Purpose in Motion: Ashley Johnson on Identity, Resilience & Rising

Ashley Johnson is a woman who refuses to be reduced to one title. Yes, she is a mother—but she is also a business owner, future nurse, leader, and visionary who has transformed seasons of struggle into strength.

In this inspiring episode of She Shines, Ashley opens up about her journey through healthcare, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and personal evolution. From serving in the medical field since 2009 to launching her own travel business, she has built a life rooted in purpose, resilience, and intention.

Ashley shares the defining moments that shaped her into the woman she is today and reveals how she balances her identities without losing herself in the process. She also speaks boldly about empowering women—especially Black women—to build wealth, create opportunities, and step boldly into their next level.

This conversation is for every woman who has ever felt like she had to choose one lane. Ashley reminds us that we are allowed to be many things, grow through many seasons, and shine from every angle.

In this episode we explore:
✨ Navigating multiple roles without losing yourself
✨ Overcoming the seasons that were designed to break you
✨ Building a travel business rooted in empowerment
✨ Becoming a future nurse with purpose
✨ Expanding identity beyond motherhood
✨ Creating wealth, opportunities, and legacy

Stay to the end for the Ashley A-List Lightning Round, where Ashley drops gems and quick-fire wisdom every woman needs to hear.

This is an episode full of power, truth, and transformation. Ashley doesn’t just survive—she thrives, evolves, and lights the way for others to rise with her.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Welcome to She Shines. This is your host, Karen Coach KG Gilliam. This is time for another episode of A Woman's Story: A Woman Lending Her Voice, sharing with you, our listeners, what has transpired in her life, who she is, the advice she has received along the way, and so much more. And at toward the end, you don't want to leave because there will be a fire, lightning route round. And that is so much fun to listen to. So please stay with us. So She Shines with Coach KG is a weekly empowerment podcast for women who are looking to rise, reclaim, and radiate. I, Karen Coach KG Gilliam, am a transformational strength-based coach, author, and a woman who believes that every woman should have an opportunity to share her story. Why? Because just because you're going through things as these women have doesn't mean you have to stay there. So hearing other people to know that you're not alone is what we are about here at She Shines. So I'd like to tell you who's going to radiate today. My guest is Ashley Johnson. Now, Ashley has a superpower of nursing. She also is an entrepreneur and she is a mother. But she says she doesn't just want to be known as a mother. That's not her only title, but you'll hear more about who Ashley is in just a moment. So without further ado, and to bring Ashley on stage with me, please welcome to She Shines with Coach KG. Ashley Johnson.

unknown 3:26

Cheers!

SPEAKER_00 3:27

And I I believe that you deserve hand clapped. It is, you just never know what Coach KG's gonna do. Love it. So Ashley and I just met not too long ago, and I did a pre-interview with her, and I said, Oh yes, I already made up my mind after the first five minutes. So I wanted her to be on She Shines. So I would like Ashley to tell you who she is. Ashley.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

Okay, well, first of all, thank you, Coach KG, for having me on this show and putting me on this beautiful, wonderful platform for women, you know, to shine. Um, so with that being said, I am Ashley Johnson. I am a mother, but I do not identify as a mother because um I have so many other attributes and things to offer, such as being an entrepreneur, um being in the medical field. And I think that with that being said, um I'm just a person that gives and enjoys just being around people. So I am just a person of some people say that I am this flower child that just enjoys being around people. So I would say Ashley is that flower child that is a free spirit and is more than just a mother and then more than just a nurse.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Oh, that you see why I said the first five minutes, I knew she just lights up. She already shining. She's already shining. So, Ashley, we're just gonna have a conversation, and I want you to just share your story with our listening audience. So, when you think about women today, okay, what three words would you use to describe a woman?

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Three words that I would use to describe a woman. Um I would say enthusiastic, I would say present, and I would say fierce.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

Oh, I like that one. Oh, yes, yes. I all three I totally agree. So you shared that motherhood is a part of you. Yes, but not the whole of you.

unknown 5:55

No.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

When did you first realize, Ashley, that you were more than one identity? And how did that shift in your life?

