Ashley | Yoga Strong

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““You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

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What a glorious session with the lovely Ashley!
Her strength & beauty shined through as we walked through one of her yoga practices and chatted about Jesus, marriage, teenagers, and life. I met Ashley volunteering at the youth ministry of the church I attended back in Charleston and getting to know her was such a joy. Ashley is such an inspiring Yoga instructor who caters to all people and has an undeniable passion for others and helping them to better their own health journey.
This was such an inspiring and motivating session!

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What inspires you about yoga?
I love that yoga allows for the space to come as you are. Yoga doesn’t expect you to show up with it all together. Throughout my practice I could start with a bad day, where I am stuck inside of my own head- and by the end of it, I’m breathing, feeling more balanced, and more relaxed. Even if I am just focused on breathing in a pose, it reminds me that it’s okay to feel things, to open up, and to let things go. It is my way of staying grounded in a chaotic, overwhelming world.

Do you have a mantra / quote / lyric that you love to repeat to yourself?
“It is well with my soul” To really live this out to me means that no matter the circumstances I can rest in God’s promises. It also teaches me to release the control (that I don’t have any way) and just trust that God is who He says He is.

How do you spend your mornings?
Wake up to my sweet husband who has without fail, made coffee. I have a cozy chair in my living room I like to sit in and read whatever devotional I am studying and then spend some time journaling. It’s the best way to start the day- diving into God’s word and focusing on what He has placed on my heart that day.

What is something you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Personally, I would love to further my yoga practice and work on my strength! I also have a passion for empowering and encouraging teenage girls to love themselves right where they are and to treat each other with that same love. Even if it is just one girl- I pray I get the opportunity to speak some truth and love to them this year.

What advice could you give to other women on loving themselves?
This is something so heavy on my heart. I haven’t always been very kind to myself and the way I see me. God has really pressed it upon my heart that we are all so uniquely and beautifully designed. I would love to just encourage women to see themselves through God’s eyes. Let HIS truth tell you who you are- not Social media or the world. I also have taken the challenge to only speak to myself the way I would speak to a friend or a family member. Being kind to yourself is a daily choice, but once you begin to see yourself as who you are- you can also love others more freely for exactly who they are- without fear of competition or comparison and as women, we need to be encouraging each other!

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