I have a little story to share with and it all starts with a new eco-friendly mattress. Some might understand, others might judge but truth is, this story is part of my personal and entrepreneurial journey and I’m actually very proud of it! Those that have been following me since I created this blog and @waterthruskin 3.5 years ago, know what I’ve been through to get to where I am today. For those that just joined us, here’s a little summary. I went from being a successful but very frustrated and depressed private banker to leaving it all to become a conscious lifestyle blogger and travel the world writing about eco-friendly hotels, sustainable fashion, genuine happiness and holistic healing. To achieve this dream of mine, I had to step out of my comfort zone, take risks and along the way...I lost it all! I hit many (much-needed!) rock-bottoms, jumped from home to home and ended up sleeping in my mom’s couch for months until the hard work and struggle paid off and I was able to get my own place. Part of my transition involved learning how to detach from all my material attachments and understand that abundance is only good when we use it to create positive change. (There’s a big difference between abundance and greediness! Confusing the two is what pushes us to get lost in ego.) So, for the past two years, I’ve spent and invested my earnings as a blogger and entrepreneur in a wise and conscious way. Including my apartment which I decorated in an eco-friendly way. Every detail and product in here is either vintage, recycled, reused, fairtrade or a gift. I honestly think I decorated this 600sf place with an $800 budget! The biggest issue was my mattress. I wanted an eco and vegan one that did not release toxins while I slept nor had wool inside (like most organic mattresses). Prices for mattresses like that range from $1500-$4000! So I told myself I would get mine once I achieved the things that needed to be done first. Entrepreneurial things, mostly. Building two ethical business that are now giving their first fruits and flowers! Every penny I made during the past two years went to trademarks, lawyers, documents, websites, platforms, and building a strong foundation for my dreams. This is the behind-the-scenes you guys normally don’t get to see, and one I truly want to share with you so you realize that we can never judge a book by its cover because there's always a story behind it. Always! Influencers, bloggers, entrepreneurs. Anyone taking their passions and work seriously go through experiences like these. It's not all perfect like some people show on social media. We have ups and downs and struggles, too. It's part of being human and amazing, if you ask me! I never became a victim of my story, instead, I found my strength in it. So, my point here. I’ve slept on an inflatable mattress -with a thin cotton mattress on top I received as a gift from friends when I first moved here- for the past year!! To be honest, it felt like an upgrade from my mom’s couch and my body actually liked it! (I sleep like a baby on hard mattresses/surfaces) Until today! Today we celebrate because I gifted myself my first eco-friendly mattress! Nope, no fancy shoes or bags like I would’ve bought myself years ago. But a real earth-friendly mattress! This- besides my two companies, Co-Founder and the amazing Miami and Barcelona team I’m working with- is an accomplishment I’m very proud of. So yes! Today we celebrate! Because I’m finally looking at the world and life with a completely different lens!

In case you wonder, the mattress I got is by Essentia and is made with pure, non-toxic, sustainable and organic materials. Memory foam made from natural and renewable tree sap, soothing essential oils used instead of petroleum, organic cotton and plant extracts used instead of wool. Everything I use on a daily basis and stand for, in a comfy fair-trade mattress!

I'm also wearing ethical and earth-friendly jeans made with organic cotton, providing fair working conditions and wages to the hands that make them by MonkeeGenes. Fair-trade sneakers made with natural and renewable tree rubber, organic cotton and plant based dyes by ZShoesOrganic. (Use code "Waterthruskin" for discount!) And fair-trade earrings empowering artisans in Colombia by MPWears. #liveconsciously