Mother’s Day wasn’t always a holiday I could genuinely celebrate.

For much of my life, my relationship with my mom carried a lot of hurt, anger, and unresolved emotions. And for years, I viewed my story through that pain. But over the last decade of therapy, healing, and personal growth, I slowly began to realize something: healing didn’t mean rewriting my story—it meant learning how to stop living trapped inside of it. 

In this episode, I’m sharing my honest journey with motherhood, forgiveness, healing, and what it has looked like to rebuild my relationship with my mom over time.

We talk about:

•  Healing from childhood pain 
•  Letting go of anger while still honoring your truth 
•  The complicated emotions surrounding Mother’s Day 
•  Guilt, expectations, and wanting peace as a mom 
•  The women who become “mothers” to us even when they aren’t biologically ours 
•  Learning to lead with love instead of staying stuck in resentment 

This episode is for:

•  the daughters still healing 
•  the moms carrying guilt 
•  the women longing to become mothers 
•  and anyone learning how to move from hurt toward healing 

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do… is choose to love anyway.

Happy Mother’s Day to every woman who nurtures, guides, supports, and shows up for others in ways the world may never fully see.

📬 PO Box: 457 Green, Ohio 44232

I had a moment recently as a mom that I’m not proud of.

I lost my temper in a way I never have before—and the guilt that followed really made me stop and reflect.

In this episode, I’m sharing what happened, how I handled it, and what it revealed to me about managing emotions—not just in parenting, but in leadership and everyday life.

This is the final episode in our series inspired by Start With Yourself by Emma Grede, where we’ve been exploring how emotions like anger, fear, guilt, sadness, and joy show up in the way we lead.

In this conversation, we talk about:

•  What guilt is actually telling you 
•  Why reacting in the moment can create long-term impact 
•  The difference between being a thermometer vs. a thermostat 
•  How to course-correct when you don’t show up the way you intended 
•  The connection between leadership at work and leadership at home 

Because the truth is—
 you can care deeply, be self-aware, and still have moments you wish you could take back.

What matters is what you do next.

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs the reminder that they’re not alone in this.

📬 PO Box: 457 Green, Ohio 44232

If you want next, I’d recommend your following episode shifts slightly into:
 👉 “how to rebuild trust after you don’t show up well”

In this episode, we’re continuing our series on emotions in leadership, inspired by Start With Yourself by Emma Grede—and today, we’re talking about fear.

Fear is something every leader experiences, but most of us don’t fully understand how it’s showing up or how much it’s actually influencing the way we lead.

In this episode, I share a real story from my time as a food service director where fear impacted not just me—but my team as well. And looking back, I can clearly see how past experiences shaped my decisions and created hesitation moving forward.

We talk about:

•  How fear shows up in leadership (even when you don’t realize it) 
•  Why past experiences can create hesitation in present decisions 
•  The difference between healthy fear and fear that holds you back 
•  How fear impacts your confidence, communication, and team dynamics 
•  A simple way to start working through fear instead of avoiding it 

Fear isn’t something you eliminate—it’s something you learn to lead through.

If you’ve ever hesitated to make a decision, avoided a hard conversation, or second-guessed yourself as a leader, this episode will help you better understand why.

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If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who could use the reminder.

📬 PO Box: 457 Green, Ohio 44232

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Next in the series: Guilt in Leadership

My boys recently started their own lawn care service, and after their first job, my oldest looked at me and said, “Mom… we only made $40. This wasn’t worth it.”

And that moment stuck with me… because it’s the same place so many of us quit.

In this episode, I’m talking about the reality of starting something new—especially when it comes to making money. Because in the beginning, you’re not getting paid for your skills… you’re getting paid to learn them.

We’ve been conditioned to expect fast results and big income, but the truth is, most growth happens in the phase that feels the least rewarding.

I share:

•  Why the early stages can feel frustrating and discouraging 
•  The mindset shift that helped me go from $100 speaking gigs to $5,000+ 
•  Why most people quit before things actually start working 
•  How to start looking at your effort as an investment, not a loss 

If you’ve been questioning whether what you’re doing is “worth it”… this episode is for you.

Because the beginning isn’t where you earn the most—
 it’s where you build the skills that make it possible.

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If this episode resonated, share it with someone who might need this reminder.

📬 PO Box: 457 Green, Ohio 44232

If you’ve been feeling more reactive than usual… snapping quicker, shutting down, or carrying frustration you can’t quite explain—this episode is for you.

Because the truth is, it’s not actually anger.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real and honest look at what’s been coming up for me lately, including a moment this week that caught me completely off guard. We’re talking about anger in leadership, motherhood, and everyday life—and what’s really underneath it.

