On December 31, 2016, I posted my last photo of the year on Instagram with a quote from C.S. Lewis that read, “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” It meant something to me at the time of posting, but I had no idea that the quote would be more relevant today.
2017 brought tons of opportunities for me as an individual and a blogger. I went on my first press trip, built connections through events & conferences, and challenged myself to grow and do better. If you haven’t caught up with posts, here’s a quick roundup of the best of 2017 on the blog and Instagram and what you can expect in 2018.
Best 9 on Instagram
The most likes received on Instagram were a general roundup of my brand: Travel, Beauty, Style and Me. With an exception of a throwback from Thailand, the photos shared some of my travels for 2017, new beauty favorites and enjoying my time in NYC. I’m hoping to share more food, home, and family content on Instagram next year.
Top 5 Blog Posts of 2017
5 – Girls Vacation Ideas for your Travel Crew
Last year was the first time I went on a girl’s trip and I absolutely loved it! My friends and I had such a great time we took another to Morocco this year. If you’re thinking of planning a girl’s vacation in or out of the US, I share some trip ideas for your travel crew.
4 – 5 Tips for Planning a trip to Cuba
The trip to Cuba on Memorial Day weekend was originally supposed to be with several people via a tour. I thought the planning was going to be hard, but after getting tips from friends and being part of a few Facebook groups dedicated to Cuba, it became much easier. In this post, I share some basic tips for first-time visitors and how you can get into Cuba the legal way.
3 – Things to Know Before Traveling to Martinique
Besides the fact that this was a sponsored post, writing about Martinique introduced my audience to a new travel destination and a birthday trip. Visiting Martinique was also funny because it was the first Caribbean Island I visited that cared nothing about my U.S. dollars. I need to practice more French or hire a driver on my next visit; taking a cab was VERY costly in Martinique.
2 – How to Spend 3 Days in Barbados
Speaking of birthday trips, I visited Barbados last year, but this post seemed to be pretty popular. It was a great opportunity to visit an island close to that of my parents and see the similarities and differences between the two. I think that birthdays in the Caribbean will continue.
1 – Thailand Temple Etiquette + What to Wear to Temples in Thailand
Even though I wrote this post last year, my tips on Thailand temple etiquette did very well on Pinterest. The best thing about this post is it can work for visiting churches, mosques, or other places of worship.
What have been some of your highlights of 2017?
