Welcome back to Wildly Free Reflections with Ashley Looker. Today, I am doing a reflection on our theme for January, authenticity, what I learned, what felt scary, and how I'm taking what I learned about authenticity and applying it to next month's theme, self-compassion.

A couple of things to consider as you listen:

- How comfortable are you speaking up, even if you know it may cause conflict?

- How willing are you to be 'cringe'?

- What keeps you from being your most authentic self?

Interested in joining Joy School or learning more about what's inside? Click here.

Struggling with goals and need a fresh start? Join my free Lunar New Year workshop, Begin Again.

TL;DR: Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m so grateful you are here, and authenticity is about alignment.

Well, hello there, stranger! Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Ashley Looker, founder (and abandoner 😅) of Wildly Free Reflections and The Connection Project Podcast! This is officially my FIRST episode of 2026, but my 17th episode in total.

I am so excited to be back and recommitting to showing up twice a month here on Substack - my heart and Soul have been telling me for a while now that this is where I am supposed to be. I know my people are here, and I am really excited to connect with you.

Here’s what you can expect from me:

* Conversations about depth, intimacy, vulnerability, joy, freedom, spirituality, and connection - all things detrimental to our fulfillment.

* Meaningful growth.

* Authentic Ashley showing up in all her fun, quirky glory.

* Opportunities to pause, reflect, contemplate, and journal.

Who tends to show up in my spaces (and if you’re in the right place):

* People who feel deeply. People who feel like the world is too much or they are too much for the world.

* Highly sensitive humans are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

* People who desperately want to see and live in a different world, and know they must start with themselves, their inner world.

Each month, I will be following the Joy School curriculum themes:

* January - Authenticity

* February - Self Compassion / Kindness

* March - Presence & Embodiment

* April - Purpose & Meaning

* May - Connection

* June - Soul Care & Self Care

* July - Fun & Play

* August - Trust & Confidence

* September - Forgiveness

* October - Slowing Down

* November - Gratitude

* December - Giving & Receiving

Thank you so much for being here, amazing human! And please drop your insights to any of the questions below!

In 2020, I got this hair-brained idea to throw a “Journal Party.” Like so many of us, I was distraught, feeling uncertain, and didn’t know where to turn as the pandemic and chaos raged on. I was missing the connection that I had in my life before the pandemic, and honestly, I was missing the fun. I wanted to have fun again, so I thought, hey! If I could attend a party right now, I’d definitely show up at a Journal Party! And so that’s what I created.

I made a badass playlist, formulated some journal prompts, and invited people to come hang out and connect. The rest is truly history. The Year of Awakening was born.

It’s been five years since our first Journal Party, and the fun, connection, and awakening continue.

Last year, as I was gearing up for the launch of another year, I started to really wonder in the best way, why is everyone here so damn successful?

Why does everyone feel so safe? How are these humans staying connected to their joy, dreams, and desires? What’s making it possible for them to move through resistance? How are they meeting their goals? Why have they been able to intentionally create their best lives while so many others stay stuck? What supports them in believing in themselves, loving themselves, and caring for themselves?

So, I did a deep dive into the community and found six practices that YOA members stay connected to to support their success: the A.W.A.K.E.N. methodology.

In the training video above, I walk you through this incredible methodology and ask you to consider some reflection questions to assess your current state. After watching, you’ll have a clear idea where you are and what you need to focus on to feel more fulfilled in your life.

I hope this video and the A.W.A.K.E.N. methodology inspire you to step into your empowerment and start prioritizing joy.

The Year of Awakening only opens once a year in November. It’s a sacred container and community with monthly themes, daily journaling prompts, a fantastic book club, journaling meditations, playlists, workbooks, and resources, and, as of 2024, a yearly retreat!!

This community is growing and expanding, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. We know deeply that we have one life, and we’re here to have fun, connect with our joy, and spread kindness.

If that sounds like something you want to be part of, you can jump on the waitlist right here when doors open. 108 Days of Happiness also kicks off on July 1st, which will give you a great idea of the vibe and content you’ll receive inside YOA, and you can get on that list here.

