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What if the new year wasn’t something you had to rush into—but something you were invited to arrive in?

In this episode of Living an Intentional Life, we slow things down and gently step into the threshold between what has been and what’s becoming. I’m sharing reflections from my own end-of-year ritual—rooted in presence, embodiment, and deep listening—and inviting you to consider a different way of beginning again.

Together, we’ll explore what it means to create a heart-centered foundation for the year ahead—one that isn’t built on pressure, productivity, or becoming someone new, but on honoring who you already are. I’ll guide you through reflective questions, simple grounding practices, and intentional pauses you can weave into your very real life as you close one chapter and open another.

This episode is for you if you’re craving:
✨ A softer, more intentional way to begin the year
✨ Space to reflect without judgment or urgency
✨ Practices that help you root into how you want to feel, not just what you want to do
✨ Permission to move forward with clarity, embodiment, and trust

This isn’t about fixing or forcing—it’s about arriving.
Arriving in your body.
Arriving in your truth.
Arriving home to yourself before moving ahead.

Take a breath, get cozy, and meet me here 🤍

More from the Podcast :

• Sign up for JANUARY 2026 WORKSHOPS
• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

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As this year winds down, I’m overflowing with gratitude for this community — for you. Thank you for showing up for your growth, your healing, your intentions, and your dreams. Every message, share, download, and moment you’ve invited me into this year has meant the world.

To celebrate, here are the Top 10 Episodes of 2025 that resonated most with our community — a mix of 5 soul-led solo episodes and 5 inspiring interviews to guide you into living with clarity, intention, and aligned purpose:

🎙️ Top 5 Interviews:

• Ep 124 – A Ball of Yarn with Jennifer Lyons: unravel old stories, choose yourself, and step into a more grounded life
• Ep 126 – Pursuing Dreams with Bri Geeski: courage, creativity, and honoring your dreams
• Ep 130 – What It Feels Like to Live an Intentional Life with Marcy Browe: slowing down and trusting your inner knowing
• Ep 150 – The Bigger You Get in Business (+ Life), the More You Say NO to Get More YES’s with Alyssa Lang: boundaries and clarity for expansion
• Ep 128 – Trust Your Heart, Follow Your Inner Guidance with Patricia J. Crane, Ph.D.: intuition, wisdom, and heart-led living

☀️ Top 5 Solo Episodes:

• Ep 131 – The Power of Intentionality: stop waiting, start creating the life you want now
• Ep 136 – Enjoy the Transition Into Spring: plant your seeds, ignite your garden
• Ep 137 – 10 Intentional Actions to Honor Your Truth: come back home to yourself
• Ep 142 – Eight Steps to Curate a Life You Love: design a life rooted in purpose and joy
• Ep 165 – How Intentionality Leads to an Aligned Life: 5 actionable ways to embody intention daily

Whether this season feels bright and abundant, tender and reflective, or a mix of all things human, I hope you feel wrapped in warmth, supported in your becoming, and reminded that you matter deeply.

Thank you for being part of this intentional, heart-led corner of the world, for trusting me, and for letting me do the work I love with my whole heart. Wishing you magic, rest, sweet moments, and so much love this holiday season.

See you in 2026!

More from the Podcast :

• Sign up for JANUARY 2026 WORKSHOPS
• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

This is not just the final solo episode of 2025 — it’s a threshold.

In this deeply personal and heart-led episode of Living an Intentional Life, I take a moment to re-introduce myself — to you, to this community, and to the woman I’ve become after walking through one of the most transformative seasons of my life.

As this podcast marks three years since its ignition, I reflect on who I was when it began, the dreams I carried, the identity I was reaching for, and the version of success I once believed I needed to become. From ambition and visibility to courage and expansion, I share the honest evolution of how my relationship with purpose, identity, and intentional living has shifted — and deepened.

What follows is a raw and grounded reflection on the season when everything appeared to be “working”… and the long, slow unraveling that came after. Financial stress, grief, loss, betrayal, identity collapse, fertility heartbreak, and learning how to keep showing up as a mother while my world was breaking open — this episode holds space for the crumbling that so many of us experience but rarely name.

And yet — this is not a story of defeat.

It’s a story of remembrance.

