Dr. Ashley's Journey

The day that changed everything for me and my family…

I remember it vividly.

I was rushing home from work only to miss dinner with my family – again!

“I can’t believe I let it happen again,” I thought to myself.

I was standing frozen in the kitchen, still holding my work bag, lost as waves of anger and disappointment washing over me. I was brought out of my thoughts as my 8-year-old daughter ran up to me to hug me. She pulls away from our hug, looking so proud. She shares, “Look, Mom, we made you a plate of dinner just for you.”

I was holding back tears of sadness, disappointment, and frustration. I thought to myself, how many more dinners will I miss?

My 4-year-old son pulls me back to the present moment with a hug. “Com’ on, Mom,” as he grabs my hand and pulls me into the family room to watch a bedtime show with him.

I kiss my son and daughter, working hard to fight back my tears. I let them know I would be back to watch a show with them after I changed out of my work clothes.

As I dragged myself up the stairs, I became lost in all my thoughts: If you were a better physical therapist, you wouldn’t have to stay late to document care. If you were a better mother/wife, you would spend more time with your family.

I was unsure how much more of this pattern I could take; it’s breaking my heart!

When people talk about “rock bottom,” this has been mine…

I sat hysterically crying in my dark bedroom on the edge of my bed. I don’t know how my life got to this point. Mascara runs down my face as flashes of all the times I screwed up run through my head.

There was a moment of calmness that washed over me. My crying slowed down almost to a stop.

Then, I heard a divine voice in my head say, “You are not here on earth to live a miserable life.”

Really?! I am not here on earth to live a miserable life. I didn’t believe what I heard.

Yet, as I contemplated that message, maybe the message was right.

At that moment, I decided to see if I could prove that message true, “I was not here on earth to live a miserable life.” I decided that enough was enough!

I vowed to myself that I would do whatever it took to find a balance in my life that allowed me to enjoy my career and spend time with my family.

First, I invested in a coach to give me support & guidance.

Then, I put the hard work in to implement the tools and strategies I was learning. To become a role model for my family, change my mindset, understand my emotions, and start being the person I wanted to be in the world.

Finally, I started teaching these tools to my physical therapy patients, who started getting amazing results.

Fast forward 2 years after that day, sitting on my bed crying, I was well on my way to enjoying my career and spending quality time with my family.

Fast forward 6 years since that day, and so much has changed for the better. I am proud to say that I no longer feel stuck in an overwhelming cycle of guilt, fighting to balance my career and family. I was able to love my career as a coach, and I have quality relationships with my children and husband!

It wasn’t easy…

…but it sure was worth it!

To be fully transparent, my life is not perfect, nor am I, yet I now have the tools, knowledge, and skills to manage what life throws at me.

If you ever struggled with feeling guilty and struggling to find a balance between your career and family, then I want you to know that there is HOPE!

If you are looking for someone to guide you all the way, I would love to invite you to my private Facebook group Mastering Work-Life Harmony or schedule a Life In Sync Consultation .