Hello, I'm Ashley

I was reading my about page today and I realized that it really doesn't say that much about me, so I thought it was time I told you all who I am.  

Without apologies.  

This is me.

At home I almost never wear makeup, and can usually be found in gym clothes or sweatpants (or just a pair of boyshorts) and a tank top. Some girls say they don't leave the house without lip gloss or maybe mascara- not me.  I don't leave the house without filling in scar that chicken pox left me to remember it by, right in the middle of my left eyebrow.  I've always considered my hair my best physical feature, and I put a fair amount of effort into it to make it look effortless.

I love people's stories.  It might be what drew me to this whole blogging thing.  I yearn to tell and be inspired by great stories.  I've always wanted to be a writer, but I could never finish a story.  Telling my own seems to come more naturally.  I don't believe a good story has to have a fairy tale ending, but my favorite ones always find the silver lining.

I'm a sucker for a good love story.  Love, in my opinion is the best thing the world has to offer.  I cry at weddings- every wedding, even the ones in movies or on TV.  I also cry during powerful moments- when a contestant has a breakthrough on the biggest loser,  when Willy jumps his Orca body over Jesse and free's himself back into the Pacific Ocean, Or (most embarrassing) when Beca and the Barton Bella's become one on the stage at nationals.  Yep, I'm that girl.  

I've always had an almost compulsive need to know about health.  If you look at my book collection an astounding number are about diet, exercise and happiness.  It wasn't until recently that my will power and drive caught up with my thirst for health knowledge and I began to use what I've learned for my own benefit.  

I believe in nice sheets, investing in good skincare and hair products and buying generic cleaning supplies.  I believe that a dance party can change the trajectory of any bad day and that every day should begin and end with gratitude.  I believe in actively putting good into the world.

I think one of the hardest things in life is to simply be yourself.  There is so much beauty in authenticity.   The second hardest thing is to be happy.  Happiness isn't guaranteed, it has to be cultivated. And sometimes, shitty things happen.  I believe those things don't define you, it's how you deal with the shitty things that define you.  I also think sometimes things are hard to make you appreciate when they are not.

Sometimes, I snap at people.  Sometimes my patience wears thin, especially when dealing with my grandmother with dementia.  It's not because I am irritated with her, but because I am angry about the declining value and depth of her daily life.  I'm angry that all of the good times are being shadowed by challenging interactions.

Sometimes I'm too forward or too honest.  Sometimes I don't guard my heart.  Sometimes I'm lazy. Sometimes I'm forgetful and sometimes, I find it hard to forget things.  Some other flaws include being born tongue tied, a big red birth mark on the back of my neck, my second toe being slightly longer than my big toe and potential bone spur growing in my wrist- but who really cares about that stuff?

There is nothing extraordinary about me. So why do I do this whole blogging thing?  It's not because I am a narcissist (but maybe I am a little bit, but aren't we all), or because I have an adventurous life or some grand story to tell.  No, it's because I think the ordinary life experiences are are worth sharing.  I think the ordinary is important.

One of my favorite bloggers said,  "Everyone, no matter who they are, has a story to tell. And we have a responsibility to tell that story to the world, because if that story can touch a single person, it is worth telling." 

And I have to say, I agree.

Don't be afraid to share your story, even if it's not extraordinary to you- and if you need somewhere to start, share it with me!  Leave me a comment and tell me who you are!

P.S. this post got me thinking and I am doing a little research. Help me out by answering this anonymous survey question by clicking the link.

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