Through awareness, intentionality, and a return to presence, I share how the dismantling brought me back to the bones of myself — stripping away who I thought I needed to be and inviting me to rebuild from truth, embodiment, and self-trust.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The evolution of my relationship with courage, success, and identity
• What intentionality truly is — and why awareness is the foundation for aligned living
• How seasons of breakdown often precede our most grounded becoming
• The practices that held me through grief, uncertainty, and rebirth — from nature and journaling to therapy, somatic work, spiritual tools, ceremony, creativity, play, and care
• What it means to live cyclically, honor your nervous system, and give yourself permission to be multifaceted
• Why small, intentional daily actions create profound, lasting change

This episode is an invitation — to slow down, to listen inward, to honor who you’ve been, and to meet who you are now with compassion and curiosity.

If you’ve changed this year…
If you’ve felt the unraveling before the rooting…
If you’re ready to choose yourself again — gently, intentionally, and without apology —
this episode is for you.

Always choose you.
Never give up on yourself.
You are the most important piece of art you will ever create.

✨ From my heart to yours — welcome home.

More from the Podcast :

• Sign up for JANUARY 2026 WORKSHOPS
• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

On this episode of the Living an Intentional Life Podcast, I sit down with Crissy Medina of Medina Fine Pearls for a heartfelt conversation about transforming shame into strength, wisdom, and beauty. Together, we explore how the experiences that weigh us down can also become the source of our most profound growth — when approached with intentionality, self-compassion, and reflection.

We dive into:

• How shame can influence our patterns and decisions without controlling our lives
• Practices for turning difficult emotions into intentional growth and self-awareness
• The power of acknowledging your past while intentionally designing a life rooted in alignment, self-love, and purpose

This episode is for anyone ready to release the weight of shame, embrace their authentic story, and cultivate a life of clarity, intention, and empowered beauty.

About Crissy :

I’m Crissy Medina—teacher, traveler, sound therapist, proud mother, and founder of Medina Fine Pearls. My love for pearls began while living by the ocean on Boracay Island, where I became fascinated with how these living organisms transform a tiny irritant into something luminous, imperfect, and uniquely valuable. That same philosophy guides both my life and my brand: just as a pearl forms layer by delicate layer, our challenges and experiences shape us into who we are—resilient, radiant, and truly one of a kind.

Connect with Crissy :

• Website
• Instagram

More from the Podcast :

• Sign up for JANUARY 2026 WORKSHOPS
• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a deeply personal story — my story — and the thread that has carried me through every chapter of my life: intentional living.

From studying Africana Studies in college…
to leaving a stable career at PBS to teach English in Tanzania…
to meeting my husband, navigating 3.5 years of long-distance, building a life across continents, and eventually rooting in the mountains…
to starting and expanding my business into photography, coaching, podcasting, retreats, writing, and creating tools for intentional living…

Every shift, every leap, every “yes” came from listening to the quiet voice within — the one that whispers:
Go here. Do this. Trust this.

And that’s the heart of today’s conversation.
Because intentional living isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence, courage, alignment, and trusting the wisdom that rises from within.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ The Practice:
How intentional living shows up in the small, sacred moments — morning cacao, opening your planner with purpose, setting an intention before the day begins, and creating margin for stillness and gratitude.

✨ The Becoming:
How intentionality has carried me through profound growth, trauma, healing, and reinvention — and how doing “the work” helped me build a life aligned with my values and truth.

✨ The Expansion:
The five biggest benefits of intentional living, especially for the multi-passionate, multi-faceted soul:

1. It reconnects you to your truth.
   You stop reacting and start responding from your center. You hear what’s aligned and what’s not. You choose peace over pressure.
2. It anchors you through change.
   When life shifts — and it will — intentionality keeps you rooted in who you are and what matters most.
3. It brings purpose into the ordinary.
   Magic lives in the small rituals: your breath, your morning cup, your planner pages, your presence.
4. It builds unshakable self-trust.
   Each intuitive decision strengthens your connection to yourself and to the Divine. Alignment, ease, and miracles begin to flow.
5. It allows your multidimensionality to thrive.
   You get to be all of it — creative, spiritual, strategic, relational — without losing yourself. Intentionality holds it all together.

As we close, I invite you to reflect on one question:
What would shift if you created just a little more space to hear that inner voice — and trusted it?

Because that voice has never led me wrong.
And I believe it won’t lead you wrong either.

Here’s to slowing down, tuning in, and choosing to live with intention — today and always. 🌿✨

More from the Podcast :

• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

To every single soul who has crossed paths with my work this year… thank you.

✨To my coaching clients—both 1:1 and inside The Collective—thank you for trusting me with your hearts, your growth, your expansion, and the parts of yourself you’re still learning to love. Holding space for your evolutions is one of the greatest honors of my life.

