Life Update: Covering (ALL. THE. THINGS.)
/Holy smokies — Life has been FLYING by!
SO many BIG exciting things have happened in the last couple months — literally one right after the next. It has honestly been hard to slow down long enough to soak in each event and savor the moment. I’m hoping with this update, I’m able to pause long enough to process much of what’s happened.
You see, the beginning of the year was incredibly slow and rather difficult for me. A friend reminded me about this recently, because somehow in all of the excitement lately, I had forgotten how lost and motionless I was earlier this year.
I lost my Grandma back in January. She was the first person I have lost that I was close with, and to make matters worse, her passing happened rather unexpectedly. I really didn’t want to do much of anything after that. I didn’t want to leave the house. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to post on social media. I was in a season of keeping to myself, sleeping when I wasn’t working and watching Netflix on repeat (if you know me, you know how not like me that is — I never watch TV).
But the one thing I did do during my “down time” was create a Vision Book for 2019. And I’m telling you what, that’s where everything changed. This vision book took me weeks to complete, but it allowed me time to grieve as I filled the pages. I dedicated several pages to my Grandma, and the rest?
They are filled with thousands of magazine clippings that relate to one of twelve goals I set a couple days into the New Year. The goals I created were challenging but realistic (for the most part). I didn’t just put things on the list to put them on there, or because I thought they looked cool, or because I thought they might impress someone else. I did it for me, myself and I.
You can read more about the entire process here, but to recap, this is what I came up with:
I paid off Pearl! (Bonus: I tackled my FedLoans)
I documented 2019 with 1SE (the “one second everyday” app).
I found #FoodFreedomForever.
I spent more time with Him <3
I earned $10,000 in additional income.
I loved on others <3 like they have loved on me.
I learned my Enneagram #.
I read 12 book.
I did exercise I enjoy.
I learned how to curl my hair. (Bonus: I figured out how to REALLY do my makeup)
I created a bullet journal.
I launched “A Day in the Life”.
You’ll notice each goal is written in past tense. I was once told by the brilliant Rachel Hollis, you are more likely to make a goal happen if you’re in the mindset you’ve already accomplished it. Your brain will figure out a way to actually make it a reality.
And you know what happened? Life started shifting.
My body awoken from its winter hibernation and come Spring, I started making movement. One day at a time, I took baby steps, and before I realized it, I was out of the slow season I was in. Hallelujah!
If my Grandma were to look down from the gates of heaven right now…
First off, “Hi Grandma!”
But secondly, she would want to hear what I’ve been up to lately. So Grandma, here’s what’s been going on. Pull up a chair because this may take awhile!
THIS MONTH: NaNoWriMo
I’m currently sitting at Platform 24 on the night of Halloween. Well actually, it’s now November 1st. What am I doing out past midnight?!? (I’m normally in bed by 9PM these days). Well, I am participating in NaNoWriMo this month!
You see, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write 50,000 words within the 30 days of November. If you do this, you WIN!
My co-worker, Rachelle, is the ML (municipal liaison) for NaNo. She’s talked about it the past couple years, and this year, I decided I would give it a shot!
While most of the participants work on one project or novel, I’m actually working on several pieces:
Replacing some of my 365 chapters with things I’ve learned since I finished the passion project in 2016
Writing quite a few blog posts — I have many things I’ve been dying to document!
Creating content for two digital courses — (1) Finding Financial Freedom and (2) Finding Food Freedom
This is one of the reasons you’ll see me writing a ton more this month! I’ll also be posting more than my bi-weekly blog posts (‘cause #50K words)
;)
PAYING OFF PEARL: No more car payment!
On October 18th (payday), I made my final car payment! And this Friday, I received the title in the mail. Pearl is all mine!
My original goal was to have Pearl paid off by the end of the year, but after successfully completing Dave Ramsey’s $1K challenge (LINK) in August, I made a stretch goal: I would have Pearl paid off BEFORE I go to the RISE Business conference in November!
Guess what?! I will be driving down to Charleston, SC this week with a PAID FOR CAR!
It’s crazy — I’ve been working toward this for SO long now and to see it finally happen…there’s honestly no words! Just pure happiness. (Oh, and I totally did a photoshoot with Pearl to celebrate. I mean, would you expect anything less?)
NEXT UP: RISE Business Conference
Speaking of RISE, in less than 24 hours, I will be hitting the road to go South!
I’ve been a Rachel Hollis fan since before she became famous ;)
Back in the days of RachTalk, the Chic Site and her cookbook launches. Back before Noah and Austin and the extensions in her hair. Back when the Made for More Facebook group was created for the first Last 90 Days. Back when I was on her book launch team for Girl, Wash Your Face, received my first ever “Advanced Readers Copy”, went to her book tour in Chicago, saw her “fail” making the NYT Best Sellers List when the book was released and then see it explode later down the road!
I also have been following along her conference journey. From her going to Tony Robbins, seeing it spark a fire in her, Dave being scared crap-less what this conference did to his wife, her creating her own conference, it being a total financial flop the first year (not even selling 300 tickets), and then coming back and making the next one bigger and better! To where the third conference that she hosted in Minneapolis (the one I was planning on going to with a couple of my best girlfriends) sold out in 27 minutes. To THOUSANDS of people.
