to isolated countries such as Iceland. TIP: They have a famous hotdog stand in Reykjavik called Baejarins Beztu Pylsur, that claims to be THE BEST hotdogs in the world. Yeah I’m not much of a hotdog person but it does the job and it’s a cheap lunch!

To Tour Bus or To Not Tour Bus

I don’t normally recommend doing extremely touristy actives because 1. It’s crowded full of tourists - obviously. 2. It’s cliche and very main stream. But for places such as Iceland, you kind of have to unless you know someone who can take you around. The tour bus is great because they can take you to places such as ice caves or the golden circle without needing to know much about the location. Places such as the wonders of Icelandic ice caves are also very dangerous to explore on your own. Of course, be knowledgeable and read reviews/blogs about these tours before booking. I was able to find a Northern Lights tour for only $45 that guaranteed a refund if you were not able to see them. - Which I was unfortunate to not be able to catch them while I was there :( One Day! 

Overall

Iceland is a easy quick trip from the East Coast and even better stopover location when traveling in and out of Europe. Most people who I met on my trip were coming back from Europe and had a layover in Iceland. It’s quick, easy, and cheap, even during the peak months of Spring/Summer. I highly recommend and plus, I’ve taken crazier weekend trips so this was a breeze! Do your research, just like you should for any other country and create a game plan. I have written past blog posts about weekend getaways on my page under the “Travel” tab. :)  

[thebrightyellowoffice]

First attempt at this vlogging thing! 

Travel vlog | Weekend in Iceland 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

The Work Over EVERYTHING Mentality

I frequently get the question, What’s my secret?! How is it that I am able to travel so much? 

The truth is, it’s not easy. I am generally a pretty happy positive person. But there are days where I break down from the stress. Saying I have a lot on my plate is an understatement. I work 3 different jobs and go to school for over 12-18 hours straight every single day. On top of that, I fit in going to the gym daily, managing my social media platforms and doing homework/errands. I actually hate taking days off. The only days I take off are when I’m flying out of town. And even that only lasts 1 to 2 days. I catch up on my sleep on long flights. I love traveling so much, but I love work more. 

I choose work over everything in my life. It’s my number one priority. I would rather go into work than hangout with my friends. Insane, right?! It’s true. I’ve said it before, the people in my personal life have learned that this is just how I am. They understand that we are all trying to chase our own dreams and achieve goals. We are all busy. We all work too much. I just choose to take a more intense route of “chasing.” 

There was a time in my life where I no longer loved what I did for a living. By the time I was 20, I was part of opening teams of 6 different new concept restaurants to my area. I remember thinking, “This is it. This is what I want to do forever.” I quickly learned 4 years later that the meaning of the word “forever” does not realistically exist. I also learned that it was okay - that I had changed my mind. I’m the type of person who truly wants to do EVERYTHING. Some may say I’m indecisive? Maybe it’s the ADHD. I call it ‘mastering the art of multitasking.’ I want to do lots of things without having to give up on one for the other. I didn’t think it was possible either. Until I began basically doing it. And now, my business plan is actually built on just that. (something I won’t go into for obvious reasons :) I am now in 3 different fields that I love so much. I live and breathe it. I appreciate my jobs and take every single one of my positions very seriously. There is a time and place to act a certain way, depending on which job I’m currently working that time. It works for me because it helps keep me balanced. I’m serious and strictly business in the office, fun and creative when I’m stirring up craft cocktails behind the bar, and in my networking/shooting mode when I’m on set.

But with all these happy moments and a beautiful life; being able to see different cities and the world, comes a cost. I couldn’t accept to admit it for a while, but dude, I Am Tired. I am stressed out, almost all the time. If I could sleep for 4 days straight, I would. There are days where I want to break down. And days that I actually do. But I never forget what I’m trying to achieve. So I let it all out, let myself have my little pity party, and I pick myself back up, and continue to work my ass off every day. It’s okay to have a moment. It’s probably not healthy to keep it bottled up anyway. I have blog posts explaining why stress is a fantastic thing to have here. 

