I was hopeful that I would meet someone amazing today as I was visiting the gym for a class, someone strong, man or woman, someone dedicated and disciplined.
My next subject caught my attention immediately. She looked every bit dedicated to her health and well being and so strong, a woman that knew her own and worked hard to achieve.
I also like her sense of style, albeit in gym clothes she still liked to appear feminine and show the world the sense of fun in her personality.
Name: Ashley
Occupation: Organic Caterer, Pure Regeneration
1.Where were you born and raised?
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina
The youngest of five children, with four older brothers. The brothers were sporty, football, baseball, rough and tumble and Ashley was the baby, the tomboy tag along to her brothers.
The adored daughter of a Greek Father. The family spent much of their time eating, family gatherings around tables of food.
Ashley’s Grandparents came over to America, her Grandmother specifically. Her Grandfather was in the military and he had died, his wife was pregnant with Ashley’s father and she came to America with her Mother and they started a dry cleaning business.
2.Tell me a childhood memory.
‘I think the most specific memory I have is playing with my brothers, wrestling with my brothers. We always did, all the time. We lived on a big piece of property so there were trees, we went swimming in the creeks. My brothers were always getting broken bones, broken jaw, broken wrist. The brother that is closest to age to me is the reason I am so strong mentally, he would torture me, beat me, try and suffocate me! I learned as I got older to fight and to get away and I never had the same perception of men after that, I never looked at it like I was in fear of them.’
3.What is your favourite season and why?
‘Summer, ‘cause I love to surf, kayaking, I am an outdoor girl. I just love being outside.’
4.Tell me about someone you love.
‘My husband, he is the most incredible person, the most positive, engaging, caring individual and he wants nothing from you, he is the most genuine person, never mad. He is the best Dad.’
‘He has the most amazing sense of humour.’
‘I really believe God put him in my life to help me, he is my balance.’
5.What words of wisdom do you have for the reader about life?
‘I think that everything is just about balance, finding your stride and doing what is right for you. You can be motivated by other people and watching them reach their goals but don’t ever feel like their goals have to be your goals’
6.Dreams for the future.
‘I really just want to empower & educate women to be strong and confident in who they are and not ever feeling like they need to rely on anyone else, that they have the capacity to be whoever they want to be.’
Ashley was awe inspiring. Physically in incredible shape, so strong and aware of what her body needs to function and so driven for her family and her own goals.
I look at how we function as a family and we are certainly not the well oiled machine that I see before me.
Because of her son’s health and autism in the family the decided not to immunize and Ashley educated herself to nurture him and give him what his young body needed to be well, reject the allergies and grow strong without the dependence of medicines and intervention by doctors.
Human beings are amazing, we have a huge capacity to learn, teach, grow strong, nurture ourselves but we so often let ourselves down, I know I do.
Ashley is committed, I’m sure there is down time for them but I imagine that means climbing a mountain or two. We can’t all be as inspiring as her but we can take a leaf out of her book and dedicate some time to ourselves, who knows how amazing we all could be?
