Have you ever accomplished something you’ve been wanting to do forever? Well I was in the same boat about a month ago.

I went to college, pursued my career, and made the funds I needed to do other things in my life that I enjoyed, like traveling. But being the person I am, I always knew I didn’t want to stop there 🏹

As easy as it was to stay in my comfort zone and live out the rest of my life like this, I had a gut-feeling that this wasn’t the end for me. So, I continued to climb. I pursued and graduated with my master’s degree and another box was checked yet again.

It wasn’t until the spring of 2021 when I started thinking about all the other things I wanted and I was fueled by how much I’ve already accomplished in such a short amount of time at my age. I was looking for an outlet to express my creativity and gravitated towards social media almost naturally.

Likewise, I climbed the ladder again and opened my own small online boutique @rebolwear. Everything we offer is thoughtfully selected by me to reflect current trends and my personal off-the-clock style.

With this new business endeavor, I hope to inspire others to rebel against comfort and strive for more. We hope that Rebol Wear gives you the confidence you need to make moves and launch your own dream!✨

For those who have been active on social media for a while or are just starting out, we all know that presentation matters. Studies have shown that audience retention rate matters in the first 3 seconds of glancing at content. Like most of us, we are guilty of scrolling to the next thing as soon as we see it, because it wasn’t catchy - plain as that.

In my time on social media, I have learned a few simple tricks-of-the-trade when it comes to capturing AND HOLDING the attention of my audience. Read more below to find out how I do it.

Up until now, I never really put much thought into using Instagram and Facebook as a source of income. I used to think it was a given for those who were already famous, or just had a huge following. (Anyone else with these thoughts exactly?) But when I really got to thinking about it, the people who I watch and follow all started somewhere, somewhere small and I’ve witnessed them grow myself. At this point, my curiosity was officially peaked. I needed to know how they did it, and this is what I discovered…

Who knew that not wearing makeup could change more than just your physical appearance? I went a whole week without a touch of makeup, and I'll never be the same again.

I learned the importance of embracing my natural beauty at a very young age, and to say the least, this practice was not an easy one. Sure, I was a cute kid—as every kid is before puberty finally hits—but the real challenge was learning to embrace this new kind of “beauty” that took the form of acne scars, designer eye bags, and uneven skin tone that I was ever so blessed with in middle school. In return, this trauma brought me self-esteem issues, and as much as I tried to convince my mother (a natural-beauty queen) that concealer and foundation could make me feel beautiful, she never bought into it.

My mother has always been a tough cookie to crack, but I don’t believe I could have learned to look in the mirror and feel content with what I saw in the reflection if it weren’t for her. And now that I’m older, these blemishes are not as profound as they once were, but in the quiet moments to myself, I still appreciate the days I spend lounging with a bare face.

"I needed to regain a positive outlook on my physical appearance by viewing these "problem areas" in an asset perspective"

For spring break, I decided to take full advantage of this perplexed nakedness and root back to my pre-pubescent self. In those seven days, I chose to let go of makeup and all the reasons I chose to wear it: approval from others, double-takes from strangers, self-worth, etc. I figured that it was time to refresh the way I viewed myself—I needed to regain a positive outlook on my physical appearance by viewing these “problem areas” in an asset perspective as opposed to a deficit perspective.

On vacation, I simply wore moisturizer and sunscreen on my face, and as a result, I was convinced that my skin had thanked me. I wasn’t quite sure if the acne scars started to fade quicker, the darkness under my eyes appeared brighter, and if my skin tone actually evened itself out, but I like to think that scaling back on the makeup and allowing myself to rekindle the beauty of my blemishes was just simply the result of getting used to/loving the way that I looked.

"I am glad to have found that bit of confidence in myself"

Moreover, the slight self-esteem issues that I still continue struggle with, were helped in an alternative makeup-free way: The strangers that I have met while on vacation—who had no idea how different I would look with makeup on—thought I was beautiful: Just naturally glowy, blemishes and all, they thought I was beautiful. And this was just a bonus on top of the way I had already been feeling about myself. It’s been a week since I’ve returned from my trip, and I actually still prefer myself without makeup for the most part, and I am glad to have found that bit of confidence in myself. It’s really true what they say, when you are at peace with yourself, you just glow naturally.

Finally, I will continue incorporating the practice of the “no makeup challenge” for the seasons to come. I believe that taking the time to truly appreciate every aspect of your physical appearance will ultimately help you find peace and balance with yourself. Good luck on your own makeup-free journey!

Xo,
Monica

I can’t help the excitement of planning my next trip. If there is one thing for sure, I am a travel bug in its truest form so sticking around in one location for periods of time, isn’t exactly my cup of tea.

Last summer, I had the privilege to not only live and work in a foreign country, but backpack to just some of my dream destinations all over the European continent as well. For two months, I spent weekends at a time packing and unpacking a bag with just some of my basic necessities, and hit the ground running to 5 different countries and 10 different cities.

Along the way, I learned many things about life that can only be taught from such an eye-opening experience. Here, I have compiled a list of the Top 3 Lessons I got out of this minimalist exploration style. I hope that this article inspires you to seek a life worth living and learning about outside your comfort zone, let alone your community. Enjoy!

Xo,
Monica

I moved to the Windy City when I began college. Being a natural born busy-bee, I immediately fell in love with the 9-5 shuffle, food, night life, art, and diversity that make up this unique metropolis.

As every true Chicagoan knows, living large comes with a cost—literally. With all the amenities that anyone could ever want stationed on just about every street corner, I caught on quite quickly that living out here costs a pretty penny.

Already being a broke college student as is, I figured that if I really wanted to stay in the downtown vicinity, I would have to be proactive about making ends meet. Here are 5 of My Top Tricks-of-the-Trade that have allowed me to afford this urban lifestyle.

Xo,
Monica

Never let yourself believe that when the going gets rough, it's the end all be all. Tomorrow's are the second chances in life that we often overlook.

Some days we do things we aren’t proud of or say things we don’t mean, and unfortunately, second chances in this world aren’t a luxury. In situations like this, it's easy to bash your mere-human flaws and feel completely defeated. Luckily, there's a silver-lining: the amount of chances that you can give yourself are limitless. If today is not your day, don't sweat it.

There is a grace that comes with leaving yourself room for improvement so that you can strive again tomorrow. See below just how to become that better version of yourself one step at a time.

Xo,
Monica