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Wrap Up: January 2019

February 6, 2019 Mimi McFadden

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2019 started off at a full sprint. From ringing in my brother’s wedding on NYE, to my first trip of the year to Colorado, and leaning more into my love for all things San Francisco (even with the recent frigid Bay Area temperatures). I already have a good feeling about 2019.

This year has already thrown me a handful of challenges, reminding me to not get too comfortable in my new fixed life because there is still a whole lot of work to do in my business, my relationships, and my personal development. There is always room to grow, which I look forward to continuing to do throughout 2019.

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Arizona Road Trip Itinerary: One Week in the Grand Canyon State

January 30, 2019 Mimi McFadden

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A detailed Arizona road trip itinerary to spend the perfect week seeing the highlights of the Grand Canyon State.

If I didn’t have such a love affair with California I would seriously consider moving to Arizona. The state is filled with diverse landscapes, friendly locals, and so many good road trippin’ options. You really can’t go wrong with an Arizona road trip, because every corner of the state is filled with natural desert beauty.

I went back to Arizona for the second time this past November and somehow ended up even more amazed by what the state has to offer. I’m now trying to get my dad and stepmom to move here from Oregon so I can have more excuses to visit.

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Wrap Up: December 2018

January 5, 2019 Mimi McFadden

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The last month of 2018 was equally slow and fast. My weeks were filled to the brim with work, content creation, travels, and holidays parties, but I loved soaking up every last minute of one of the best years I’ve had in a long time.

At the end of November, I was contacted by Mazda. MAZDA people!!! A few weeks later, I was ecstatic to head up to Whistler, a new Canadian destination for me, for a few days to work on some sponsored content for them and drive a few new 2019 Mazda models. I even managed to get in an afternoon of ~~snowboarding~~ falling on my ass in the snow.

I also spent about a week down in Santa Cruz this month to have quality family time and enjoy our last Christmas in Santa Cruz.

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2018, A Year of Finding Home

December 30, 2018 Mimi McFadden

After spending so much of 2017 on my own, I made it a plan in 2018 to build up more of a community in my life again.

I did this in two ways:

Finding a home base so I didn’t have to live out of a backpack anymore.
Planning my trips based on which friends I wanted to see and catch up with the most, above seeing as many new countries as possible.

Because I made community such a big focus of 2018, I felt constantly loved, supported, and surrounded by good energy this year.

It was a wonderful year in so many ways. Another year of growth, of nurturing my oldest and newest friendships, and leaning even more into my independence.

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The Best Things to Do in Mesa, AZ

December 24, 2018 Mimi McFadden

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The Best Things to do in Mesa, AZ range from candlelit dinners in the desert to kayaking below sheer bronze-tinged cliffs and cacti. Here’s what you should know about one of Arizona’s most underrated cities.

I visited Arizona for the first time a couple of years ago for a short trip, hitting all the usual spots like Phoenix, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon.

So, when I was invited by Visit Mesa to explore more of Arizona this fall, I jumped at the chance to see other parts of what the state had on offer for adventure and outdoor enthusiasts (hint: there’s a lot).

I felt this with my first visit, and I’ll write it down here: Arizona is one of the most beautiful US states. Its red rocks, desert vibes, and versatile landscape are all a traveler’s (and photographer’s) dream come true. I can see why so many people choose to retire there these days.

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Wrap Up: October & November 2018

December 3, 2018 Mimi McFadden

October & November Wrap Up - The Atlas Heart

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You may have noticed that I didn’t write a wrap up post last month.

It was already almost the end of November by the time I finally had a slice of free time to write for this blog, and I already had guilt about not getting out my wrap up post for October yet.

So, I decided to give myself a break and just combine my wrap-ups for October & November into one post.

As I’ve gotten more into this whole running my own business thing, I’ve realized how important it is to let things go sometimes, and come up with solutions that will stress me out the least while still getting my highest priority work done.

It’s a delicate balance, but it helps when I think of the bigger picture and the importance of avoiding burnout.

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Morocco Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

November 12, 2018 Mimi McFadden

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Morocco Travel Tips – from booking buses and tipping, to Moroccan time and aggressive men. This is what you should know before arriving in Morocco.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first touched down in Morocco.

Even though it has become a popular place for millennial travelers in recent years, I knew there were probably still a lot of misconceptions about the country that I had unwillingly internalized through the media and one-off negative travel stories.

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Wrap Up: September 2018

October 9, 2018 Mimi McFadden

September was an exciting month of returning back to California and setting up a base in San Francisco. It was a bit surreal to be back stateside after only a few months abroad, but I couldn’t deny how happy it made me to be back in California and in a culture that I knew like the back of my hand.

I had to keep pinching myself to remind myself that I was actually home and that I didn’t have plans to leave again anytime soon. It was a weird but refreshing feeling.

After running around trying to see as much as possible in Portugal and Morocco in August, it was nice to simply slow down and focus on my work, my writing, and spending quality time with family.

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Travel Tips for Portugal: 20 Things That Surprised Me

October 4, 2018 Mimi McFadden

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Travel tips for Portugal so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Here are 20 things that surprised me about Portugal!

It’s baffling to me how much of an underrated destination Portugal still is. I only heard countless good things from other travelers before I finally saw it myself, but it still has far less visitors per year than nearby countries, such as Spain, France, and Italy.

Perhaps that’s where its charm lies, however – it’s not overrun by tourism. Although, it’s now starting to get there, with tourists taking over in the summer and swarming to spots like the Algarve, Lisbon, and Porto in recent years.

Because Portugal isn’t at the top of everyone’s list when they visit Europe, I had a narrow view of what to expect from a few select perspectives, all of which said pretty much the same thing: Portugal is the best country in Europe, you’ll never want to leave, etc.

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Traveling Iceland in May: One Week Itinerary

September 17, 2018 Mimi McFadden

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Thinking of traveling Iceland in May? Read through this detailed one week itinerary for Iceland to figure out where to go and what to see during your upcoming trip!

So, you’re planning a trip to Iceland? And in my favorite month?! Congrats! I’m already jealous of you because Iceland is a crazy beautiful country and the first (or second, or third) time you see it is magical.

After noticing Iceland pop onto the radar circa 2012, with the creation of WOW Air and their layover deal, it has been a country that has peaked my interest.

Northern Lights, puffins, and raw shark meat? What’s not to love! Okay, maybe not the potent raw shark meat, but everything else sounded great.

Except for the fact that it’s one of the most expensive countries in the world. Womp womp.

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