If you’ve been following my journey over the last two years you’ve seen me: have and fall in love with my baby girl,  tearfully head back to work to a career I thought I’d be in until retirement,  try my best to balance it all, a year later make the decision to leave that career of 12 years to be at home with Taylor, struggle with some of the reactions I was met with following that decision, move to a new city and a new home,  find my confidence in my new role as a stay at home mom, start a journey in an industry I never knew existed, change lanes to a new company partnership after a year that would allow me the time freedom to continue pursuing my other online endeavors AND help others find success, and then really hit my stride as a Mompreneur (top 1% of that company within 2 months!!).

Did you track with that story arch?

I know, it’s a lot of change, but to design a life we love – making decisions and change toward that life are essential. I’ve found my MOMpreneur sweet spot and I’m excited to share it with you.

When I left my career as a Special Education teacher turned School District Administrator, the plan was for me to return to work in a couple of years when Taylor was school-aged. Maybe even work part-time before then consulting or advocating within the Special Education field/community.

MY REALIZATION

However, about 3 months into my time as a stay at home mom and ALL the moment-filled days I got to spend with my little girl, I realized without a doubt in my mind, that I did not want to go back to work outside the home.

I thought even more about all the moments I had missed being away from her that year I went back to work outside the home, and I didn’t want to miss any more of them – not a drop-off or a pickup from school, not a smile, not a tear, not a single thing if I don’t have to.

I truly loved my work in Special Education but, if I’m 100% honest with you, it was emotionally exhausting for me. When I commit to something I am passionate about, I give it everything I have. I would come home after 10 hour days, drained, and I couldn’t ever stop thinking or worrying about the cases I was involved in. Those cases, those children, those families deserved that energy, but…

My emotional energy needs to go to my husband and Taylor, not my work. I feel called to be at home for them. It was worth the huge financial and lifestyle changes we made as a family.

That said, I WANT to work. I WANT to make money for our family and to have to spend on fun things for myself when I want to. I love to pour myself into things that I’m passionate about, as I did with Special Education. I want to have a career that allows me to continue to help people and utilize the gifts I’ve been given and the skills I developed through time, education and practice. But I want to do all of that at home.

I prayed about it and didn’t know where it would all end up, but committed to trusting and figuring out what I would need to do to make it happen. I started my journey in the Social Marketing industry in September of 2017, originally intending for it to be a side hustle to my part-time work with my Motherhood + Lifestyle blog and to my full-time job of Mom.

That side hustle has now become a  business that provides a full-time income, yet provides the TIME freedom needed to be present with my family.

My original goal was to replace the 6 figure income I was when I left my previous career by the time Taylor started Kindergarten. After one year in the industry, I’m halfway there with 3 years to spare!

WHAT I DO NOW

Every day I have the blessing and responsibility of helping other women to start and run their own businesses as well; making sure they are connected with the training, high duplicatable system, tools & resources available to them to experience whatever level of financial success they desire.

“When you find your calling and you design your life in such a way that you can share your gifts with the world on a consistent basis, you feel like a rock star. When we share what we were brought here to give, we are in alignment with our highest, most powerful selves.”

– Jen Sincero

Beyond the positive, unexpected financial impact of this branch of my online business,  this “job” also pushed me to be more myself than I EVER have been in my life, and to share that with the women all across the country that I have the pleasure of meeting. Each day I wake up excited to share, to create, to plan, to learn, to grow, and to become more of who I’ve been created to be – on my own terms and from my own home – AND to inspire and help others to do the same. It’s a blessing I’m so grateful for and that I’m passionate about sharing with other who have the same desire for purpose, time freedom and financial freedom that I did..

I’m home with my daughter and my husband. I’m working on my own schedule and loving that work. I’m making an income and an impact. I have time to take care of myself so that I can pour back into my family and others around me.

I have the best of all worlds. This lifestyle IS possible, but it took making some difficult decisions, big changes, hard/smart work, and closing doors so that others could open. If you’re in a place where your heart, that little voice inside that you can’t ignore,  is prompting you to make a change or try something new that just might change your life, I encourage you to make a plan, roll up your sleeves and GO FOR IT;  Live your life by design, not by default.

Each day during my morning routine, I pray to CONNECT with the right women. This includes business partners, as well as the people who will never impact my income but whose lives I can add value to in some way. I wonder if one of those people might just be you?

Are you?
-Determined
-Hard Working
-Teachable
-Positive
-Passionate about helping others

If so,  then we should absolutely connect! Maybe you’ve been following my journey for years, or maybe this is the first post of mine you’ve read – either way I would love to find a time to chat with you one on one about your goals.

I would love to get you more information to see if something like what I do is a fit for you too!!

Best,

Ashley