I realize that this isn’t the answer you wanted to hear. There really isn’t a “secret” to how I travel so much. I’m not saying you have to work 3 jobs and drive yourself crazy. Maybe put more effort into your work. There can never be a limit on that. Making excuses is just laziness. That “I’m too tired” attitude needs to go. It’s comical when people tell me that they are “too tired.” You’re preaching to the wrong person. I have very limited sleep because I’m too busy doing too much. And yet I still have an extreme energetic attitude, full of happiness and enthusiasm every day. 

Realize your budget, save when ever you can, and start ‘paying yourself first.’ What’s the point in working your ass off day by day if you can’t enjoy this beautiful life? Some will argue and say that they will enjoy it once they have created a stable living, etc etc. Choose to live the life you want to live everyday. Stop waiting. There will never be “the right time” for anything. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

A Jetsetter’s Guide to A Weekend Getaway

Flying away JUST for the weekend?! Are you crazy? HOW?!

Probably one of the most frequent questions I get. I use to think the same; How can you explore a whole city in just one weekend? & How do you afford it?!

There’s a weird phenomenon that all travel is super expensive. Trust me, I am a cheap ass Asian on a budget. When I search for flights and hotels, I have 20 tabs going in my browser because I will not be paying an arm and a leg for just one weekend, let me tell you that. I preach about how important budgeting your finances are! Seriously people, if you have not kept track yet, start today. I find out what time of the month works best for me, financially and with all of my 5 jobs. 

Research! Research! Research!

You cannot enter a brand new city without researching it first! I see rookies make this mistake all the time! Find restaurants/bars you want to stop at, read blogs, follow Instagams. Social media, no matter how many people hate on it, is really such a beautiful thing. Read real reviews from real people, and of you course, find the best photo opportunities to capture your spontaneous weekend adventure. Instagram or it didn’t happen, am I right? ;p With all the new found information on this city, will also help you save money or “live like a local.” I try to veer away from the super touristy things because I think they are kind of lame... Sorry. For example, I’ve lived in NY my entire life and have never been to the Statue of Liberty. She’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong! That’s my girl ;) But tell me, what’s the point of going up there? Besides an expensive trip up. Most of the time, you can find cheaper activities that are way more worth it and less crowded of tourists. When I was Seattle, I really wanted to see the Space Needle!! Because come on, those kinds of things you HAVE to see. I learned on my cab ride there, that the sky observatory has a way better view of the city and you can see the space needle - for $20 less! TURN THE CAB AROUND!! 

One of the coolest views of a city I’ve seen. And It made me realize how much more there is to Seattle, Washington. So as for most touristy things: Stay Away! Do not pay Refuse to pay the “tourist” price. It’s most likely not worth it!

International Now that you’ve had an idea of domestic weekend travel, time to hit the international tips. Not too far, but Europe is somewhat doable from the East coast of the US. To be fair, I did take off 4 days for my trip to Ireland earlier this year. Only because I wanted to be there for St. Patrick’s day! The only thing that kind of sucks is that you “lose” hours of the day flying to the East because of the time difference. International travel is where research is more than critical. You need to make sure you’re safe and not making any rookie touristy mistakes. Build yourself an itinerary of the major things you want to do. Then take on the day from there. If you have a moment when you feel alone and bored, you did not do enough research.  I am not against travel partners at all! Some cities it’s actually nice to have someone show you around. I am so beyond thankful I know many familiar faces around the world. I am grateful for my friend Josh, who drove me to a ton of adventures in Denver, CO. Without him, there was no way I could have brunch at this cool spot called Snooze, snowboard the Rocky Mtns and find a natural hot spring all in one day. 

How is 1-3 days enough?!  When you travel solo, you’ll find you have a lot more time. Which is one of the reasons why I highly recommend to do it! We complain all the time about how we do not have enough time. Well, there ya go. I like to trick myself into thinking I gave myself more hours of the day. (When I travel from East to West lol) I mean, in a way, it is more time.  Enjoy every minute of it Realize why you decided to travel alone in the first place. And be proud of yourself that you did. It’s not easy, the first solo trip. It’s scary and all the emotions are running. But you’ll come to find out why I love this so much. I’m not a loner. I actually love being around people. I wouldn’t be in the jobs I am now if I didn’t. What I’ve learned in this chaotic life, is to pay yourself first. Time alone to revalue your hard work, blood, sweat and tears, and love your life. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

Self Centered Happiness.

