Plan or a Purpose

Happy September! Fall is on its way. Out come the cozy sweaters, warm candles, pumpkin spice lattes & scarves. Haha. But seriously, I along with I think every other girl loves fall. 

There is something about fall that reorients us. It’s a season that causes us to evaluate where we’re going in life and what goals we want to put in place. The season brings a fresh vigor and zest for life, an energy to grow into all that we can be and what life can be in its total fullness.

Recently a friend was feeling disappointed in how many different ventures throughout life that they’ve tried to begin, sometimes finished but sometimes not. Feeling as though time had been wasted, they’ve gotten it wrong or it’s taken too long to get where finally they’ve gotten— and fingers crossed that this is it.

Oftentimes we put so much time into a specific plan or project and sometimes it’s awesome but most of the time it doesn’t last forever, whether it’s a hobby, initiative, job or goal. They are temporary investments that in the end help in creating this beautiful bigger story of growth, love and life.  And sometimes, it can even seem like we wasted time and energy pouring ourselves into something that then shifts changes or morphs into something else... or perhaps it’s something not even present in our lives or of interest anymore. 

That brings me to a quote that I once heard a pastor of mine say.  

Plans change but VISION or PURPOSE remains the same.  

Instead of having the perspective that we are investing everything we have into a specific plan, and then be disappointed if the plan changes, let’s invest into character goals, an overall vision and purpose, a greater mission statement for our lives. Plans will be many, but we can choose plans that only support our greater vision. 

One practical place to start is in Galatians 5:22-23 ... it says: 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

in character and values, firm beliefs- these are things that despite changing plans, can remain steadfast.

Investment in these things will never fade, but will always be of value, bringing fullness to life and everyday - never waivering.  

Keep your eyes on your greater vision - your current plan is just one way of seeing that greater vision through, and remember... plans may change but vision remains the same.

Lots of love,  

Ash XO  

NASHVILLE

Engaged 💍

Many of us girls dream of the day when we will meet “the one” — that man who makes us feel even more alive, brings joy, laughter, fun, light, color, strength, leadership, romance, intimacy, love... that someone who prays for you and with you, who looks to God first in everything and walks in reverent relationship with Him. That someone we feel completely ourselves around, that someone who accelerates us forward, chases dreams with us, dreams new dreams with us, enjoys the simple things, as well as makes each day special and full. 

I can honestly say that I met that guy just about a year ago, and on August 4th, 2018, in Newfoundland, with my family - he asked me to marry him. ❤️ 

Now, I am engaged. I love you Joshua Lee Webber.

Now this entire post won’t be me going on and on about the engagement, but I have been thinking a lot about the word ENGAGED. 

What does it mean to be ENGAGED.  

I think of engagement as a firm commitment, and a celebrated commitment! What are the top 3-4 things you are ENGAGED with in this season of your life? Where are your strongest commitments? Don’t see them as obligatory but if they are things you value, which they should be, those commitments should be celebrated! 

Celebrate what is ENGAGING you. Celebrate your commitments, and you’ll find them flourishing even more! And if your engagements and commitments aren’t worth celebrating... maybe reevaluate your engagements.  

Secondly, I think of ENGAGED as a season of expectation for what’s next, as well as preparation for what’s next. Always stay expectant for more in the things that engage you. Look for growth, look for what’s next, set goals!! When you identify what you are journeying towards, prepare for that season, prepare for that realization, prepare for that reality— be ready for it!    

What are your top 3-4 engagements? Are they what you want them to be? If you need to shift them, make the shift.  

For me, my first and foremost engagement is with God. He is my rock, my firm foundation that cannot be shaken. I find that when He is in first place, things follow in their right order. When we are pursuing God, his desires for us become our own, and His way is always the best way for us.  

I love Proverbs 3:6-22

 12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.

 (I also love the thought that the book of proVERBS require us to take what we read, make it a verb, and live it out!) 

Take your 3-4 top engagements, PRIORITIZE them. Build your week around them. Don’t look at your schedule and try and prioritize a bunch of random tasks, but instead schedule your priorities. Start there.  

Anywhooo those are a few thoughts on being ENGAGED! 💍❤️🙏🏻

Lots of love 💕 

- Ash  

Summer Vibes ❤️☀️

So it’s been awhile since I’ve posted - my bad! I have honestly been trying to decide on which topic to write about first. But I thought maybe instead of writting about one thought,  I’d share a variety of things I’ve been thinking on and applying to my life over these past few months.