On April 24th, 2024, my Gramps decided his time on this planet would come to an end. The truth of the matter was, he probably had a lot more life in him, but it wouldn’t have been the life he wanted to live. Had my Gramps made it through his routine surgery, he probably would have needed to be on dialysis, among other things, and Gramps did not do well with rules or anything that impeded his freedom.

As much as I miss him, I know he died happy, content, complete.

Since his passing, I’ve been thinking a lot about grief and our awakening. Grief has a mysterious way of waking us up. It kick-starts our hearts into alignment with our purpose and reminds us that we only have one life, and it goes by way too fast. I’m begging for us not to wait for a loss, a tragedy, or a traumatic event to wake us up to the life we want to live. Decide to live it today, whether you’re 38 or 83.

If my Gramps were here today, I’d probably ask him something like, “Hey Gramps, are you coming over this weekend for the BBQ?” to which he’d respond, “Well, Ash, does a bear shit in the woods?”

That was my Gramps. A funny guy, a rolling stone, a Dude who not everyone understood, but everyone loved.

Reflect:

* How has grief awakened you in your own life? How has grief mysteriously inspired you to live the life you’re meant to live?

* Life isn’t meant to be understood - it’s meant to be felt. Are you truly living and feeling your way through life?

After I hit ‘publish’ on last week’s podcast episode, I had a face-palm moment, remembering I had forgotten something that significantly contributes to our sense of aliveness.

That thing is generosity.

When you’re exhausted or pissed off or feeling hopeless about the world, being generous is often the last thing you think about doing because we’re too caught up in our own boo-hoo soup.

However, generosity has the magical ability to shift people’s energy, emotions, and mood, for both the giver and the receiver.

I know you may not feel like being generous right now or feel like you have nothing to give or your contribution is too small, but there is no such thing as ‘too small’ when it comes to generosity. Any amount of generosity toward yourself or others will be felt infinitely.

This week, do something kind and generous for yourself or others. We could all use a bit of grace right now. Here are some examples:

* Give yourself a break (literally or figuratively).

* Give yourself or someone else a compliment.

* Share with someone how they’ve positively impacted your life.

* Have leftovers from dinner? Take them to your neighbor, your bestie or someone in need.

* Have extras of any kind? Post them on your local free marketplace on FB.

* Make your partner’s favorite meal.

* Apologize.

* Take a breath and don’t react out of anger.

* Send someone snail mail.

* If you have the means, buy someone’s coffee, gas or toll.

* Give an extra generous tip for great service.

* Do someone a favor.

Remember, there is no generous act that is too small. It all counts.

Things to consider as you listen today:

* When was the last time you were generous toward yourself or someone else?

* How did it feel to be generous?

* In what ways could you be more generous toward yourself (we’re often our own worst critics)?

P.S. If you’re wanting to give yourself the generous gift of three hours to yourself to let go of what’s weighing you down, plant positive seeds of intention in your life and manifest abundance, I encourage you to join me for Bloom & Manifest my springtime workshop happening online on April 26th 10am-1pm PT. Click here to join and - because you made it all the way down here! 😍 - use code BLOOM20 to take $20 off.

Welcome to April and the spring season of Wildly Free Reflections with muah, Ashley Looker. In this month’s episode we talk about:

* What it looks like to live an awakened life.

* The definition of awakening, as well as the opposite of awakening.

* What you are ready to awaken to and bring to life.

* My personal experience with awakening…and falling asleep to life.

* My ingredients for an awakened life - what are yours?

P.S. Last year, I created a podcast version on my Substack called The Connection Project, so you will see that branding here. Because I like it. I think it’s cute. And I don’t feel like changing it. Yet.

Welcome to Wildly Free Reflections! I wanted to drop a little video to outline exactly what you’ll be getting from me for the rest of 2025. Starting in spring 2025, Wildly Free Reflections will be a seasonal show that matches the actual seasons.

Each season will be two months long and include one audio or video each month and two written pieces, either stories, musings, or poems. Additionally, starting April 1st, I’ll be dropping daily notes during the seasonal months!

