The People I met in Tulum

I recently vacationed in Tulum (February) and I found it to be a haven for people who had enough of the rat race. Although some were driven by altruism, many found peace of mind and connection they hadn't found anywhere else.

Spending time with these people and hearing their stories really inspired me and my hope by sharing them is that they inspire you too.

Here are the people I met in Tulum.

Being kosher we found a local spot that's raw vegan and biked there for lunch from our hotel.

Our server, Sanea didn't seem like a local so I asked her where she's from. Turns out she lived in NYC for the majority of her adult life and came to Tulum during covid and decided to stay there as a resident.

To Sanae working in fashion, her life was cut-throat and Tulum provided her with the opportunity to live on a lot less and still do what she loves which is bringing local retailers to market.

She travels to nyc and the hamptons for the summers to sell her products to local retailers but is able to do so without the insane overhead of living in nyc.

She seemed at peace and happy in a way that only your (allegedly) unemployed friend is at equinox on a Monday at 11am.

To me Sanae is a great example of how to lower your cost of living while still doing the same work in a way where you can focus on creating instead of chasing.

It's not every day that you meet an italian australian living in Mexico. Pep Minnicino was born in italy and moved to Australia as a child, now he lives in Tulum with his wife and kids for the warm part of the year.

We met Pep walking the streets of Tulum at his pizza place Wild Flour Tulum. Wild Flour sells 48 hour fermented sourdough pizza.

He sells 80-90 pies a night and closes shop when he sells out. He's open just 4 days a week from around 6pm until midnight.

When he's not working, Pep is spending time with his family at their jungle home or surfing at the local beaches.

Pep's energy was contagious and so were the people that worked for him. Many, fellow italian immigrants wanting to escape the hustle and live a nomadic life instead.

What Pep taught me was that dedication and love to your craft is contagious, and that you should do what you love and people will find you.

You can follow Pep's pizza place, Wild Flour Tulum on Instagram.

Tanning on the beach of our hotel (I get a killer tan as an ashki jew btw) we were often approached by locals pedlars trying to sell their wares.

Most of them native mayans with the typical items such as coconuts, hats and beaded bracelets.

Lucy approached us with a tray of bracelets, my wife intrigued by her collection looked at what she had for sale. Me, noticing her english accent started interviewing her to get her story.

She's married to a honduran guy with a kid and in her past life she was a marine biologist.

Being stationed away from home she didn't feel connected with the work anymore and decided not to return to england.

She began making jewelry as a hobby and then her friends encouraged her to sell it as a way to support herself.

Lucy lives like a local, super modestly.

What I loved about her story is that despite her mother's objections that she was throwing away a respectable career she made a change late in life that felt right for her.

Do what feels right for you.

As many hotels do, our hotel (Be Tulum) offered a paint and wine night. Kristina, who gave the class spoke about her journey and how she landed in Tulum.

She fell in love with a guy from Tulum at burning man and that's what got her there. They were in a relationship for a number of years and then had a falling out during covid.

Kristina earns a living by giving paint, breathwork and meditation classes at the local hotels and also does private commissions as well (she's hustling).

Her free spirited way of life is not for everyone but her energy was contagious in a way that only someone living life at their fullest can radiate.

You can follow Kristina's water color art here.

It's past 7pm and we sit down at the bar of a local italian pizza place and Angel the bartender fist-bumps me like an old friend.

Turns out he's a local Mayan and lives a low-key life with his family and loves hanging out in the cenotes.

People (employees) like Angel are what connect people to places—good energy is contagious.

We love you Angel and thank you for all of your local recommendations.

On the internet there is so much noise on how to live your life.

For me the trip to Tulum was a reminder how that there are many ways to live life and that every person should make choices that help make them feel more alive.

Now I know what you're thinking: "if rent in nyc would be as cheap as Tulum I could also live like Pep or Kristina...."

Wrong.

These people realized that life is all about making choices, or what some of you call tradeoffs.

But if it's living the life you want, it doesn't feel like a tradeoff—It feels exciting and keeps your spirit alive.

Don't let that large cheap house in New Jersey fool you (unless you want the burb life ofc).

Remember, everything is a choice and god will take you in the direction you want to go.

Thanks for reading.

Don't sell your soul, it's all you've got ❤️