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Well, it took a long time. So I I'm just gonna say that I'm 36 and I had my first kid at 20. Um, and just to give you a backstory, so I had a cheer scholarship and an academic scholarship at Langston University, which is an HBCU here in Oklahoma. Yeah, and I uh was going there at a cheer practice one day, and I was dating a football player, ironically, right? And passed out at practice, just passed out. Yep, passed out at the hospital, didn't think anything of it because I was just like, what? You know, I'm dehydrated, whatever. I just passed out. And my cycles are irregular anyway. So I didn't think anything about that either. Um, so I was just like, whatever. They took me to the hospital, they came into the room and they were like, oh my gosh, congrat congratulations. You're pregnant, we're gonna do an ultrasound. I said, absolutely not. I think you have a person, you need to confirm who you're talking to. They were like, Are you Ashley Johnson, date of birth? And I was like, Yep, that's me. It was like, nope, these are your results. You're currently pregnant. We need to see how far along you are.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

My goodness.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

Okay, so um to fast forward, um, I had my son at 20, uh, well, yeah, 20, 21 on 21. And um, so my 21st birthday, my son was born August 28th. My birthday is September 21st. So my 21st birthday, I was breastfeeding. My whole life consumed around him at that point. You know, I just kind of was like, this is who I am. I am a mom, everything pertains to him. I gotta go to school, I gotta do this, I gotta do this, this, this, this, and this. Yeah, and I got in such a dark mental place because I lost myself. And I don't think that a lot of mothers realize that. Like, yes, in order to, um, like we said in the pre-interview, like we can't fill somebody else's cup if we don't have anything in our cup. And I didn't realize that at 21. I was just like, I have to give to this baby, I gotta go hard, I gotta do this, I gotta. So I was doing 30 different things, and guess what? I was drinking, my cup was empty. So I'm just constantly pouring out of an empty cup. And I finally, it and here's the crazy thing. I ended up having another kid, so I just again just kept going, kept going. Wow. It didn't happen until I was, I want to say 31.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:46

31, I said, I have goals that I have to meet for myself. I always had goals to meet for my kids. I gotta make sure my kid has this, I gotta make sure my kid has this, I gotta, and I was like, who is Ashley? I had no idea. So at 31, that swing in Epiphany, a light clicked on and was like, you need to figure out who you are. So from 21 to 31, that's 10 years, place, dark place, wow, depression, anxiety, constantly, just work like not living, planning. And I'm gonna say I'm still kind of guilty of planning, but it's better. So I was just constantly just like, I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go. Finally, it's like I said, at 31, when I had that epiphany, I just was like, I have to figure out who I am. And I said, I have these goals. And the first goal was I want to have my master's before I'm 35. I want to make a certain amount of money before I'm 35. I want to, you know, like there were different things.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

Now I have met those goals. I now have my master's in public health. Um, I did, I worked at pharmaceutical companies, um, traveled, did all types of things. I have my own business. I am an entrepreneur as a travel agent. I know who Ashley is. I know I love to travel. I know I love to read books. I know I love to be in water, specifically beach. Um, you know, I love being at the airport, like I said, traveling. I didn't know this about myself. I didn't know this then. I didn't know this. So now, if someone says, who is Ashley? Well, Ashley is a woman who plans to be a millionaire by the age of 45. Come on now, but there's no questions asked, and I'm and I'm setting these goals and I'm setting myself up to be there. Financial stability, I'm teaching my kids that. I'm teaching my kids freedom. Yes, they have to know what freedom is. And freedom is not just what you've learned in history. Freedom is a mindset.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Are you mentally and financially free? Are you able to make a decision and go the path that you decide? And so, anyway, to go back to your question, I had to discover who Ashley was, and I discovered at 31, and now I know who I am.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

Oh my goodness. Now, if you notice, Ashley has a title under her name there on the screen. And for those of you that are listening, I'll I'll tell you what it says. Ashley Johnson, golden ambition. So tell them what golden ambition means. Golden ambition.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

It basically means you are goal-oriented. You have certain ambitions that you have to meet for yourself within, not for anyone else, not for you know, your mom, your dad, your kids. Though you have to have that ambition for yourself to want to meet that expectations and to re meet those goals. So the golden is more like a goal, but I just kind of like switched it like golden, because I like to, like you say, give it that little razzle dazzle. And so um, yeah, that's that's what golden ambition means.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Oh, I love it. I love it. When she said it in the pre-interview, I I said, oh, definitely love this, love this. So you've been in healthcare since 2009, 16 years. Yes. What drew you into a world of serving and healing others?

