Meet Ashlie Woods: Retreat Leader + Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashlie Woods and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashlie, how do you think about risk?
It’s my wholehearted belief that there’s a life that wants to be lived THROUGH you and the deepest desires of your heart will light up the path to your most fulfilling, creative and self-expressed life. But no one gets to live that kind of life without taking risks. I’m not talking about financial risks although there might be some of those. And I’m not simply talking about trying new things and risking failure even though that is inevitably part of the journey. I’m referring to the risk involved when we let go of old stories about who we are and how life works and we step into the wild unknown where ANYTHING is possible. It’s the scariest, most worthwhile risk we’ll ever take. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The work I am doing now is the absolute best thing I can imagine doing. I have the privilege of facilitating retreats and coaching programs that support people to love and live more fully aligned with their hearts. I’m grateful to be among those lucky enough to call their work their true passion and calling. But it certainly hasn’t all been easy. I’ve had to grow and develop so much as a leader and as a businesswoman. Prior to starting my company I had only worked for other people and I had very little business or financial education. In fact, in many ways I was willfully ignorant because I found such topics to be rather boring if not overwhelming. However, I began to very clearly understand that the amount of impact I could have on the world was tied to the health of my business. I needed it to thrive in order to have bigger reach and serve more people. That was all the motivation I needed to put my big girl pants on and get to work!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Obviously not considering COVID restrictions: Sunday — Join the 5Rhythms community on the dance floor at the Sammons Center and then grab a great brunch at Meddlesome Moth afterwards. Monday — Go for a morning hike at the Cedar Ridge Reserve and get lunch at Crushcraft Thai Eats in the Quadrangle. Tuesday — Spend the day at King Spa relaxing and getting massages. Dinner at Chuy’s for that tex-mex fix! Wednesday — Biking around White Rock Lake or a leisurely day at the Arboretum with a picnic. Thursday — Strolling around the shops in Uptown before hitting a show at one of our great venues — The Majestic, Granada, Bomb Factory or South Side Ballroom. Friday — Explore downtown Dallas, 6th street or a venture into DMA. Happy hour at DOT in Deep Ellum and dinner at Cane Rosso. Saturday — Evening trip to the Improv in Addison for some laughs with friends.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I attended my first transformational event at Landmark Education in the spring of 2006. That weekend changed my life! I’m beyond grateful to the countless coaches and mentors I’ve had the privilege of being supported by, leading with and learning from. I certainly couldn’t have created this amazing life without those fundamental tools and those who believed in me and held me up along the way.

Website: www.ashliewoods.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashlie.woods/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlie-woods-a031041/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bewildhearted
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashlie.n.woods/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNvq-smQqLF17iPOEK-KETQ
Other: http://insig.ht/wildhearted

Image Credits
Leslie Boren Brandy Setzer Tiffany Bednar Melissa Holloway Walker