🌱 To those who have sat with me in workshops, gatherings, and cacao ceremonies—thank you for your presence, your openness, your willingness to peel back the layers and meet yourselves more deeply.

🎧 To every listener of the Living an Intentional Life Podcast—thank you for tuning in, for sharing, for letting my voice accompany you through your days. Your energy, your messages, your reflections fuel this mission in ways I can hardly put into words.

📸 To my photography clients—thank you for inviting me into your most sacred, fleeting, extraordinary moments. Documenting your love, your families, your milestones fills me with so much gratitude and awe.

📝And to everyone who has purchased the Fall in Love With Yourself + Your Life: 2026 Planner—thank you for believing in this creation, in intentional living, and in your own transformation. Knowing these pages will hold your dreams, your reflections, and your daily life is an indescribable honor.

Every one of you—whether we’ve worked together deeply or you’ve simply found a piece of inspiration in my world—has helped shape this season of my life and business in the most meaningful ways.

I am humbled.
I am grateful.
And I am endlessly inspired by you.

Here’s to the magic we’ve created together…
and to everything still unfolding. 🤍✨

With so much love,
Ashley

More from the Podcast :

• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

In this episode of the Living an Intentional Life Podcast, we’re joined by the wise and grounded Dr. Gabrielle Jones for a conversation about one of the most overlooked parts of intentional living: the art of moving slow so you can eventually move fast.

We talk about the deep inner work: checking in with your why, cultivating patience, honoring the pull to pause, and making decisions with God at the center—even when it feels uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or downright challenging.

Dr. Jones shares how slowing down has shaped her path, and I reflect on how choosing intentionality (over urgency) is helping me stay aligned with the right next steps. Because the truth is: the slow season is not a setback… it’s strategy. It’s strengthening. It’s God-ordained preparation.

If you’re craving clarity, or learning to trust the pace of your life, this episode will meet you right where you are.

Tune in for an honest, faith-rooted conversation that reminds you: slow doesn’t mean stuck. Slow means you’re building something strong enough to carry you—quickly and confidently—when it’s time to move.

About Dr. Gabrielle Jones :

Dr. Gabrielle Jones is an award-winning and a nationally recognized authority in culturally responsive substance use treatment. With a deep commitment to health equity, she is a leading voice in transforming how comprehensive substance use and mental health services are delivered across organizations and systems.

As the CEO and Founder of Steady Clinical Consultation, Training, and Development (Steady LLC), Dr. Jones and her team provide expert clinical consultation and organizational support to enhance cultural responsiveness in addiction care for health systems and government agencies. Her leadership in this area is nationally recognized; she serves as a Health Equity Task Force Member for the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) National Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and as a member of the American Psychological Association Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology.

Dr. Jones's expertise is further cemented by her publications and awards. She is the author of the essential text, Culturally Responsive Substance Use Treatment: A Guide for Practitioners, Students, and Organizations and was honored with the 2024 Award for the Promotion of Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Justice in Addiction Medicine from ASAM. Her clinical experience also includes curriculum development, program evaluation, and consultation.

Connect with Dr. G :

• Website
• Linked-in
• Order her book here!

More from the Podcast :

• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify

Send us a text

Tune into this weeks episode of "Living an Intentional Life Podcast" as I deep dive into "Intentionality in the Rest of 2025 — How to Holistically Support Yourself (+ Others)!"

As we move into the final stretch of the year, this episode is your invitation to pause, breathe, and come home to yourself. With less than two months left in 2025, it’s time to reflect, realign, and move with intention — not urgency.

This is a grounding conversation about what it means to live intentionally through this season of transition. Together, you’ll explore:
🌿 How to check in with yourself — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually
🌙 The natural rhythm of this season and what it’s asking of you
💫 Aligning your actions and choices with your deepest values
💖 Honoring how far you’ve come — and who you’ve become
☀️ Supporting yourself (and others) from a place of overflow, not depletion

This episode is a gentle reminder that intentional living isn’t about doing more — it’s about being more present in what you do. As the year winds down, may you find clarity, softness, and gratitude in the quiet, intentional spaces in between.

More from the Podcast :

• PURCHASE YOUR "Fall in love with yourself + your life : 2026 Planner!"
• FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE - Creating a Heart-Centered Foundation
• Follow on INSTAGRAM
• Work 1:1 with Ashley : Book an Intentional Living Connection Call

Music by :

• Tristen Whaley / @t_whales / tristenwhaley@me.com / Spotify