SPEAKER_02 12:32

Well, um, honestly, what made me want to go into healthcare was my grandmother. When I was 10 years old, my grandmother came to pick me up from school on a snowy, icy day. She slipped and fell on the ice, broke her hip, had to get the ball and socket replaced. And I felt so guilty. I was like, oh my gosh, my grandma, my life, my light, my love is hurt. You know, that's my mother figure. That's my big mama. I was, she is hurt, I don't like it. So I took care of her. I was like, you know what? We got we let's let's we gotta make sure she's okay. Um, and so with taking care of her, that's how I discovered, oh my gosh, I enjoy this. Like this gives me joy. This this is something that I'm passionate about. So bringing her water, giving her, you know, giving her like at the time, obviously I'm you know young, so I don't really know what I could do. But like if she needs some action or her medication or something, I'll bring it to her, or just give her her walk or reach something for her, help her tie her shoe, help her put her clothes on, help her go to the bathroom. That's when I discovered this is my calling. I want to be a nurse.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Oh, but great, great, great, great. I think sometimes we discover times. So you've walked through seasons that could that could have broken you, Ashley, yet you say they built you. Absolutely. So, what are some of those defining reasons? Okay. What are those defining seasons and how did it shape you into who you are today?

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Um so some of those, I I think we might have broke up, so let can you just repeat one more time?

SPEAKER_00 14:24

The the the seasons you've been through, um, you say they built you. So what was one of those defining seasons? And how did it shape you?

SPEAKER_02 14:37

Oh man. One of those defining seasons was when I lost my grandma, then turned around and lost my grandpa back to back. I mean, whoo! And the crazy thing is, is my grandma is my dad's mother, and my grandpa is my mom's dad. So it was just like, and those are the two, like I said, those two are like my life. Um, they are are who I am today, they are the reason as to who I am today. And so uh when I lost my grandpa in March, and then turned around and lost my grandma in April, I was like, I can't do this. I I was like, I don't even know. I don't know. Like I literally was just like, I don't know. And I it sounds like you got numb. Yeah. Oh, very much. Like it was to the point to where my mom and my dad had to help me with my kids. I couldn't even like, and and again, my kids are my everything. So if I'm in a place to where I can't even function as a mom, and I'm just barely like, I'm not eating, I'm just going to work, and that's it. Like, I'm just disassociated from everything. Um became like a robot. That's it. Yeah, that's exactly what it was. That and that moment in my life when that happened, it was a back-to-back thing. It was like when I came out of it, and when I was like, okay, I have to go through the grieving process, I have to do all these things, and realizing that my dad was just really my confidant at that time, and he was just like, Listen, baby girl, I know that it's hard, but this is a part of life. That was my first death. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 16:22

I've never okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

I I was I had never experienced those before, and on top of all of that, I had just had a baby. Oh boy, I was going through postpartum, yeah. Depression and grief on top of everything. So I was just like at an all-time depressive state, a dark place. And it took me a very long time to get out of it. And my dad was just like, Listen, you have to keep going. This is a part of life. No one is meant to be here forever. No, no one, and and it was like, at first, I was just like, I don't want to hear this. And I sit down. I was like, I don't want to hear this. Like, what are you talking about? He was like, Are you gonna behave this way when I leave you? When he calls me, I'm not gonna reject it. I'm gonna go. And I was like, What? Why would you say that? And he was like, Because I need you to understand us as humans, we come here with the purpose, we complete our purpose, and then it's time for us to go. And I was like, I got goosebumps saying that because I just thought I just remember that when he said it to me, and I was just like, Okay, dad. Like, my dad is my biggest cheerleader. Let me just tell you. Yeah, I have when people say that dads may have a big influence on daughters, it's true. I just don't even realize how strong I would be mentally, physically, emotionally if I didn't have my dad in my life.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

And the thing is, it's like if I even give you a more backstory, because I'm like, I got Holly stories. Listen, let's just look at this. Let's just we're just talking. So a backstory. My mom and my dad are divorced, right? Okay, okay. So they got divorced when I was eight years old. Um, and the reason for that being is because my dad went to prison. Yes. So listen, yes, it's crazy. My dad went to prison, and so my mom was raising me and my sister alone. And my grandparents helped raise my grandson have such a good relationship with my grandparents because my mom had to work all the time.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

My grandparents kept me and my sister, right? So by the time I was 12 years old, my sister was 13. Um my sister no longer wanted to live with my mom. Okay. And um she just like was like, I'm I don't want to be here anymore. My dad was in the halfway house at that time, right? So he was on his way of getting out of jail. Um, my sister, she came and moved, she left and moved with my grandparents. Left me with my mom. My dad got out of jail. My sister stayed with my dad, I stayed with my mom. So the two sisters, we are full siblings. We didn't even grow up together. Okay?