You’ll walk away with:

•  A new perspective on anger and emotional reactions 
•  What anger is actually trying to tell you 
•  How this shows up in leadership and at home 
•  A simple way to pause before reacting 
•  How to start leading yourself differently 

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about becoming aware of what’s really going on so you can respond instead of react.

If you’ve ever thought, “That’s not who I want to be,” this episode will meet you right where you are.

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Connect with me:
PO Box 457
Green, Ohio 44232

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If this episode resonated, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps more than you know.

After 50 episodes of Ash to Dusk, I found myself reflecting on what this journey has actually taught me.

With over 11,000 plays, this podcast has become more than just a place to talk—it’s been a space to grow, process, and figure things out in real time. And what’s wild is that most podcasts don’t even make it past a few episodes… yet here we are at 50.

In this episode, I’m sharing 10 lessons that truly changed me along the way. Not surface-level advice, but the honest truths about consistency, growth, loneliness, and showing up even when it’s hard.

If you’re in the messy middle of building something, navigating life, or just trying to keep going—this episode is for you.

📬 P.O. Box:
457 Green, Ohio 44232

There was nothing “wrong”… but something felt off.

I was showing up. I was working. I was doing all the things I thought I was supposed to do.

But I didn’t realize how isolated I had become… until one conversation changed everything.

In this episode, I’m opening up about something I didn’t even recognize in myself — the quiet loneliness that can come with growth, entrepreneurship, and trying to “figure it all out” on your own.

We talk about:

•  Why success can start to feel lonely 
•  The difference between consuming content vs. real connection 
•  How I realized I wasn’t missing information… I was missing people 
•  And the one small step you can take this week to change that 

If you’ve ever felt like no one really understands what you’re going through… this one is for you.

You are not alone — even if it feels like it.

If this episode resonated, please take a moment to share it or leave a review. It helps this message reach the people who need it most 🤍

You can find more resources at ashleymorena.com
Or send me a letter — I’d love to hear from you:
PO BOX 457
 Green, Ohio 44232

Until next time, keep your light burning… from ash to dusk ✨

I used to think that being needed meant I was a good leader.

If everyone came to me, relied on me, and couldn’t function without me… I took that as a sign that I was doing something right.

But over time, I realized something that completely shifted my perspective: I wasn’t leading—I was creating dependence.

In this episode, I’m sharing the truth about what it really means to lead, the hidden cost of always being the “go-to” person, and why being needed might actually be holding you—and your team—back.

If you’ve ever felt like everything falls on you, or like you can’t step away without things falling apart, this conversation is for you.

🔗 More resources: https://ashleymorena.com
📬 Mailing Address: PO BOX 457 Green, Ohio 44232

Most of us think we’re just doing what needs to be done…
Showing up. Working hard. Holding it all together.

But what if the thing you’re most proud of…
is actually what you’ve been hiding behind?

In this episode, I’m sharing a realization I didn’t see coming — that for years, I wasn’t just committed to my work… I was using it as a place to feel safe. A place where I felt in control. A place where I knew I wouldn’t fail.

And without even realizing it, I was avoiding parts of my life that felt harder, more uncertain, and more personal.

If you’ve ever found yourself:

•  Constantly working (even when you don’t have to) 
•  Struggling to “turn off” your brain 
•  Feeling more confident in your career than in your personal life 
•  Or wondering why rest feels uncomfortable… 

This episode is going to hit close to home.

We’re talking about:

•  Why high performers often hide in work 
•  The connection between control, comfort, and avoidance 
•  How your home life and work life are more connected than you think 
•  And what happens when you finally start showing up in the areas you’ve been avoiding 

Because the truth is…
You don’t need to choose between success and your personal life.
But you do have to be honest about what you’ve been avoiding.

If this episode resonates with you, make sure to follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs to hear this too.

You can find more resources at: ashleymorena.com
Or connect with me by mail:
PO BOX 457
Green, Ohio 44232

There are some things in life no one prepares you for… and this is one of them.

In this episode, I’m sharing a part of my story that I don’t talk about often—the reality of having someone you love incarcerated, and how it impacts not just them… but you.

Because the truth is, while they’re behind bars, it can feel like you are too.

After receiving a message that brought up a wave of memories, I found myself reflecting on a time in my life that was heavy, confusing, and filled with lessons I didn’t fully understand until years later.

We’re talking about:

• What it actually feels like to love someone in prison
• The emotional weight and trauma that follows you
• Being misunderstood and judged based on someone else’s story
• And the boundaries I wish I would have set sooner

If you’ve ever felt trapped in a situation, misunderstood by others, or struggled to protect your peace—this episode is for you.

You are not alone. And you can get out of what you’re going through.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who might need it too.

For more resources, visit: https://www.ashleymorena.com
Mailing Address: PO BOX 457 Green, Ohio 44232