Have you ever felt lost in the terrifying whirlwind of finding yourself?
Join me as I share my journey of overcoming struggles through the transformative power of writing and travel. Discover how embracing these passions helped me find purpose and how they can inspire your own path to self-discovery.
Welcome to my page! It’s so great to meet you.
I created this blog with the intention of providing solidarity and insight for women like myself who are struggling to find ourselves in today’s world. I want us to be able to find more active solutions in developing autonomy and purpose, especially through writing and travel.
I know that coming-of-age as a young woman in a patriarchal society is confusing, unsettling, and sometimes even miserable. While I’m currently on this path to discovering my best self, and feeling better and better about her every day, it hasn’t always been this painless.
As a teenager I constantly battled with depression, anxiety, and even self-harm. I floundered in this sea of uncertainty and listlessness for years before I discovered the tools that helped, and still help me — writing and travel.
What Helped & Why
Writing is truly the only outlet that has ever given me peace of mind. I started writing crappy song lyrics as an experiment in therapy, among many other hobbies and coping mechanisms, and surprisingly, it gave me more of a sense of control and liberation than anything else I tried.
After writing my way through high school and earning encouragement from my English teachers, I eventually majored in creative writing as an undergrad — where I fell in love with the craft and freedom of poetry and garnered even more encouragement from professors. Now I’m an MFA student at Emerson. I can just picture younger me with her mouth hanging open at that news.
I didn’t really discover travel until 2019 when I toured Europe after graduating from high school. I grew up in a military family, so I’ve always been accustomed to frequent relocation and having to learn my way around new people and places. This transience instilled a unique perspective and sense of curiosity in me about the world and different cultures.
But after that stint in Europe, everything changed. My curiosities were confirmed. The world is a magical gumbo of awaiting experiences and wonder.
Since then, I’ve visited eleven countries and sixteen states, and I hope to check off as many more as possible, sharing any lessons I learn along the way.
In my immediate future, I will be moving from Las Vegas where I’ve been living for about the last year and a half, to Boston to keep pursuing poetry!
Travel. Write. Transform.
The combination of these two passions brought me back to life and are the primary ways I continue to grow as an individual. I believe that journaling is an excellent way for young women to work through any difficult emotion or situation because the page offers:
- An unrestrained canvas for creative expression
- A space for visualization
- A safe space for cultivation of ideas and exploration of identity
In a different but still conjunctively beneficial vein, travel to the young woman still discovering herself offers:
- Fresh perspective and disconnection from your personal box
- Introduction to the unknown (notoriously one of the best ways to grow is to subject yourself to the new)
- A chance to meet people and strengthen intercultural empathy
But…
Even though I’m finally on this exciting trajectory, slowly figuring out who I want to be, I still definitely have no idea what I’m doing. I sometimes struggle with old challenges like depression when inevitable uncertainty and listlessness weasel into my head, and I want you to join me as we navigate these obstacles and discover the tools that help us approach more active solutions in developing autonomy and purpose — so that we can become the best versions of ourselves.
I’m so excited you’re here,
Ashley
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Currently an MFA student in creative writing at Emerson College, Ashley is dedicated to exploring the world and herself, sharing her journey of self-discovery and growth with young women everywhere. She aims to inspire and empower others to embrace their unique paths, leveraging travel and writing as powerful tools for personal transformation.