When she launched the RISE business conference and I saw it had ALL of my favorite people, I just knew THIS WAS THE CONFERENCE I WOULD BE GOING TO! I wasn’t going to get bamboozled like I did with RISE x Minneapolis when it sold out in 27 minutes. Haha!
The night the conference was announced, I emailed my bosses to ask for those dates off. When the tickets went for sale days later, I was one of the first people to purchase! Gosh, this was back in June and here we are…almost six months later…and I’m ready to learn all the things!
You may ask, Ashley, you have a business? And the answer there is no…not yet. Yet being the keyword. I have had an entrepreneural mindset for as long as I can remember. Heck, entrepreneurship was even one of my minors back in college. I absolutely love my current job and have no plans to leave anytime soon. In fact, I think I’ll be to bring a lot of what I learn from the conference and apply it to the position I am in today! But as I was explaining to a friend, I also want to take some time now to see “what else” I can offer the world! I feel a passion deep down to help other with their goals and dreams…which lets me to…
COMING SOON: Digital Courses + Life Coaching
At the beginning of October, Justin and I finished another round of Whole30. I’ve been on a mission to find my #FoodFreedom since last June. I’ve realized that this is so much more than weight. It’s a lifestyle, not a quick fix. I’ve found many things that I have found helpful over the past year and a half to make me FEEL GOOD with my relationship with food, and while I’m not perfect and never will be, I feel like I have a bunch of knowledge to share with others.
The other things I’ve learned a ton about lately? Paying off debt! I owe it to Dave Ramsey and the practices he preaches. When I paid off my car a couple weeks ago, I did a little photoshoot. Looking back at those photos, I realized just how proud I am of my financial transformations within the last couple years! I mean, three years ago I had more money in my piggy bank than my bank account. And now, I have a good sense of my finances and working toward becoming financially free! Some people me messages recently, asking what the “secret” is.
Truth be told? There’s so much I have learned and know, but it’s really hard to give someone ALL THE THINGS in an Instagram message. I did a poll on Instagram and asked if people would be interested in one of two of those topics, and then if they would consider taking a course / life coaching from me. I got good response!
It made me realize what I’ve been thinking about all along: I want to help people set, work toward and achieve their goals. I’ve had people tell me before I should be a life coach, and got a lot of positive feedback. The things is, I have no idea what I’m doing, but what I’ve learned with everything I’ve done in the past is you don’t need all the answers. You just need to begin.
WEDDING UPDATE: One Year Until the BIG Day!
November 7, 2020 — Justin and I will be getting MARRIED!
Since becoming engaged in August, we’ve made a bit of progress toward our wedding next year. I’ll share all of these details in my next blog post, cause it’s a lot!
But here’s a quick summary of what’s happened:
Weekly Wedding Meetings
Choosing a Venue
Picking a Date
Asking the Bridal Party
Other Random Things :)
Stay tuned for that!
TRIBE: All. The. Things.
I’ve shared a lot lately on the blog about Tribe. The past year and a half has been hands down, the most life changing and life giving experiences I’ve ever felt. You can read more about my recent 5 for 5 talk and baptism moments here!
Two other things that have happened recently:
Women’s Retreat
Planned by the one Tribe comedian and lady with a heart of gold, Hilary Grady! What started as an idea to get together to have a sleepover and do each others hair / makeup, turned into an overnight retreat that was amazing in more ways than one. I am forever grateful for bonding with a community of women, growing with Jesus and learning how to “Be Still and Know.”
(PS — staying in a hotel that was less than 2 miles away from home, was honestly an awesome feeling. Getting away but being close enough where we didn’t have to travel super far!)
Also, staying up until 2AM chatting with friends…it never gets old…no matter how old we get.
1 Year Anniversary = Performance of Seasons of Love
Something I don’t think I mentioned that happened at Tribe’s 1 Year Anniversary was a special performance of the song: Seasons of Love. You see, LOVE is the basis of everything that happens at Tribe.
We’ve got shirts that say…“Loved People Love People” (And even dog shirts that say “Loved Puppies Love People”). We end every service by saying…“Love is the Best Thing We Do”. We carry these thoughts and sayings with us through the week. We act with love!
LOVE.
LOVE.
LOVE.
Love is something that has been on my mind lately, especially with the engagement and all!
And you know how every year I come up with a new passion project? Well friends, I decided, that the song that was sang that day would be the basis of my 2019-2020 Passion Project!
SNEAK PEAK: 2020 Passion Project
As I mentioned, seeing the performance of “Seasons of Love” at Tribe’s one year anniversary really resonated with me. I recorded part of the production when they were on stage and went back and watched it later. I immediately downloaded the song. I’ve been playing it on repeat for weeks.
Since all of my Passion Projects have involved time in some way / shape / form, I had this thought…SEASONS. That’s one I haven’t done yet! I’ve done weeks, days, months, seconds. But seasons! That’s something unique AND I could tie it back to the 2020 wedding!
I have NO other framework for it other than I know I want to love on people, and I’m thinking I start it in December 2019 and go to November 2019 (the month J and I will get married — to wrap up the ‘seasons of love’) . If you’ve got any other ideas, please send my way! I’ll be getting the details down here soon!
That’s All…For Now!
Okay, while I’m sure there’s way more I could talk about, I’m going to wrap it up here! I’ve got a puppy to take on a walk before I pack the car, head into the office and hit the road for Charleston after work! Stopping in Lexington tonight to visit with my Dad and get a head start on my drive down South!
RISE BIZ, here I come!