SPEAKER_01 19:00

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

We didn't even grow up together. But my dad made sure that he got me every summer. If I needed anything, the what the moment he the moment he got out, let me refer, even while he was in there, I went without nothing. I talked to him, I wrote him letters, I communicated with him, he told me how beautiful I was, he poured into me. He built me up, he built me up to have the confidence that I needed while he wasn't even there. And I I was just like, though at that moment, I didn't go with him because I was so angry at him. I was like, you left me, did it, you know, like you don't really you were away. I'm so mad at you. The more I think about it as I got older, I was like, but he was technically more present than the person that I lived with.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Wow, wow.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

I'ma just leave it at that. Um, and so I have a lot, I had a lot of trauma that I had to heal from. Like with low self-esteem, with not thinking a lot of different things. And so um, as I got older, again, I went through therapy, went through all the precautions that I needed to get to where I am. Um, and so I don't know how I got on this tangent, but anyway, I mean I'm just saying, like that season in time, I just wanted to say my dad literally just kind of was my my confidant, and he just that season just showed me who my person was and who I can count on. So that that that season broke me, but it also built me to show me what type of parent I wanted to be.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Yes, absolutely, absolutely. I I love your storytelling. So you you to me, I always say facts uh tell, but stories sell. Oh my goodness. All right, so Ashley, many women struggle with feeling stretched, thin, between roles, and and you have many, you wear many hats. How do you honor your identity outside of motherhood while still pouring into your children? I take me time. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

So here's the thing: I am the only female in this house. All of my kids and my husband is they're males. Obviously, everyone is a male. I am the only female. So I take me time, yeah, and me time is getting pedicares, yes, me time is you know, going to get a massage. I just at 36 started going to have lunch by myself, didn't realize that that was a thing. Like some things are the thing. Yeah, yeah. Some things are the thing, and uh I enjoy them. So I keep myself and keep my identity by go taking myself out by making sure that if I have to, I will go to the lake that's by my house, and I will literally just journal. Get all of those things out and just journal and just say, you know what? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Do you know what you're doing when you do those things?

SPEAKER_02 22:08

No.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Filling that cup, you're filling that cup so that cup doesn't go empty.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Yes, yes, me time is very important. You hear that? Listeners, take some me time, whatever you like to do. Don't don't even give me the excuse that I I don't have the money for a pedicure or a massage. Find something that you like that doesn't cost money if it's reading a book. Go to the library, sit in the library, read a book by yourself. That's that that is so critical because you need to fill that cup. Like Ashley said.

SPEAKER_02 22:53

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 22:55

All right, so I'm I'm a change of direction to purpose, vision, and personal growth. You run a travel business and you're in nursing school while being a present mom. What keeps you grounded and motivated through all these transitions?

SPEAKER_02 23:17

So, what keeps me grounded is I'm okay. Remember I told you I'm a flower child? Yes. So what keeps me grounded is meditating, eating, like taking a bath, and I will literally go outside barefooted, and I will put my feet in the grass, and I will either and I will sit there and just put my feet in the grass and I will hug a tree. My kids think this is a flower child. My kids were like, What are you doing? I was like, I'm getting energy from the tree. And they're like, What? I was like, Do you not know that this tree literally is producing oxygen? So I am getting energy from the tree. And they were like, Yeah, you're crazy, mom. And I was like, I am, but yes, I will walk outside barefooted, put my feet into the grass, and I will- I've heard people do that, and I and I literally I become one with the earth, like it is one of those things, and I'm just and then I mean, like this Saturday, I took my kids out, we went and had a picnic in the grass, we took our shoes off, set on the ground, no phones, no electric electronics, at the park, and we grounded ourselves. We did a reset, we did a reset. We had to go. You had to so I and oh, and then my other thing um for keeping myself grounded. Um I love to dance. I will I've I read that when you kinetic energy, so listening to music, and just like say, for instance, if you were in a bad mood and you cut music on and you just dance your life away, just go with it. Guess what? You're releasing all of the negative energy, yes, and you're bringing in positive energy, you're releasing those serotons and different, you're releasing them, you're bringing them in. So I am that person. I am like, listen, my kids they're having a bad day. A moment I was like, uh, dance party. I literally just like dance party, and they're just like, You are a psychopath. Yes, I am. I don't care, whatever. Get it out, wiggle it out, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, and they're just like, Hey mom.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Wow, I love it, I love it. Well, I know she loves to travel because we talked about that, and and I love to travel. Travel opens our minds and our spirits. You you know, if you've been following She Shines, that we talk about living out of the essence, not the avatar, not the persona, the essence of who we are. So, for you, Ashley, what first inspired you to step into entrepreneurship through travel?

