Rising Stars: Meet Margaret Reliford of Mindful Margarita

Today we’d like to introduce you to Margaret Reliford.

Hi Margaret, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my social media journey in college, filming empty dorm room and campus tours. From there, I realized I liked sharing content and branched out into filming vlogs whenever I took trips. Honestly, I think my true passion might be scrapbooking, but paper doesn’t give me the depth and creative options that videos do. I like to think about my youtube channel and social media presence as a digital scrapbook. I share my adventures both near and far to remind myself and others to find enjoyment wherever we might find ourselves. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an influencer is kind of like living my life on a rollercoaster. There are ups and downs. It’s awesome when brand deals are pouring in, trips are planned, and you have content for days. It’s the weeks when I don’t have much time because of the work that tests me. Personally, my biggest struggle has been being disciplined. I’ve realized that I won’t be motivated every day, but that shouldn’t stop the work from getting done. Being disciplined while I was in school or while I was working (now) is what I have had to focus on the most. While I’ve gotten better at not comparing myself to others, that is also a struggle sometimes. You see bigger brands and influencers who seem to be doing more or better than you all the time. In those moments, I have to remind myself that Rome was not an overnight project. Those brands and influencers worked hard, and though success might come faster to others, it should only encourage me to keep going. I also remind myself that the process is what prepares me for success. In that same vein, it was also important for me to be more intentional about starting where I am. Investing in yourself is important, but you don’t need every new item that comes out to be successful. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outside of my job, I like to think of myself as a travel influencer. I create content that documents my attempts to achieve work-life balance. Since my normal work schedule doesn’t really allow for a “weekend warrior” approach to travel, I often refer to my mid-week and spontaneous 24–48-hour trips as “the rest of the time warriors” trips. Currently, my focus is making the most of my time off in whatever way that looks each week. Sometimes it’s a trip, but other times it could be me trying out a new restaurant or activity. I am currently most proud of my “Countdown Till Time to Go (C2T2G)” series that runs before every trip (big and small). This series allows me to really connect with my audience and show them the behind-the-scenes work that goes into these trips. This, in combination with the blog posts (MindfulWrld.com) that go up after each of the trips, really allows my audience to get a full-circle view of my experiences. Not having a set 9-5 schedule helps me create content that is a little more relatable to my audience. When you think of a travel influencer, you think of people who are always in some faraway place. Travel can be local, though, which is something I try to do as often as possible. Every trip isn’t long or expensive, but they are always fun. I think my content allows people to see that they are able to do more with the time and resources they have. 

What does success mean to you?
I think success is personal. I define success as reaching a point in your life where the work you do fulfills you and doesn’t leave you feeling like you need to be somewhere else (physically or in your career) to relax. What if you didn’t need to count the seconds until your next trip to get you through because most of your regular life felt like a vacation? Creating a lifestyle that I don’t always need a vacation from would feel like success to me. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mindfulwrld.com
• Instagram: @mindfulmarg & @mindfulwrld
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mindfulmargarita