What is your connection to nature?

Nature has honestly always been my grounding source. As a Taurus I am an earth sign, and being in the forest and amongst the trees I truly feel calm and at home. But water, oh water! Give me a river, a lake, and especially an ocean, and I am in total awe. When I am happy, sitting by the ocean and looking out into the vast, powerful unknown, I feel like the ocean is celebrating with me. If I have had a bad day or am going through something challenging in my life, being with the ocean always helps to put it all into perspective. It reminds me of how small and impermanent everything else is; of the continuous ebb and flow of life. It is ever humbling.

What is a proud moment in your life when you have pushed yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of? How did you feel before and after?

I think there have been many life moments, big and small, that would fit here. And we should all celebrate these moments! But, I would probably have to say finishing my Master’s Degree. There were numerous times that I questioned what I had been thinking, jumping back into school… AGAIN. I ultimately got through it though, and can even now look back on the time fondly (you know what they say about absence and the heart!) And the result –I can honestly say that I have found a career that is the perfect fit for me, and that I truly find fulfilling, even on the challenging days.

When faced with fear, how do you overcome it?

Ooh, this is a tricky one! I’ve actually been reflecting on this a lot lately and realizing that the older I get, the more I tend to fear some things I didn’t previously, yet let go of others. For example, things that I would have easily jumped into when I was younger with little fear, like leaping off of a high cliff into the water below, I now hesitate more with. On the other hand, I would say I felt more anxious in the past about what others thought of me or my actions, whereas I am now able to let go of this much easier and be true to myself.

I think the biggest thing for me is that I try and get out of my head and tap into my intuition where possible, as this has always been my strongest guide.

How do you self-express in your daily life?

I think this is a constant learning curve for me-the dance of walking through life and finding ways to stay true to myself and put a dash (or sometimes more) of who I am into all that I do. It can be so easy to loose ourselves in the day to day grind, to stop being mindful, enjoying the little moments, and looking for the magic. I have certainly been there, and this is often when I am not carving out enough space for self-care and expression. Whether it be through art, movement, the clothing we wear, the words we use, the decisions we make, or how we just show-up, I believe self-expression is key to our identities and how we connect with ourselves and others. Lets just say, I am ever evolving in this area. It’s a work in-progress, and probably always will be!

What do you think is the value of having these Goddess photos of yourself?

I have seen so many shots from Ashlene’s various Goddess sessions over the years, and always thought that the photos were truly beautiful and empowering. But they were of other people, not of me! This is one of those scenarios where I had to tap into where my fear of putting myself out there was coming from, and once I did, I decided to let go, and go for it. And wow, am I ever glad I did!

Ashlene made the whole experience so comfortable, and she really encouraged me to get out of my shell and let my inner Goddess shine through. Despite the day being cold (omg, late fall photoshoot, so cold!) I still came away feeling so much more in touch with myself, grounded in my connection to nature, and even more in love with this beautiful place I call home. I truly felt wild and free. The photos will forever be a representation of this; a reminder of who I am and what I can overcome.

Find out more about the Goddess Session HERE, and get in touch now for YOUR Goddess Session.