First, Take a negative, and turn it into positive thinking. You really have to read this with an open mind.

We have grown to think that being selfish is always a bad thing. It’s a sin to be selfish and self consumed. Why? Because nobody likes that one cocky person who loves thy self. I think that being narcissistic means that you love yourself and you want everyone to know it. And even then, those who seek attention in this way are not truly happy, I think. Why have a dying need for something unless you’re trying to fulfill a feeling that you cannot provide to your own subconscious. 

I honestly do not find anything wrong with being completely selfish in your own consciousness. Love yourself. Spoil yourself. For once, put yourself first. And then learn to always put yourself first without having to tell/show the world you found this new lust of love for yourself. 

You know what makes me happy? When other’s are able to make themselves happy. The little things like driving down the street and the driver in front of you is rocking out to their favorite song on the radio. They are having a good day. Good for them! Seriously, I am glad someone is happy today.

Not to confuse this with trying to make other’s happy. Because quite frankly, it will never happen. We tend to lose ourselves in the consumption of another’s happiness. Going out of your way to make someone happy just so they can tell you that you made them happy. That is not a genuine gesture.  

I have never been a relationship type of gal. I’m just too busy with my own life to be worried about someone else or take on another stressor to add to my endless list of stress. After being in my first and only relationship, I looked back and found myself to be very disappointed. Not with him, but with how I let myself go. My aspirations disappeared along with my smile. Unhappiness is not to be mistaken for sadness. I was sad, which made me think I had an unhappy life. Trust me, I will never feel this way again as long as it’s in my control. (Which it’s always 98% always in your own control) 

I AM IN LOVE WITH MYSELF.  I have had a constant argument with myself wondering if being truly in love with myself makes me selfish?! It just sounds bad: “Oh I’m in love with myself.” But I really think I am in love with myself. I just think I am pretty awesome. Ya know?! (Again, you need to keep an open mind reading this post.) I think everyone should think they are an awesome being. Your number one fan should be yourself. You simply cannot rely on others to be proud of you. The only relationship that can truly be “forever” is with yourself. Am I wrong?  I think I have accomplished a lot in my lifetime so far. But I’m always seeking more and bigger goals, because I know I am capable of achievement. Be the only voice that matters to yourself; Cheering yourself on every step of the way and be your own coach in bettering yourself every day. “GO ME :) ” Super cliche but such a huge source to self happiness. This kind of love doesn’t happen over night. It takes time, of course. I constantly talk about Mind Set - Change your mind set to seek positivity - You’ll have no bad days. We’re human, we all get sad sometimes! But don’t confuse that feeling to think you have a bad life. Choose to be happy. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

The Truth Behind My Travel Partner

One of the most frequent question I get asked is “WHO do you travel with?! WHO takes your pictures?!” 

I never really have given a legit answer because I find it funny. - How something so minor can spark such curiosity to even those I do not know. 

I get a good amount of nasty comments as well. Like “She must have a ‘sugar daddy.’ She’s just following some man around who pays for her stuff.” If I had someone who was willing to pay for all my plane tickets and hotels, I’d probably quit my job and just travel my entire life. But that’s not REALISTIC. And even if that were true, I wouldn’t let someone have that much power over me anyways. I can work and pay for my own happiness. Thank you. 

Why is it that most people gravitate towards all the possible negative answers. Why is it assumed that I need a “man” in order to travel or have nice things or enjoy life. That’s what kind of makes me livid. Do you think I am not capable of providing for myself?

Just because YOU can’t afford to travel, doesn’t mean I CAN’T. For those who have nothing but negative things to say, it really shows a reflection on how you view your own happiness and your life. Law of Attraction. Just saying. 

I am very focused on my careers and building My Empire. I barely talk to anyone anymore unless it’s involved with work or school. And that’s another thing - Understand that we are all here to chase our dreams. I am extremely busy all the time. I feel like I blink and 3 months have passed by. I live alone but I am never home! I rarely get my alone time, especially working in customer service demanding jobs. So I think flying away once every 3 weeks for a day or two by myself is much deserved. It’s less stressful not having to worry about what another person wants to do. I get to make my own plans and explore the way that I want to. It got to a point where I was sick of begging someone to scrap up some money and come with me. So I asked the one person who I knew would always say yes. My damn self. I am my own travel partner. 

