Welcome to my little space on the internet

Hi there, I’m Ashley.

Here, you’ll find a collection of ramblings and thoughts—some half-baked, others a bit more polished—about the everyday adventure of learning, growing, and trying to make life a bit more meaningful. I’ll write about all sorts of things: what I’m discovering about being a better leader, mother, wife, friend, and how to juggle it all. But it’s not just about the roles we play—it’s about the little moments, the lessons, and the quirks that shape our journeys.

And yes, I’ll be using generative AI to help me shape some of these words, because sometimes even the best ideas need a little digital nudge. Consider this space an experiment, a place to reflect, and—hopefully—a space where you’ll find something that resonates with your own story. Glad you’re here to join me in the process!

So Anyway, Happy New Year! 🎉

This year, I’m not doing resolutions. There’s plenty of online discourse about how resolutions never stick, so I won’t dwell on that. But I will say that I’ve never been able to see a resolution through. So, I’ve decided to try a different approach.

This shift comes from two key inspirations: Atomic Habits by James Clear and my coaching sessions through Torch.

The Influence of Atomic Habits

Atomic Habits was (admittedly) a recommendation from my coach—thanks, Tanner! A few points made in the opening chapters solidified my new approach: I need to make the changes I desire a part of my identity. According to Clear, “true behavior change is identity change” because our behaviors ultimately reflect our identity. If we behave in a way that conflicts with who we are, those behaviors won’t stick.

Themes vs. Goals

In my work with Tanner, we’re focusing on themes to create habits that foster change and growth rather than rigid goals. Goals are great for identifying where you want to end up, but they often overlook the processes that get you there. As Clear notes, achieving a goal “only changes your life for a moment.” Without changing the underlying systems or identity that led to setting the goal in the first place, the change won’t last.

By using themes, I’m supporting the identity I’ve defined for myself while building the systems needed for lasting change.

New Year, New Me 💁🏻‍♀️

Here are the aspects of my identity I want to foster and focus on this year:

• I am healthy.
• I am present.
• I am coping in a healthy way.
• I am OK with failure.
• I am clean, neat, and tidy.
• I am a good friend, wife, mother, daughter, boss, and coworker.

These traits align with past goals and resolutions that have fallen off the rails, as well as parts of myself I like and want to reinforce.

Now that I’m on the other side of growing and birthing two little humans, I want to return to caring for my body and mind. That means working out, eating healthy, and choosing to be more active. It also means putting my phone down more often and finding healthier ways to cope with hard days.

I want to be more vulnerable and brave, allowing myself to fail. Growth and learning often happen in those moments of failure, and I don’t want to miss out. These identity traits support the direction I want to take myself in this year and beyond.

Theme-ing in the New Year 🎊

My 2025 themes are:

• Nourishment
• Routine
• Mindfulness

Nourishment

Nourishment is about more than feeding my body healthy foods. It’s about:

• Completing the skincare routine I’ve been planning for months.
• Taking a walk to get fresh air in the middle of the day.
• Reading a book that makes me think—or helps me escape.
• Reconnecting with my husband on a night out.
• Traveling to explore new places.
• Getting back into baking and experimenting in the kitchen.

These are all things that support a healthy mind and body, help me find work-life balance, and keep me present in my day-to-day life.

Routine

Routines will help support my journey of nourishment. I want to:

• Go to bed at the same time every night with a consistent pre-bed routine (hello, skincare!).
• Do a “closing shift” each night to ensure the living space is tidy for the next day.
• Stick to personal growth habits like journaling, setting daily goals, and dedicating time each week to learning about leadership or technology topics.

Mindfulness

Man, I am always distracted—thinking about the next meeting, answering Slack messages in that meeting, or scrolling Instagram at dinner.

I want to pull myself out of those moments and check in with where I am and what I should be doing. Whether at work, with my family, or with friends, I want to be fully present. Life moves fast, and I don’t want to miss it.

Thanks for reading and letting me share a little bit of my journey. I’m excited about what this project might become, and I hope that in a year, I can look back at this blog and see how far I’ve come. I hope you’ll come back and see what I’ve been up to.

Happy New Year! 🎉

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