Adventurous: Ashley, The Solo Traveler
Meet Ashley, or also known as @ohdarlingletsseetheworld. By day she is a wife and dog mom to three cuties, as well as a walking motivation to all women to get outside of their comfort zone. She has labeled herself as a Solo Female Traveler, and that is just what she is! Her Instagram is filled with fun-filtered, and adventurous photos. You’ll leave her page being nothing short of inspired! Check it out here: Our only question is- who takes these awesome photos on these solo trips? Or did we just find the world’s best selfie taker!?
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hello! My name is Ashley, and I’m a young at heart thirty-year old from Michigan… Born and raised! I now live with my husband of five years and our three Miniature Dachshunds. I love my little family so dearly, and I’m truly a home body at heart. That is, a home body who loves to travel!! A few years ago, I had my first solo trip… By accident!! My girlfriend and I were going on a magical girl’s trip to Disney World when she got terribly sick and had to cancel. Well, I was already down in Florida, so there wasn’t really much else I could do, besides make the most of it. And I’m so glad I did! It was one of the best times of my life!! And that is what sparked my solo female travel adventure!!
What are some of your hobbies/ passions?
My first and foremost passion would, of course, be traveling! I specifically gravitate towards destinations where I can be outdoors. So… Exploring on an African safari, snorkeling with sea turtles in Hawaii, or kayaking sea caves in Portugal are my types of places and activities! I love being outdoors when I’m at home too, and Michigan is such a glorious place to live for this!
What are some of your favorite places you've traveled to!
So far, they’ve all been in the United States! The United States has so many various places to travel, and I’m always encouraging others to take advantage of this beautiful country!
Hawaii
with my favorite activity being swimming with sea turtles in the ocean.
Joshua Tree
with my favorite activity being hiking and climbing among the various rock formations.
Oregon
with my favorite activity being white water rafting.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What are some dreams you have for yourself?
My dream is to be a full-time travel blogger!! I want to show the women of this world that traveling by yourself is an option and it can be so beneficial for you! And within this niche, I want to focus heavily on finding those amazingly unique experiences for women to partake in! Women, often times, feel very overwhelmed with the idea of traveling solo. So, with this in mind, I also am developing my own solo female travel coaching business, where I will help women conquer their fears and travel the world!What trait(s) do you wear and why?
-Adventurous because I am always up to travel and try new experiences. The world was meant to be explored!
-Independent because without my independence, I would be nothing. My freedom and independence are what drives everything I do in life.
-Dreamer because what is life without a little dreaming? If I didn’t dream, my life would have no color and I would not be where I am today.
How has Pieces of Me made an impact on you?
It serves as a constant reminder to me that I am loved and am an amazing person.
I am different than every single person on this earth and that needs to be valued.
Most importantly, I need to always remember to value myself and appreciate my unique characteristics and personality. These bangles help remind me of this every single day.
Who/what inspires or motivates you?
This life, and that it is the only life I have to live. One aspect that I love in life is engaging and having conversations with the elderly population. And I always ask them the same question, “If you could give the younger generation one piece of advice, what would it be?” And they all say around the same type of answer… “Live your life because it passes you by so quickly”. This is why I challenge myself to live every day to the fullest, travel as much as I can, and have no regrets.Any words of wisdom you would like to share with others?
There never seems to be a time in life where it’s the “perfect” time to do something. There can always be restrictions and excuses. But then you’re left with the “what ifs” of life… And those will always stay with you. What if I told that person I loved them? What if I took that trip to Africa? What if I took that job interview?