To those who think I’m following a ‘sugar daddy’ around: Hi. My name is Tammy. I work my ass off every single day for 17 hours a day and I barely sleep. I work 4 jobs with being in school full time, and I’m not very materialistic which means I have saved a ton of money from not buying large amounts of useless higher priced items. Like Victoria’s Secret. I’m not saying that VS is high end, but a 80$ hoodie that says PINK on it is not how I would rather spend my hard earned money. You can’t be professional wearing a hoodie to the office. ;) It’s a huge asset to be able to manage your own money. Here’s a link to a previous post about how I budget:  http://beautynbusiness.tumblr.com/post/138160062249/budgeting

The point is that every time someone asks me how I travel so much by myself, they are disappointed with the answer I give. Because it’s not an easy answer. I literally work day and night to a point where I’m having caffeine withdraws of hot and cold flashes, along with endless nights and blood shot eyes. But it’s so worth it, to me at least. And that’s the thing, you have to find what your shade of gold is. For me, it’s just this. I can’t tell you if I will feel the same next year. That’s the beauty of it too- your shade of gold can always be changed. 

It’s not all rainbows and sunshine. I did have to give up a couple of things to do this journey this year. I put a pause on my business plan to do all of this. Nobody see’s the work that goes behind what I put on social media. I went through a very rough past 2 years and I was in a rut. To put it lightly, I forgot how beautiful life was and I was down right miserable. I needed this year. And I more than regained happiness - This year has been the best year of my life. Not only because of how traveling opened up my light again, but a ton of other various factors that happened this year. When you finally decide to only let positive into your life, you will only see positive come back out into your life. And it clearly shows. 

The truth is I have been networking since I was 15. I’m grateful to be able to know at least one familiar face in a majority of cities across the world. And plus, it’s not that hard to make friends, especially in a new city. If they think you’re weird, that’s fine! You’re never gonna see them ever again! In my experience so far, everyone has been so friendly to new visitors. I would find it flattering as well if someone wanted to come visit my city just for the sake of exploring.  

So who takes my “Instagram-worthy” traveling pictures?

You know it’s hard to say “no” to a smiling face :) But seriously, I have never had someone not willing to take 5 seconds of their time to snap a quick picture of me. Obviously I am going to be a good judge in character and not ask someone sketchy to take my picture. I actually take my own pictures sometimes as well. You know, they have invented another setting on cameras called a “timer.” and they also have this cool stick called a “tripod.” CRAZY STUFF! 

And did I mention that not the whole world is out to get you - People Are Friendly!! I could be in the middle of setting up and taking my Instagram-worthy shots, and people will come up to me and ask if they can help. Some of them get VERY into it too! Give anyone a camera and they can pretend they’re a professional photographer. It’s comical and heart warming. It brings out the creative side to a person, how they see a “vision.”

I’ve been in the modeling industry for over 5 years. I picked up photography myself and learned so much along the way with working with so many talented photographers. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m a professional photographer, but I have a vision behind every picture and put a lot of work into my shots. 

Honestly, I love my Instagram. Simply because it helps me stop time in a way. In my nonstop busy lifestyle, a moment can be gone, just like that. It’s very nostalgic to see what has happened this year and how I’ve changed, not only creatively but overall. It makes me very happy to scroll through this past year and relive every single moment - how I felt, what I smelled in that area, what happened that day, etc. It makes me love life more and more because I can see that I am capable of being happy; by making my own happiness. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

“It’s just a small town”

I am from a small college town in New York. No, not the city. Upstate. So many people who live here, hate living here. I guess there are some scientific reasoning behind it due to the point that we have winter weather most of the year. Yes, it is cold and yes it is cloudy most of the time for months on end. Trust me, I am a very tropical person who can not stand the cold! But winter has it’s perks like being able to get warm and cozy. And snowboarding/sledding of course. :) There are reasons why some of those who moved away, come back. Think about it. Everyone is so hung up on how “awful” this surrounding is, that they are forgetting to see the big picture. 

What if it’s not the place. What if it’s you that’s the issue? Your attitude toward any situation will reflect back out into your life. Happiness is all a mindset.  Maybe you have shitty friends because you ARE a shitty friend. Maybe you hate your job because you ARE a bad worker.  Maybe you aren’t making enough money because you AREN’T taking advantages of EVERY opportunity, because you put other meaningless priorities first. When you just sit back, you are just like everyone else.

Before there is a whole controversy about how it couldn’t possibly be you that’s the problem.... Let me just say this: __________

Why is it that we can’t make this small town, something big. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. That you came across this place during the right time and moment. Whether it’d be that your parents are from this small town we call home or whatever other reason. However you ended up here, be thankful. Because THIS is where the beginning of your success lies. Wherever life may end up taking you, in this small town or not, remember where you came from and where your story started.

Be that small town native, who made it.  I know for a fact that I eventually will leave my hometown. To where? I’m not completely sure yet. Every year my aimed destination changes because I am offered hundreds of opportunities a year. I grow as a person and things change because life is unpredictable. But every day I feel like “I made it.” Every day I feel as if today is my best day ever. That is personal growth.

Years from now, the people will whisper stories and rumors of the one who once upon a time was from this small college town, who is now living their dream. Being happy in their life, while the others are still stuck, not in this small town, but stuck in their small minded, negative lifestyle. 

What you put out into the world WILL reflect back into your life.  As a teenager, I was one of the most unpleasant brat to be around, wondering why all these “bad” things were happening to me. Thoughts ran through my head over and over again, trying to find the answer until I literally told myself, “Maybe it’s You. Do something about it.” This is very similar to my post about dealing with stress. You have complete control over how you handle situations (good AND bad). 

I am grateful for EVERY SINGLE DAY. It’s such a shame of those who wake up and are the least bit of grateful. How?! How can someone just wake up with a shitty attitude towards this beautiful thing we live in called Life. It blows my mind. And then they post on social media about it: “This is the worst day ever. Nobody talk to me.” Nobody was going to talk to your negative self anyways. It’s one thing to be upset, but now you have to let the whole world know that you’re upset, as if it really matters to them. Nobody in their right mind would willingly surround themselves with miserable people. 

Small town, NY: This is where I began to make my dreams come true. I am living the most beautiful life. I’m not happy just because I have a great life. I have a great life because I seek happiness in every moment. I think everyone should love their life as much as I seem to love mine. It seems like society has taught us to frown upon those who are happy in their own lives. It’s not being cocky, it’s valuing your viability.  Not every day is perfect and happy. But don’t let one bad day shit on your whole entire life. You are worth so much more than what you think. 

[thebrightyellowoffice]

School isn’t for everyone

We have evolved to learn that going to school is a “need.”

It really depends on the person. I was an excellent student in high school, but once I got to college, I hate to say it but my scholar life went downhill. Other things in my life became a priority over school. Work is probably the most important thing in my life. It’s where I find myself most happy, seriously. Everyone thinks I am insane for feeling this way. But I call it a blessing. I want to work very hard toward a goal and get achieved as a result of it. Whether it’d be monetary or not. For school, that beautiful piece of paper reward at the end of the tunnel isn’t until you graduate. Which usually takes 2-4 years depending, of course. And I am super impatient. 

A degree and an education will never be able to be taken from you. It’s true. But honestly what is the point of the degree if your career goal does not require it? Self achievement and self growth. I dropped out of college 4 times, before deciding that I need to do this for myself. In this case, it’s not all about the degree. I like to believe I put 110% into anything I do in life, small or major. And to have been a college drop out four times, made me feel underachieved. Simply because I know I can put the work to obtain this goal, but I didn’t. Not going to lie, school is a burden, still. I am not able to grow in my career as fast as I would like because school is taking up my time right now. But I am willing to make it work with everything else going on in my hectic life. 

Your degree or lack of degree does not define your intelligence. But the work you put towards your goals, does. I refuse to believe laziness is ever an excuse.   

You shouldn’t force yourself to do something just because you think it’s what people your age are “supposed” to do. 

[j-term]

Learn to say ‘no’ without explaining yourself.

(via feierwasduliebst)