SPEAKER_02 26:00

Um, the perks, if I'm gonna be honest. In all honesty, in all honesty, the the the thing is, I was like, the perks of being able to have my my CLIA, my ITA get these discounts. You know, I was just like, I think I'm gonna go ahead and work, you know, and then I started seeing like, oh, those commission checks. Yes. And then there's also the network marketing side where you bring people in and you're like, oh hey, now I see how people are becoming millionaires in this business. And so that's what, like, like I said, it was the perks at first. And then after I started connecting with other women that were like me, who were moms, some single moms married, that were just uplifting, you know, up just like upbeat and just positive, and they want to see you win. Here's the thing I love being around people who want to see you win. Yeah, if you are a negative Nancy, no offense if your name is Nancy, um, but if you are negative all the time, I'm just like, this is so draining. And I pick up on energy. I picked up if I'm going out and putting my feet in the ground, I'm picking up on energy. So I'm like, I will read a room. You know what I'm saying? And I'll be like, oh my gosh, this person is definitely needing they're they're they're lacking something. You know what I'm saying? Like, let me let me just hey, how you doing? You know, I'm not gonna let you touch me because I don't want to keep it moving, keep it moving. But I'm just gonna say, hey, you have a nice shirt on. All right, and give them a smile and move. But um, stay protected. But uh still, I won't be I'm I'm just that person.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

Yeah, so yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, as you hear, Ashley, you can tell that she intentionally empowers, especially women, to create opportunities and to build wealth. Ashley, why is that mission so deeply rooted in your heart?

SPEAKER_02 28:05

Because I know what the struggle is like, I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. I know what it's like when you walk into the grocery store and you know your kid needs diapers, but y'all also need food. And you're just like, which one? What do I do? Like, how do I make this work? How do I split this? And I don't want to steal it because I don't want to go to jail and I don't want to do this. So I'm like, and I don't, and I can't ask anybody. So it's like I know what that's like. So teaching women and and pulling women in and saying, hey, let's grow together, let's make this money together, let's empower and and and and just gain that financial wealth together. Because here's the thing: if you help me, I help you. We help each other. How can we fail? How can we fail?

SPEAKER_00 28:52

We can't, we can't, and I have another way of putting it. If you have an idea, Ashley, and I have an idea, we each have one idea, but when we collaborate together, I share my idea and you share your idea. We now each have two.

SPEAKER_02 29:10

Absolutely, yes. Wow, that makes me think of the analogy that I tell my kids in the family. So here's the thing: if you do this, this isn't, and I'm po poke poking you, that's not gonna do much, is it? But if I did two, oh, you're gonna feel it, right? But if I have an entire fist of a whole bunch of that's a big powerful, right?

SPEAKER_00 29:32

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:33

That's the analogy I use with my kids. I was like, if you're trying to figure out and work something by yourself, come on, but all of us know how to do it together, or you we can do it together as a team, that's a powerful impact compared to this impact. Um you you can hey, hey, okay, whatever. But this impact, oh, it's gonna hurt. Powerful impact. And I have to, and these are boys, so it's not that I'm promoting violence, no, but I have to give it to them in a way that they're like, oh they understand, they understand. Yeah, you want to have as much and so more people is more powerful. And I look at women like that, definitely. Like I told you, us black women, if us black women come together, come on, do you know how many fists that we would have? Do you know how much power we would have uplifting the love, the encouragement? Listen, I have a shirt that says love. You know, my shirt says love. The happiness that we would have. I'm just saying.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Yes. You you and I talked about, you know, we're both sick and tired, especially black women, tearing each other down. I, you know, when those reality shows came out, depict depleting. Women as these cat fighters, and I thought that is not the illustration that we want women to have. That's not it. So, you know, if you're a watcher of the reality shows, more power to you. But I just know, no, that is not who we are. So as an entrepreneur, as a nurse, as a mother, what legacy, Ashley, do you want to leave in the communities you serve?

