Ashley Hugghins shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Ashley, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I love a good, slow morning so mine begins around 7am so I have plenty of time without feeling rushed. First comes coffee, of course, and my daily devotional. The morning is my favorite time to spend in prayer. Then I try and read a few pages of a book- loving self-development books at the moment. Then after some puppy snuggles, I make a smoothie and do a thirty minute workout because if I don’t do it before I start my day, it ain’t happening! This is my perfect setup for a productive day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have been a portrait photographer for 20 years and began specializing in senior photos back in 2013. I fell in love with it and changed my business to photograph them exclusively. A few years ago, I added on Shine, a special session experience for tweens and teens 12-16.
Most recently, I felt a pull to talk to girls more about confidence and self worth since it has been a huge part of what I do behind the camera. I wanted more girls to learn about what they can do to strengthen their mindset and boost their self esteem. I have loved speaking to small groups and getting to interact with them alongside my photography business.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
This is the perfect question for the work I am creating right now. I had a very normal childhood, never wanting for much and very loved. But I was never taught how to love myself. I was tall and awkward and not without my fair share of teasing throughout school. I was never bullied, but definitely had comments made about me that made me insecure and made me begin hating parts of myself. I grew up in the 90s when skinny was in and you were a nobody unless you were pretty. I absorbed all of the toxic messages as a teenager and although I was thin, my self esteem was terrible.
I took all of these beliefs into adulthood and it wasn’t until I was just shy of 40 that I began to do the inner work to undo years of programming. I no longer believed I was destined to be ordinary. That I could change my thoughts about myself and how I saw the world. It was life-changing! Suddenly, other people’s opinions had less of an effect on me and I was able to achieve goals I never thought possible.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that I’m not good enough. I’m a middle child, so I’ve always felt like I was average, not too smart, not too showy, just the right amount. So when I wanted to go after big dreams, I always shied away because who was I to do that? I’m no one special. When I would get a glimmer of motivation, my fear would tell me “Nope, this is for someone else, not you. Stay in your lane. You need to think smaller”. Saying it out loud sounds ridiculous, but even now, that voice likes to try and sway me, but having worked on myself over the past few years, I know how to quiet it or move through it. It’s still hard many days, but I’m getting better at it with each new challenge and opportunity.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
To teach young people about mindset. I remember when I was younger hearing about it only when it pertained to athletes or people who struggled with adversity, but no one told me that it is crucial to everyone. The way you see the world can be a complete lie if your mind is trained to only see the bad. I always believed you were dealt a hand in life and you made the best of it. And that some people were just lucky. I am committed to teaching teens that that is all bs and self worth should be even more important than memorizing historical dates or getting a certain amount of points on some test. Being academically “smart” isn’t the only way of being and certainly doesn’t mean everything when it comes to living a fulfilling life.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing?
Going after my dreams and fulfilling my purpose. I keep hearing that, on their deathbed, nearly everyone says they wish they would have done more of what made them happy. No one will remember how much money you made or how many cars you had, they’ll remember the impact you had. I want to leave a legacy, I never want to wonder what if”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://urbantrendstudios.com
- Instagram: urbantrendstudios
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-hugghins/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/urbantrendstudios
Image Credits
urbantrendstudios.com
