Welcome to the TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE PODCAST: SEASON 2! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti and Jenell Riesner, this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north. 

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we have met so many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we continue to connect with and celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we talk with Ashley Haag, a friend from Milwaukee, fellow former fitness studio owner, and founder and creator of fASHionably FIT.  We get real about the realities of stress while working in the wellness industry and realizing that sometimes the dream life you are finally living is no longer what you need or want or what is working for you anymore. Learning to truly show up for ourselves so that we can actually powerfully show up for others. And recognizing when something’s gotta give, something gotta slow down and learning how to do NOTHING as a way to truly LIVE. 

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Half Dome in Yosemite
• Ladder Drills
• Connie Chung
• SPIRE Fitness
• Vita
• Mel Robbins
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. In this productive, efficient, hustling society, we are getting better and better at being really, really good at burning ourselves out and still remaining successful in the world - ultimately confusing burn out as an inherent part of success. Yet the success is simply masking the fact that we are detrimentally hurting our bodies, our minds, and ourselves. The best antidote is learning how to do nothing + honoring the non-doing.
2. Your body knows when you are overly stressed, or pushing yourself too hard, or doing things that aren’t good for it emotionally, mentally, energetically, and physically. It will continue to give you signals and warn you in bigger and bigger ways until you listen. Paying attention to early signs is hugely important.
3. When we can learn to show up for ourselves in all that we do, we actually can better show up to run our businesses, for our friends, as leaders, as influencers, for family. When we just show up for the other things and people in our lives, we lose our connection to ourselves and then we stop taking care of ourselves and ultimately aren’t able to give back to the things in our lives in the capacity and ways we actually want to and they get lesser versions of us. And relationships and communities and businesses suffer. So, showing up for ourselves isn’t selfish, it is actually the most giving thing we can do for others and the world.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [1:00] peeling sunburnt skin + weird human tricks
• [4:44] hiking Half Dome in Yosemite 
• [14:08] Introducing Ashley!
• [17:20] living with Lyme Disease, stomach ulcers, alopecia, depression as a health professional
• [21:00] effects of being really good at burning the candle at both ends 
• [29:00] stress is stress is stress, even the “good” kind
• [32:00] image, fitting in, + fitness
• [37:00] living your dream life + then realizing it is no longer working or what’s right for you anymore…now what?
• [54:00] running a brick + mortar fitness biz vs a digital fitness brand
• [58:10] nothing you do should ever be at the expense of your health
• [1:02:00] why is it acceptable to have to be busy to be successful?!
• [1:04:00] running a business while also showing up for yourself
• [1:08:00] knowing + being aware of the truth (even if it sucks) is better than NOT knowing
• [1:16:30] living your TRUE NORTH in one-ish word
• [1:18:00] Contact Ashley via IG @fASHionablyfit.ash or FB @fashionabyflit or via email ashley@fashionably.fit