So here we go, some summer vibes I’ve been vibing, some thoughts I’ve been thinking. 

1) You can convince yourself you’re stuck when you’ve just stopped. - @lukeboettger 

 Sometimes we wonder why we feel stuck in a situation or circumstance in life, or feel dissatisfied with something not improving or moving forward. Sometimes we convince ourselves we are STUCK  when really we actually just stopped. Ultimately we’ve stopped taking ACTION that progresses us forward. We’re not actually stuck, we’ve just stopped. Whatever the situation or circumstance you feel stuck in— MOVE. Do something.

2) When you run a race in someone else’s lane you get disqualified.  - @brandonrichardson 

 This is such an interesting concept to think about. In a day in age where people are constantly comparing hemselves to each other and striving to be like someone else, we risk missing out on getting to live out who we specifically and uniquely were created to be. If we are so caught up in trying to be like someone else and trying to run in their “lane” of life, we miss out on our own lane and our own race that we get to own and flourish in. Just the same as an actual race, finishing a race in someone else’s lane means you finish but you’re actually disqualified because you aren’t in the lane you were meant to run and finish in. Don’t miss out on who it is you are specifically called to be, find your lane, own it and flourish. 

3) Are you living out of routine or intention? The second gets you what you want in life. 

Its so easy to set up healthy routines and love out of them. I love healthy routine that is intentionally set to continue to become the person I want to be and accomplish what I want to accomplish.... but it’s always an amazing exercise to write out your routine and then write down your intention behind each activity. Are those intentions still intentions? Or have you forgotten the why behind what you’re doing? Or perhaps some things need to be re-evaluated. Clarify your intentions and ensure everything you do has a good and purposeful one, and watch Life bloom. 😊 

4) There is no greater success in life than to live rightly.  - Stephen Covey 

We know what it looks like to live “rightly” — we just do, we all do, deep down. We have this innate ability to know what we should and shouldn’t do. Stephen Covey wrote in his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” that there is no success or accomplishment quite like living rightly. Nothing you could gain in the wrong way will ever be as rewarding as living with integrity, truth, wholeness, wisdom and RIGHTness. Living the right way— just do it. Decide to do it even when you feel like taking the easy way out, do the right thing - you will be rewarded in life. 

So those are just some summer vibes and thoughts for y’all 💕❤️☀️ As always, I hope something triggers inspiration, motivation and encouragement. 

Lots of love,  

Ash 😍

ATTENTION

Have you ever had one of those moments when your parents admirably share intricate nuances about who you’ve been your entire life? Ones that they perceive as charming, adorable and highly entertaining, but unbenounced to them, these things can actually be perceived as negative? 

Well the other day my boyfriend and I are talking to my mom on the phone, and Josh mentions a recent public speaking engagement I had. And my mom responds, “oh yes, Ashley loves attention.” 

To which inside I kind of cringed. But why? My mom meant this as a positive thing. 

Usually when we say someone loves attention or doesn’t mind (slash loves) the lime light, it’s usually perceived as a negative thing.  

I will admit, my mom isn’t wrong. I love attention.  I’ve often been deemed a social butterfly. I’ve always loved public speaking, performing and entertaining, and all of these things include ATTENTION.  

So okay I guess I “love attention.” But I am convinced it isn’t for a self absorbed, I need validation, kind of reason.  

I LOVE attention, because in order to truly connect with someone, inspire someone, encourage someone, motivate someone, journey with someone, make someone smile or laugh, or make a little happier... you need their ATTENTION.  

Sometimes we so quickly jump to the conclusion that extroverts or entertainer type personalities love attention for all the wrong reasons, when really they may want attention only so they have the gateway to give something away or add something to someone’s life.  

I think that’s why my mom was speaking about it proudly!  

If you want someone’s attention to see them smile, be encouraged forward in life— I say, go for it, love attention... when it’s actually not about you, but it’s actually about others.  You need people’s attention to make an impact, to be in relationships, to change the world! 

Also, maybe your thoughts are travelling to a place mine have... well what makes people think they can add anything to my life? Let’s be real— we can all add to the lives of people around us, that’s being the loving generous humans we were created to be. It has nothing to do with being self righteous but instead a loving, generous, people oriented person. 

So yes. I’m with my mom. I love attention. Because I love loving, connecting with, and encouraging people. 

