Your Journey Awaits…

It’s been a few weeks since I got back from Chicago and I still reminisce about the city of skyscrapers daily.. and the absolute best part was going with my favorite gal pals.

To be completely honest, this was one of the easiest & quickest decisions we made… we got together one night for dinner and next thing you know — our plane tickets and hotel were booked. Neither of us had ever been, but always knew it was a city on our bucket lists. There was absolutely nothing more special to share this first experience with my girls.

I’m sure you know by now that I truly find lots of joy in traveling and let me tell you why. I hope whatever phase of life that you are in at this very moment, that you take the time to treat yourself to explore cities and destinations in the world that intrigue you. There is so much beauty beyond the world that we live in every day: getting up, going to work, coming home, working out, eating, sleeping, and repeat. Although that’s typically how the routine goes — and I thank God everyday for being able to get up and do these, sometimes it’s nice to take a break and be spontaneous.

The beauty of everything outside Yasmin’s world or even your world, is that you get to escape and learn about the beauty within someone else’s or to even witness the beauty that has been planted on Earth for us all to enjoy. Personally, I love to travel to see beautiful places, but more so to meet beautiful people — learn from them, hear their stories, laugh with them, and to be inspired.

Hope — that’s what the world gives me. Whether you travel alone, with family, a significant other, or a group of friends — always let it remind you of the hope, happiness, & perspective that the world can bring you.

Go out to secret rooftop bars, get drunk at a fancy restaurant and spend $300 on a dinner, stop and take pictures at every corner to create memories, jump up and down on the hotel boxspring, visit sites, talk to strangers that you sit next to on an airplane — whatever it is that you do when you travel (I can tell you, we did most — if not all of these)

But back to “The Windy City” — a glorious, lively, FREEZING, but beauty at Christmas time.. Lights all over the city — skydeck and rooftop views, Christmas markets, and the smell of coffee, chocolate, and strudel filling the streets. So basically, Chicago is a dream.

As we are heading into a new decade (OMG that is so weird to say), I hope you make some time to plan some vacations for yourself. Furthermore, I hope that traveling allows you to achieve some of the firsts that are sitting on your bucket list, visit some sights and overcome fears, have respect for a new city and its culture, and to fall in love with the world. Being able to experience love in this form is the greatest adventure one can take and allows you to grow as a human being; growing to be more kind, compassionate, selfless, calm, open-minded and adventurous. If you’re traveling home or to a new city for the holidays, take the time to go out and explore a new part of the city — maybe one that you had never tried; take your family with you, be a tourist in your own city, and don’t be afraid to stop and take pictures at every corner. I only hope my travels will inspire you to take some much deserved time to see a new world beyond yours. The world awaits you!!

With Love, Yas