Although I am a very blunt person (the Virgo in me), I am a very private person when it comes to my own life. How can someone be an influencer and be a private person? Simple, I usually only post my outfits and travel posts. Everything I post is what I love. I absolutely love posting & giving fashion/ travel advice and inspo to you guys, but I don’t always share my most personal things with you.
I am a fashion and lifestyle blogger, as you know, and my posts usually pertain strictly to that. This post is the most personal post I’ve ever wrote and posted. I wanted to write it to simply express where I am in life, especially to those who have been following me for years.
I am 29 years old, and this is the last year of my 20's. When I turned 29 last September, at first it really freaked me out. I mean I’m not worried about getting older, (I still get carded when I go out to dinner sometimes- yes, you read that correctly), and I am so proud of everything I have learned and accomplished this far in why life. I just thought at this point in my life it would be totally different.
There’s a quote “Sometimes on the way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one”, and now I totally get it. I absolutely love my job and I love being an entrepreneur, I wouldn’t trade it for the world- ever.
I became a blogger in 2013 for fun, and turned it into a business in 2015. In 2017, I launched my very own swimwear line, Tosh Swimwear, and in 2018, my beach bag line, Sirena Tosh.
When I started my blog, I was also in a serious relationship with my boyfriend at the time. For some reason, I thought by this age I would be engaged (or married like most of my friends), and even a “Blogger Mom”, you know those cute mom’s with their adorably dressed up kids in matching outfits on outings in every Instagram post?
But the universe had more planned for me.
Of course, I still want to get married and have children (when the time is right and with the right person), and you better believe my kids will be styled in every photo. (I’m thinking they will incorporate my boho-chic style with a hint of designer.)
Even though my swimwear line is my passion, I had to put my swimwear line on hold for a little over a year as it became very stressful to manage with everything I had going on,(and expensive), so I could focus on my number one job- a travel, lifestyle, and fashion blogger.
In 2015, I had taken a Florida Real Estate course and passed the class. But I was 24, and I wanted to focus on my blogging career because it was just taking off. I had just turned it into a business in 2015, and began making 6 figures by charging my own rates for posting content. I did not want to pursue real estate at that point, and I am so happy I didn't because I ended up traveling the world for free from my blog. I traveled to Europe and the Middle East for the first time in 2015. I went on so many other trips around the world starting in 2015, I wouldn't have traded any of the experiences for anything.
I have been traveling the world ever since- documenting my adventures and collaborating with hotels on my blog. I was also posting for brands who paid me to advertise and post their product on my social media while traveling the globe. So I have been basically doing what I love professionally for five years now. (Seven years total.)
This last Summer I truly became single after a very long serious relationship, for the first time since I was basically in my early 20's, and moved to Brickell, Miami with my two dogs. (Brickell is like the NYC of Miami.) It was shocking at first. I had to downsize a lot, physically and mentally. I felt like I was a divorcee who moved to the city from the suburbs. (I know I’m very dramatic, but that's how it felt.)
It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but I needed it. I think it changed me for the better and made me realize my full potential, and how strong I really am. It also made me truly focus on reaching my goals, and made me realize that It’s okay to be alone sometimes, and I didn’t realize that before in my early 20's.
This year I finally decided it’s time to relaunch my swimwear line, Tosh Swimwear because designing and being the face of my own line is a dream come true and I love it. So I am happy to announce we will be back with new swimwear styles available this Summer!
So here I am age 29, still and forever loving my job as a blogger, swimwear designer, an entrepreneur, and now a Florida licensed real estate agent. Yes, you read that correctly. It hit me last December- I need to go back and pursue real estate. I know I’ll be good at it. I honestly am the best seller, (I worked in sales when I was younger), I love talking about and looking at different properties, and I love South Florida. I’ve been here since 2010 and know Miami and the surrounding cities like the back of my hand.
This year on Jan 14th, I started my three week real estate course, passed the class on February 9th, and booked the state exam for February 28th. I studied so hard for the state exam because I knew it would be tough from what I've heard. I passed it on my first try and got my official license emailed to me two days later.
Why am I telling you this? One, because I am so proud of myself, this was a huge milestone for me, and two because If I can make a goal for myself and dedicate my time to reaching it, you can do too. I still had to manage my job as a blogger and entrepreneur, while studying new information every single day in class in order to pass my tests. It doesn't matter what it is, you can really do anything you set your mind to!
So here’s to new beginnings, I am very excited to see where the rest of 2020 will take me. And who knows, maybe I’ll have a little mini me running around sooner than I think. My camera will be ready, and my baby swimwear line will be born.
📸 Location from this post: The 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami
