My Wake-Up Call
Last month, I had a coaching call that shifted everything for me. It wasn’t just another business conversation — it was the honest reflection I desperately needed but hadn’t realized I was craving. She spoke with such genuine care and clarity about patterns she was seeing in my approach, revealing that what I thought was “just how I operate” wasn’t serving me or my business well. My pricing structure needed updating (which has since been transformed), but more importantly, she helped me see that I was barely investing intentional energy into marketing my own company.
That realization hit deep. Here I am, running Ashton Jo Marketing — a business built to help brands show up authentically, shine boldly, and tell their stories with purpose — while I was barely telling my own story. I had been pouring my heart into my clients’ success (something I’ll always be passionate about), but I was leaving my own mission and growth sitting on the back burner, collecting dust. It was the wake-up call I didn’t know I needed, delivered with the perfect balance of honesty and encouragement.
This conversation sparked something bigger than just business changes and made me examine how I was showing up in every area of my life. I realized I had been giving my energy to everyone and everything else while neglecting the foundations that sustain me. Since then, I’ve been making intentional shifts that go far beyond business strategy. I’ve dramatically reduced my screen time and replaced it with activities that truly fill my cup: spending time with family, engaging in meaningful work, practicing my Faith, traveling, and exercising. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, I’m choosing to spend my time with people and pursuits that align with my values and nurture my growth.
The business changes have been equally transformative. I’m now telling my story with intention and pride, showing up for my brand the way I’ve always shown up for my clients. And the difference has been remarkable.
If you’re reading this and recognizing yourself in any part of this story, know that you’re not alone. It’s incredibly easy to give your all to your clients, your job, your family, and your responsibilities while your own story, goals, and growth get pushed aside. We convince ourselves that self-investment is selfish, but the truth is, when we neglect our development, we’re actually limiting what we can offer others.
Perhaps you’ve been carrying around thoughts about changes you want to make — updating your pricing, marketing yourself more boldly, sharing your story authentically, starting that project you keep postponing, or making personal shifts that align with your values. If so, consider this your gentle but firm encouragement to begin. Your mission, your growth, and your story matter just as much as anyone else’s. If you want people to believe in what you do and who you are, you must first show up and believe in it by investing in yourself with the same intentionality you bring to serving others.
The beautiful thing about wake-up calls is that they often come disguised as simple conversations or quiet moments of reflection. They don’t always arrive as dramatic revelations — sometimes they’re just the gentle nudge you need to start aligning your actions with your values. My coach gave me permission to prioritize my own growth, and I’m endlessly grateful for her wisdom and care.
This could be your wake-up call, too. Whatever changes have been quietly calling your name, don’t let them pass you by. You deserve to show up fully for your own life, and the world needs what you have to offer when you’re operating from a place of authentic intention and self-respect.
— Ashton 🤍