Finding Freedom: Nourishing Self-Care Practices and Finding Time for Rest with Ashley Neese

Are you ready to break from what others think? Are you sick of people-pleasing? Are you ready to live your best life, feeling renewed? Discover how to tend to the parts of yourself that require attention and show up as your authentic self in this episode.

"If you want to stop wishing for someone else's life, you need to shift your focus from comparison to self-discovery and embrace your own unique journey." - Ashley

"You know, the thing about rest is that so often people think, oh, either I don't have time for that, that seems so luxurious, or that seems so unimportant, or that seems so boring. You know? People have all kinds of ideas about what rest looks like and also what it means." – (3:14), Ashley

Listen as writer, podcaster and breathwork teacher Ashley Neese helps you break free from all the artificial barriers and the fear of judgment. Ashley guides you on living with an open heart and stepping off the hamster wheel.

She has an incredible personal journey of healing and self-discovery. And her openness helps you learn and relate. She helps you know which parts of yourself need attention, and you learn how to show up as your present, authentic self in relationships. Not only that, You get tips on managing phone addiction and creating healthy digital boundaries! Self-awareness creates self-compassion.

The Impact of Social Media on Personal Well-being: "I often look at, like, how do I actually want to spend my energy? It's like, what's really filling my cup? What's feeling like a really good exchange for me? And social media doesn't feel like a good exchange for me, like a nourishing exchange, for example." – (23:10), Ashley

“We’re so focused on attaching our value to what we produce.” – (5:53), Ashley

Finding nourishment in your hectic world includes a pause. Listen as Ashley and Lauren share the secrets to restoring balance and wellness; resting and taking a pause is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself. Ashley helps you make space for something new in your life, get the rest you deserve, and find the courage to pause.

Listen as Ashley shares her practices and techniques, helping you reconnect with yourself and find peace amidst the chaos. She is a regular contributor to Goop, and her wisdom will undoubtedly help you come home to yourself and prioritize self-care.

“I came into rest broken down; I came into rest sick.” – (6:50), Ashley

“Just because I can do something doesn’t mean that it’s the best thing for me to do, the most efficient thing for me to be doing.” – (14:40), Ashley

“We see people like Arianna Huffington writing about burnout, and we see all these, especially women, . . . , who have big platforms and media companies and all over, you know, in different genres and different jobs talk about this burnout piece and talk about how real that is because women are expected to work harder than men, that’s just a fact.” – (5:25), Ashley

In this episode:

• (2:21) – The benefits of pausing and slowing down.
• (4:00) – Unpacking the belief that you don’t have time for rest.
• (6:21) – Reclaiming your intrinsic value that isn’t attached to work. 
• (8:30) – At times when you need to move fast, how to make rest work.
• (9:29) – How to know what you’re feeling. 
• (11:30) – Creating space so that something else can emerge. 
• (12:31) – You don’t have to do it all.
• (13:52) – How to create space when you have children.
• (15:34) – About multi-tasking. 
• (17:49) – Answers emerge in the pause. 
• (18:50) – What happens in the pause. 
• (20:00) – About social media. 
• (21:06) – The addictive design of smartphones.
• (21:58) – How to put boundaries around your social media usage. 
• (30:14) – The necessity of being vulnerable and putting yourself out there.
• (34:27) – How to have a nourishing component in your life. 
• (37:12) – Trauma bonding. 
• (39:20) – It’s not your partner’s job to fix the broken parts of you.
• (40:17) – Understanding that something different is possible. 

Resources and Links 

52 Weeks of Hope

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-abrams-83b8b421/
• https://www.52weeksofhope.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyLA7Rb6E0PtKBhPGu1vcjA
• https://www.facebook.com/52weeksofhope/
• https://www.instagram.com/52weeksofhope/
• https://twitter.com/52weeksofhope
• Get your FREE Confidence and Clarity Growth Scorecard

Ashley Neese

• https://www.ashleyneese.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/ashley_neese/
• https://www.facebook.com/AshleyNeeseWellness/
• Permission to Rest: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690360/permission-to-rest-by-ashley-neese/
• How to Breathe: 25 Simple Practices for Calm, Joy, and Resilience: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399582711

Here are a couple other episodes you might enjoy that are similar to this one with Ashley:

• Breaking Free of the Hamster Wheel: How Overachieving Moms Rediscover the Magic of Life!
• How to Stop Wishing for Someone Else’s Life
• Heal Your Past Traumas and Create Your Best Life Now with Mary Sise