**I would love to explore having some guests on as well. I want to have conversations about life and love and heartache and spirituality and Life and Death and growth and everything in between! If that’s you, you’re in the right place, and maybe you should hit me up to be a guest??

Who is Wildly Free Reflections for?

* People who are on a spiritual quest, people who want to evolve, become their best selves, and live life to their fullest potential.

* This is for people who want to get off social media and live more creatively.

* This is for people who want more joy and connection.

* This is for people who want to engage in thoughtful conversations that will ask them to grow, push against their comfort zones, and confront what is keeping them stuck.

* It’s for anyone who wants a taste of my creative side.

Here are the upcoming seasonal themes:

April - May (Spring): Awakening

July - August (Summer): Sun-kissed

October - November (Fall): Onward & Inward

January - February (Winter): Rooted

For now, all content will remain free, and I’m asking people to share, share, share. Over the next couple of months, a paid subscription and opportunity to support my work monetarily will become available.

Ok, that’s all for now! Look out for our first little Life Blurb, which is going live in the first week of April!

This week we are welcoming our first incredible guest onto The Connection Project, Kelly Latimer (and Tia**).

Kelly and I have known each other for about 10 years, and I’ve always looked up to her for several reasons. She’s grounded, wise, thoughtful, genuine and hilarious. She’s not here to give you any answers about spirituality - she’s here to explore the questions with you.

There’s one thing that I admire about Kelly that we’re talking about today: her unwavering connection to Spirit and how that shows up for her in her life.

In this episode we talk about:

* Kelly’s definition of spirituality and connection

* Why she pursues a spiritual life and how it all began

* Her personal spiritual practices - take notes!

* The steps she takes when she becomes disconnected from Spirit

* Her thoughts on whether we can or cannot live a spiritual life in the fucked up world we’re living in

* Her connection between spirituality and social activism

As you listen in, take time to consider for yourself the questions I ask Kelly. What rings true for you? What resonates? And how will you move closer to your version of a spiritual life?

This episode is going to blow your mind. Drop comments and questions below. Enjoy, lovely humans.

**During the episode you’ll hear some lovely chirps from Kelly’s bird, Tia the cockatoo. Throughout the episode she’s letting us know she’s loving our conversation ; )

LIKE I KNOW. But I’m here to fuck around and find out!

One of the big things we are exploring here at The Connection Project is how to live spiritually-aligned lives that feel meaningful and fulfilling in a world that feels - and is - divided, violent, scary. How do we find and create peace within ourselves and each other? How can we stay aligned with our Souls when our nervous systems are so often on high alert?

Spoiler alert: I don’t have the answer. But I’m exploring it. This is goin to be an ongoing conversation, part one of one hundred. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Things to consider in this episode:

* Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?

* How do you stay spiritually connected when everything feels like chaos?

* How do you practice spirituality? What makes your spiritual?

* What have you learned about spirituality? What do you need to un-learn about spirituality?

Journaling prompts:

* How will I live in congruence with my definition of spirituality?

* What is the meaning of my suffering or pain?

* How do I personally find meaning, connection and value in life?

And of course, if you enjoyed this episode, please like and share!

I was listening to The Mel Robbins Podcast the other day and it was an episode about transitions, change, and learning how to manage your anxiety and emotions during those times. You know, I didn’t necessarily see myself as ‘going through a change’ because I’m not leaving a job or selling our home or moving out of state. Yet, I absolutely am. I’m going through an internal transition - an Upgrade of The Soul if you will.

During the episode, the topic of values kept coming up and the importance of values during life transitions. I didn’t really understand the connection until Dr. Luana Marques shared a personal story about her own values and how they themselves have changed over time.

I had a huge aha moment about how this may be another missing piece for me - that maybe I’ve been trying to operate from old values that are familiar, but that I’ve outgrown.

I would love to know your thoughts, so please do share below.

Things to consider during this episode:

* Are you in a place of transition and change right now?

* How connected to your values are you?

* What values will serve you in growing and evolving in your life?

Loving what you are hearing and reading? Please do share with your friends and family! I’m just a girl putting her creative work out in the world and would so appreciate your support. Thank you!