Shout out to all the attention lovers! ❤️ 

Ash XO  

Bloom

If you live in Ontario, I’m sure you’re with me in wishing spring, or better yet summer, would get here already! I’m so looking forward to walking outside without having to wear a jacket, having the warm sunshine in my face, flowers in full bloom, aromas of bbq’s and patios full of smiling, socializing people. But in our current “environment” of winter ... that’s unlikely to happen. The snow, rain, sleet and cold temperatures aren’t exactly a recipe for spring.  

You ever find yourself feeling as though your longing for “spring” in a more metaphorical personal sense? You want to be blooming, bright, full of life, health and growth. But it just seems so difficult to get there? 

Well, I read a quote that got me thinking... it went something like this.   “If a flower isn’t blooming, you don’t fix the flower itself, you fix it’s environment.” Perhaps the soil needs raking, some rocks need to be thrown out, some fertilizer put on, maybe it needs to be watered.... all these ingredients aid the flower in blooming. 

In a life application, what are some things that need to be retracted to help achieve your full potential, what “rocks” need to be moved?

And what are some “ingredients” that may need to be added to your environment?

Until we are courageous enough to actually take inventory of our lives (environment) and change the things that may be inhibiting us, as well as add ingredients that enrich us to be our best, blooming may be, quite frankly impossible.  

Don’t go through another day settling for a wilted flower, or a barely blooming flower. You are created to live a life of fullness, full of promise and goodness— living out your best self.  

Take inventory of your environment, change want needs to change, add the “nutrients and ingredients” that promote wellness and watch yourself B L O O M.  

Spring is on its way ❤️

Ash  

What are you looking for?

What are you looking for?

So yesterday my mom call’s me and tells me she bought 5 pairs of shoes at Payless. And she got 5 pairs for under $50. So naturally, I went to payless. (I swear I don’t like shopping)…

So I get there and read a sign telling me that any shoe with a red tag is now $5 or $10. There were hundreds of shoes, but I was only paying attention and looking at the one’s with the red tag.

So I saw the shoes with red tags, and the hundreds of other shoes that were present, and within my view, I didn’t see. (Thank God!)

My point here is this. You will see what It is you’ve set intention to see. If your mind is focused on negative thoughts, you will see negative things around you. If you focus each thought on goodness, thankfulness, positivity, blessings, that is in turn what you will see and notice in your life.

Sure, both may be present, within view, just like there were sale shoes AND regular priced shoes, but I saw what I intended to see… the sale.

There may be difficult things in your life, as well as boundless blessings, both may be present, but what will affect you most is what you give your attention to. Will it be the blessings, or the difficulties?

What is it you are looking for?

Phillipians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Ash

Staying Invested

Staying Invested.

Yesterday I experienced my first Sun Life Global Investments event since joining the team, and I have to say it was amazing. The team did an excellent job creating a memorable, educational and encouraging experience for all who attended, myself included.

Out of the entire day, there was one moment, one slide, one phrase that really stuck out to me. It was entitled, “Staying Invested”.

One of our guest speakers shared an incredibly insightful and challenging message on the benefits of staying invested, versus getting out early.

The scenario went like this…

You have an initial investment of $10,000.

You plan to have that invested for 30 years.

It is projected that at the end of 30 years, you will be at a total of $191,996.

But if you miss out on the best 5 days in the market because you got out when things got a little volatile, your total value and return goes down to $116,967. That is only missing 5 days!

Moreover, get this, if you miss the best 10 days, you are down to $76,908, the best 30 days, $23,336 and the best 50 days your value and return is down to a staggering $9,448.

You would think only missing 50 days out of 30 years wouldn’t be a big deal! But you actually miss out on over $100,000.

My point here is actually not a financial one. It is a life principal.

Staying Invested.

Whether it is family, friends, a relationship, a dream, a cause, a goal—stay invested! When things like “the market” get a little “volatile”, tiring, unknown, risky, and you are tempted to check out for what may appear to be a short-term gain, stay the course and see the long-term value.

For example, the life-long investment we make in our families is so worth it, and so beautiful. I just got back from a 5-day family get away with my parents and brother. For those of you who may not know, my parents live on one coast of the country, my brother the other, and I’m in the middle—so as a result we don’t get to see each other too often, but even so, they are among the strongest relationships I have and will ever have. Why? Long-term investment. We have been through many seasons of life together, moved across the country from each other, seen many dreams, goals, people come and go, but family has remained steadfast. I believe it is due to our unwavering commitment to, and investment in, each other.

Don’t miss the opportunity you have to stay invested in life and see the amazing value you’ll receive.