SPEAKER_02 31:32

I want to leave a legacy of a prosperous woman that not only gives, but how can I say this? A prosperous woman that will give to not just one, but to multiple. Like I want to be that person that is prosperous, that is willing to help to multiple people. Not just the people that I know, not just to let me help you get this job because I know you. No, I want to be like, I have no idea. You know, I I want to be the person that I have no idea who you are. And you say, I don't know what I'm doing in my life. I don't know. And I'm gonna be like, you know what? I was actually doing this. I was helping girls make their resume because they don't know how. In Oklahoma, and these are young girls, they don't know how to make resumes. And I'm like, that was like all I did, all I do was this is. I said, listen, you getting on here and being a content creator and doing this and doing this, that's an entrepreneur, that's a business. You have to have a DMO. They was like, what's a DMO? I said, a daily method of operations. I was like, oh, yes.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

I I gotta write that down.

SPEAKER_02 32:46

Oh, that is good. You have to because I was like, CMO. And I was like, don't just have a DMO of unnecessary stuff. You make an unrealistic, like I'm gonna wake up at 5 a.m. and work out and do da da da da da and-da-da-da-da. No, your DMO needs to be simple, realistic, and um basically that's it, simple and realistic. So, first things first. If you know that you are not a morning person, change your habits, change it to where instead of waking up at 12, you're waking up nine. Just you know, and then slowly progress. Because I'm not a morning person, okay? I don't like I want to sleep in. Let me sleep in. Okay, my husband, he be up at 5 a.m. I'm six. I mean, I'm six too. I will I get up at six. Oh, okay, okay. And honestly, he'll probably wake up at four, but five a.m. And I'm just like, don't you let me tell you something? Don't you wake me up? And he at 6 a.m. He was like, Okay, baby, it's time to get up with my cup of coffee. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 33:49

My gosh.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

But yes, again, if you are not a person that's a morning person, change your habit because what did we talk about? Your mindset is everything. So in your daily method of operations, I was like, if you are saying, okay, I'm gonna wake up at 9 a.m. and I'm going to apply to simple five jobs today, okay? Apply to five jobs and have these five jobs applied to by 12 p.m. Set these simple, simple. Because here's the thing: if you say I'm gonna apply to 13, 20 jobs, and I want to have all 20 jobs applied to and go out and have interviews, and you're not gonna succeed. You're setting yourself up for failure. You're setting yourself up for failure. So I was like I said, I was just randomly like working with these girls because they were like, I don't know how to do a resume. I don't know how I'm supposed to. One girl came to an interview in jeans. I said, Oh, jeans? What did she have? Jeans, a bonnet. No, she had jeans, and I was a supervisor at a clinic, and I was working with my instructor, uh Miss D, and I was like, Hey, do you know any medical assistants that need a job because we're hiring? She was like, Oh, yeah, I got a good girl, she's great. And I was like, Okay, send her my way. She sent the resume. I was like, let me help her with the resume. And I didn't think I had to tell her how to dress. Like I said, she came in, she she didn't get it because I was just like, this is so unprofessional, this is making me look bad. So I pulled that girl to the side. I said, Hey, let's talk about your resume first of all. I said, Secondly, let's talk about how you go to an interview. She said, Um, what do you mean? What's wrong? She got offended. She was like, What's wrong? And I was like, Okay. I said, So you do not wear jeans to an interview, you do not have your hair undone um in an interview. I'm late, not in a bonnet. So, um, and then when you when you speak, you introduce yourself and you don't come. Oh, and she was late. That was the other thing. And you're late. I said, punctuality is key. I said, so if you want a job, I said, we're gonna do some practice interviews. And she was like, okay, then that sounds fine, I guess. And so we interviewed, we're doing, we we were, you know, running through all this other stuff. Yeah, listen, let me tell you, this girl, she's a nurse, she is now a nurse. Yay! Let me just say, like, that's the kind of things that I that's my legacy. That's what I believe. Yes, I was just like, I honestly would love to do that with lots of different girls, you know? Yes, yes. That's willing, but they have to be willing.

