Why Now? A Note from Me to You
We’re at the beginning of summer: longer days, slower rhythms, and the soft invitation to take a breath. This season often brings the illusion of more time. I see it as a genuine opportunity: a chance to reflect, reset, and reconnect with ourselves with honesty and care.
My teen just graduated from high school and is preparing to head off to college. It’s a milestone that stirs so much in me: pride, gratitude, and a deep sense of transition. After eleven years as a single/solo parent, I’m standing at the edge of something new; launching not just my child into their next chapter, but myself into one, too.
This moment feels both tender and expansive. And it’s from this space that I felt moved to write to you.
I’m sending this newsletter not as a pitch, and not because everything is perfectly figured out. But because this is the kind of space I wish more of us had. A space that’s gentle enough to hold the full truth of where we are, real enough to not rush us past it, and grounded in presence so we can hear our own wisdom, not just the noise of the world.
We’re so often pushed to be productive, to perform, to push through. But what we need, especially in moments of transition, is room to breathe. To feel. To ask honest questions without needing immediate answers. To be witnessed as we are, not as we think we’re supposed to be. This takes courage and deep self-love.
That’s the kind of space I try to create in my coaching, and it’s the spirit of this offering.
Below, you’ll find four reflection prompts that have supported me during significant life moments, such as the one I am currently experiencing.
I hope they support you as well.
A Gift for You: Reflective Coaching Prompts to Support Your Journey
Sometimes, the most powerful shifts begin with a single question. As a coach, I believe in the transformative power of pausing to make space for reflection, to breathe, and to listen inward.
This is a gift from my practice to you: four gentle prompts to reconnect with your hope, power, peace, and next steps. You can journal with them, sit in silence with them, or share your thoughts in conversation with someone you trust.
Take what you need. Return to them whenever life feels noisy.
🦋 Reflection Prompts for This Season of Life
A gentle invitation to pause, reconnect, and listen inward.
1. What brings you hope?
We’ve been here before. We’ve faced the unknown. We’ve felt lost, unsure, unsteady and yet we continued. Remembering that we’ve faced challenges before and found our way through brings me hope. I think of my ancestors, my community, the people I love who have faced the unimaginable and kept showing up. I think of the small ways we keep choosing life: planting seeds, telling the truth, showing up with love. Hope, for me, isn’t loud. It’s quiet, steady, and deeply rooted in resilience. Its light can flicker in the darkest of times and places.
Journal Prompt:
🦋 What are three things, big or small, that bring you hope right now?
2. How are you taking charge of your life?
Sometimes “taking charge” doesn’t look like a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s simply saying no. Or yes. Or “not yet.” I’ve learned that reclaiming my agency often occurs in the small moments: when I choose rest, when I name what I need, when I set a boundary, or ask for help. When I say to myself, “I’ve got this,” it’s not because I know the outcome: it’s because I trust myself to stay present, to respond with care, and to keep going.
Journal Prompt:
🦋 What is one area of your life where you’re reclaiming your power?
🦋 What does “I’ve got this” look like for you today?
3. What’s one positive step you can take today?
One step. That’s all we need to begin. It could be making that phone call, taking a walk, journaling for five minutes, reaching out to a friend, drinking water, or breathing with intention. I remind myself often that I don’t need to have the whole map. I just need to take the next step. Momentum builds when we give ourselves permission to begin imperfectly, honestly, and with compassion.
Journal Prompt:
🦋 What is one small, kind, or courageous step you could take today that your future self will thank you for?
4. How do you maintain your peace?
Peace isn’t the absence of challenge, it’s what I return to when things feel overwhelming. I protect my peace with boundaries, with breath, and with beauty. I notice what nourishes me and what drains me. I practice being honest about what I can and cannot hold. I turn down the volume on urgency and turn up the volume on presence. Peace is a practice, not a destination, and it’s one I return to again and again.
Journal Prompt:
🦋 What practices, people, or places help you feel grounded and peaceful?
🦋 What could you do this week to protect or restore your peace?
Let’s Go Deeper, Together
If these prompts resonated with you and you’re ready for deeper support, I’d be honored to walk with you. I offer 1:1 coaching for individuals navigating significant life changes, seeking clarity on what’s next, or simply needing a space to be seen and supported.
🦋 Book a free 15-minute consult: Calendly
Or email me directly at innerworkouterplay@gmail.com - I'd love to hear what’s stirring for you.
With care and curiosity,
Ashnie
Inner Work Outer Play
