The Lifestyle Edit: Kimi Juan
Introducing a new Journal Series
The Lifestyle Edit: Kimi Juan
I've been asking myself a lot of questions during this time of isolation. Many of them related to my current lifestyle and how I wish for it to change over the next months.
I have come to realize that it's a lot easier to align your life decisions with your dreams when you have clarity on the latter. I guess I have Covid-19 to thank for the extra thinking time...
This inspired a new Journal Series called The Lifestyle Edit. This series will highlight women who live a different lifestyle than what many of us have come to believe life "should" look like.
To kick off this edit, we interviewed Kimi Juan, a travel photographer based in The Philippines.
I have come to realize that it's a lot easier to align your life decisions with your dreams when you have clarity on the latter. I guess I have Covid-19 to thank for the extra thinking time...
This inspired a new Journal Series called The Lifestyle Edit. This series will highlight women who live a different lifestyle than what many of us have come to believe life "should" look like.
To kick off this edit, we interviewed Kimi Juan, a travel photographer based in The Philippines.
Kimi wears our Kea Skirt & Top in Oatmeal
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get to do and be who you are today?
When I was a child, I had my whole life planned out and it looked something like: Graduate from High School, go to med school and become a wildlife veterinarian. Usually, this all works out perfectly, but when I got to college I realized my passion for photography and art was much stronger. I left biology in my first year and studied photography for 4 years and was always captivated by the world. After I graduated, I started traveling and discovered my passion for sustainability and the world and used social media as a tool to share and help educate people around me. My life is really a product of not just following my dreams but really going with the flow of life and I'm glad I'm here now.
What do you tell people when they ask you the infamous “so what do you do” question?
Automatically people assume me to be an "influencer". I'm not fond of the word because I think everyone is an influencer in their own way. When people do ask me, I'm really a travel photographer with a passion for sustainability.
Let’s dive into your lifestyle. Inspire us. Tell us what it is like living in the Philippines?
I live in the suburbs as you can call it, close to my family and my husbands family, but I long for travel every single moment which is why I love my job. But yet, nothing feels like coming home. Traveling keeps me sane and my husband knows this, so we try to travel at least once or twice a month. What I love about the Philippines is that everything is close by, so you'll be in a pristine beach after an hour plane ride and there are thousands of islands you can visit which makes living in the tropics such a dream. People often mistake that I live in Bali, but I consider it my second home since I go there at least 4-5 times a year, just because I love the energy and the people, and that is the only place I could trade for my hometown (oops!)
Walk us through what a typical day looks like for you?
When I'm not traveling, I like to slow down. I recently developed a love for cooking so everyday I experiment on different meals. I love to journal and do a daily devotion and listen to music and watch movies. If I'm traveling, my typical day is always different; I love to take walks, snap some photos and really let the creative juices flow and just take it all in.
How do you start your days?
I wake up at 6:30 AM everyday because I love the mornings. I start out drinking a glass of warm water and doing a series of stretches and yoga poses to wake up my body. I tend to work really early and answer emails because the evening is when I wind down and relax and I like taking that time for myself.
What do you love most about living in the Philippines?
Family. I don't think I can ever be away from my Family. I also love the weather and the people. It's home.
Did you always dream of your lifestyle - being able to travel so much?
No, but I'm glad I'm here. I'm really fortunate to be able to follow my dreams and be where I am now.
What does living a prosperous & abundant life mean to you?
As long as you're happy with what you're doing and happy with who you are and what you create and put out into the world then I know you're living an abundant life.
How has your life changed since Covid-19?
I've been taking it slow. I'm thankful for this time to rest and relax. It's been hard in terms of travel as I had to cancel so many travel plans, but I'm glad I'm able to take some downtime and really focus on other aspects of my life.
What has been your greatest lesson during this quarantine?
It's so important to recognize the role that the environment plays in our life. Things like Covid-19 started because we took our planet for granted and I can't stress enough that we've been given a second chance to rethink our decisions and I hope we do so. A change in lifestyle is something that's not easy but is doable in the coming months or years and I've learned that no matter what, we all have to stick together.
What’s the next stop on your life journey?