SPEAKER_00 36:38

Yeah, oh, definitely. You can't force them, you can't force them. Yeah, wow. Oh my goodness, I love it. What a legacy you are building, Ashley. And um, you know, before we get down to the the end, it is time for the Ashley Aless Lightning Round. Now it's going to be fun. Okay. Listeners, those that listen to She Shine, they know every guest gets that five minutes of I just give them quick statements. Yours are statements, or it could be a question. No, they're questions. And you the first thing that pops in your mind, you say it. So you ready? All right, let's go. All right, here we go. What's one word that describes your purpose right now?

SPEAKER_02 37:37

Success.

SPEAKER_00 37:39

A destination every woman should visit at least once. Yeah, that pH vibe. Nursing superpower, compassion, precision, or presence.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Compassion.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

I agree, I agree. What's a mindset shift that changed your life? Remove negativity, coffee, tea, or pure adrenaline.

SPEAKER_02 38:04

I'm gonna say coffee all day.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

I knew she was gonna say that one. All right. A quote or affirmation you live by.

SPEAKER_02 38:14

So I don't know if I said this, but I am a big Disney person. And so ironically, there is one quote that a lot of people know, and it is Dory, and it's just keep swimming. Because here's the thing: at the end of the day, you can't give up, you can't stop, and you can't look back. So if you keep swimming, you are going to get to your destination and to your purpose in life and follow your path.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Love it! Oh wow. Something you're no longer apologizing for.

SPEAKER_02 38:49

Being myself.

SPEAKER_00 38:50

Go ahead, go ahead. I like it, I like it. All right, so what is one thing you want women listening to remember after hearing your episode?

SPEAKER_02 39:03

Simple. Be yourself, be truly authentic to who you are, to what you want, and to what your goals and ambitions are. Because at the end of the day, you cannot try to please anyone else. Because if you do that in life, guess what? You will never seek your true happiness.

SPEAKER_00 39:21

Wow. I I just gotta give it up for her again because I tell you, Ashley, you that you need some cheering this time. Oh my goodness. Come, we gotta give it to her. Touch down. Oh yes, this is for you. You did it. You did it. I am so happy and so proud of you. And what's next for Ashley, the woman, the mother, the leader, and the visionary?

SPEAKER_02 39:52

Well, the that's the thing is what's next for me is I am going to try to stop planning and actually live.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

Okay, hold on. Hold on. The coach in me has to come out. Take the try out of there.

SPEAKER_02 40:12

Okay. I am going to live in the presence and not get so caught up in the planning. And the reason for that being is because I'm so focused on what's next, what's next, what's next all the time that sometimes I do forget about the now. And so what's next for me is I've accomplished a lot of things on my goal list. There are still things that I want to accomplish, but in this current season, in this current reason, is that what you said? It is for me to just live in my purpose of what I have because you don't want to lose it. So I want to live in what I have.

SPEAKER_00 40:57

I love it. I love it. Well, if you want to connect with Ashley Johnson, the golden ambition one, here is how you can get in contact with Ashley. That is her email. If you just want to ask her a question, if you uh need some help in an area, if you're thinking about healthcare career, I'm sure that Ashley will help you out. So again, let me put it up so you can take take it down. Take it down because you know you always come to She Shines with Coach KG with a notebook and a pen. You know that, right? So go ahead and write that down. Also, be sure to like and subscribe to She Shines with Coach KG. It's available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Buzz Sprout, and we are working to get it on up on Instagram and YouTube. Um, just to give you an idea as we're starting to bring this to a close, what's coming for 2026? I say it like this: get your fix in 2026. We are going to have strength um workshops on Zoom. We are also going to have online course, self-paced, where you can discover what your strengths are and learn how to apply them to any goal that you have set. And then if you want a deeper understanding of what we what I offer as the transformational strength-based coach, you can go to this right here, set up an appointment free, free, totally free, and we will talk about it, and then also I'll give you the resource to help you discover your top five strengths. And this is how I live. And lastly, I want to say nothing changes until you change your mind. That's it. So, Ashley Johnson, thank you so much for being here on She Shines with Coach KG. And I can't wait to celebrate with you when all your goals happen. Because I I know, not I think, because that leaves room for doubt. I know and believe you will. So until next time, next episode. This is Coach KG. Thank you so much. See you the next time. God loves you, and so do I.

SPEAKER_01 43:51

Every morning you wake up, there's a choice to make. Will you derize or let your spirit break free? You got power inside you, more than you can see. Time to realise, reclaim what's meant to be. Living in your essence is your suit for power. This is your moment, this is your hour. I rise, I reclaim my praise, live in my essence, won't hesitate.