5.9 The Sticky Middle Between Uplevels: Trusting the Transition After a Big Life Change

5.12 I Doubled My Income Last Year: Practical Tools & Mindset Work That Actually Changed My Finances

Send in a question or feedback! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/fan_mail/new] This is the money episode I've been sitting on for a while and I finally did it. I just finished my taxes (yes, in April, ADHD solidarity), and looking at last year on paper, I genuinely couldn't believe how far I've come. Last year, I more than doubled my income, making more money than I ever have in my entire life. And I want to tell you exactly how I did it. In this episode, I'm breaking down the full roadmap: the practical financial systems I set up, the money mindset work I did, the books and podcasts that changed the way I think about wealth, and why I believe this matters especially for women and women of color. In this episode we cover: * Why money mindset work (not just practical tools) is what broke my income ceiling * The 3 books that were most pivotal in my financial journey * The financial system I set up based on I Will Teach You to Be Rich and exactly how I replicated it * How I wrote a check for $50K at the beginning of the year and exceeded it by year's end * The role affirmations actually played (yes, really and here's the science behind it) * Why building wealth is a responsibility, especially for women of color * What's next for me financially now that I've transitioned to freelancing Books mentioned: * You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero * We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers * I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Podcasts mentioned: * Financial Feminist - Tori Dunlap / Her First $100K Disclaimer: Ashley is not a financial advisor. Everything shared is from personal experience. Please consult a financial advisor for personalized guidance. 🌐 Connect with Us: * LCW Instagram: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lifecuriouswomen/] * LCW Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lifecuriouswomen] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleynadinelopez/] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleynadinelopez?lang=en] * Sign up for ⁠⁠our newsletter.⁠⁠ [https://lifecuriouswomen.myflodesk.com/lifecuriouswomen] 🎧 Subscribe and Stay Curious! Don't miss out on future episodes filled with inspiring stories and practical insights. Subscribe to the Life Curious Women podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-curious-women/id1627777452] or ⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/2Yprzc05xziRdmmD19rmAo?si=e2afaa5eaa9440dc&nd=1&dlsi=f53fa71e2d1242bc] Watch and subscribe on YouTube.  [https://www.youtube.com/@lifecuriouswomenpodcast] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/support]

5.11 Lessons from Postponing Our Retreat: How to Pivot When Everything Changes Overnight

Send in a question or feedback! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/fan_mail/new] What do you do when something you’ve spent months planning suddenly falls apart? In this solo episode of Life Curious Women, Ashley shares the unexpected story behind postponing the sold-out Connection to Purpose Retreat in India less than 24 hours before departure. After months of planning a transformational international retreat for ten women, escalating global conflict disrupted travel routes through the Middle East, forcing Ashley to make a difficult leadership decision: postpone the retreat for the safety of the group. In this episode, Ashley shares the behind-the-scenes of what happened, the emotional reality of making the call, and the powerful leadership lessons that emerged from navigating an unpredictable situation in real time. But this episode isn’t just about a retreat, it’s about learning how to pivot when life, business, or your career throws you the unexpected. Ashley explores why flexibility, trust, and resilience are essential skills for entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone building something meaningful. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How to pivot when plans suddenly change * Leadership lessons from navigating an unexpected crisis * Why flexibility is one of the most important skills you can develop * How to trust yourself when you don’t have a roadmap * Why risk is part of building anything meaningful * How regulating your nervous system helps you navigate difficult decisions If you’re building a business, navigating a career pivot, or learning to trust yourself through uncertainty, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn’t about when things go right — it’s about how you respond when they don’t. Share the Episode If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who is navigating a pivot in their own life or career. Your shares help grow the Life Curious Women community and bring these conversations to more women. 🌐 Connect with Us: * LCW Instagram: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lifecuriouswomen/] * LCW Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lifecuriouswomen] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleynadinelopez/] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleynadinelopez?lang=en] * Sign up for ⁠⁠our newsletter.⁠⁠ [https://lifecuriouswomen.myflodesk.com/lifecuriouswomen] 🎧 Subscribe and Stay Curious! Don't miss out on future episodes filled with inspiring stories and practical insights. Subscribe to the Life Curious Women podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-curious-women/id1627777452] or ⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/2Yprzc05xziRdmmD19rmAo?si=e2afaa5eaa9440dc&nd=1&dlsi=f53fa71e2d1242bc] Watch and subscribe on YouTube.  [https://www.youtube.com/@lifecuriouswomenpodcast] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/support]

5.10 You Don’t Have to Be Fully 'Healed' or 'Ready' to Be a Leader

Send in a question or feedback! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/fan_mail/new] You don’t have to be fully healed, perfect, or have all the answers to be a leader. In this solo episode of Life Curious Women, Ashley breaks down the truth about leadership, healing, and imposter syndrome, especially for multi-passionate women, entrepreneurs, creatives, and coaches who feel like they need more credentials, more confidence, or more “proof” before they start. As Ashley prepares to lead the upcoming Connection to Purpose Retreat, she reflects on what leadership actually means: not perfection, not expertise, but holding space, being honest, and growing in real time. If you’ve ever thought: * “Who am I to lead?” * “I’m not ready yet” * “I need to be more healed first”  This episode is for you. You’ll learn:  ✨ Why waiting to be “done” is keeping you stuck  ✨ How imposter syndrome shows up in leadership  ✨ The difference between performing leadership vs. practicing it  ✨ How to lead through authenticity, vulnerability, and integrity  ✨ Why your growth journey is your qualification Ashley also shares behind-the-scenes reflections on preparing to facilitate a transformational women’s retreat in India and how her definition of leadership has evolved through building Life Curious Women. This is your permission slip to lead while you’re still becoming. 🌐 Connect with Us: * LCW Instagram: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lifecuriouswomen/] * LCW Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lifecuriouswomen] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleynadinelopez/] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleynadinelopez?lang=en] * Sign up for ⁠⁠our newsletter.⁠⁠ [https://lifecuriouswomen.myflodesk.com/lifecuriouswomen] 🎧 Subscribe and Stay Curious! Don't miss out on future episodes filled with inspiring stories and practical insights. Subscribe to the Life Curious Women podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-curious-women/id1627777452] or ⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/2Yprzc05xziRdmmD19rmAo?si=e2afaa5eaa9440dc&nd=1&dlsi=f53fa71e2d1242bc] Watch and subscribe on YouTube.  [https://www.youtube.com/@lifecuriouswomenpodcast] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/support]

5.9 The Sticky Middle Between Uplevels: Trusting the Transition After a Big Life Change

Send in a question or feedback! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/fan_mail/new] You didn’t make a mistake. You’re not behind. You’re in the integration phase. In this solo episode of Life Curious Women, Ashley dives into the sticky middle, the uncomfortable space between an old identity and a new one. After losing her 9-5, stepping fully into freelancing, growing her acting career, and building a portfolio career, Ashley shares the real, behind-the-scenes emotional work of upleveling: nervous system recalibration, productivity guilt, income waves, ADHD structure, and learning to trust a new reality before you have proof. If you’ve ever: * Left a job and felt disoriented * Started a business, podcast, or creative path and questioned everything * Experienced an identity shift that felt exciting and terrifying * Felt guilty for resting or having time freedom * Wondered if your growth was “a fluke” This episode will give you language, tools, and reassurance for navigating life transitions without self-sabotage. Ashley introduces the Life Curious Women Formula for moving through the in-between: ✨ Connection to self (nervous system work, therapy, journaling)  ✨ Expansion (finding expanders and proof)  ✨ Education (building confidence through learning)  ✨ Action (small, aligned steps forward) She also shares three powerful reflection questions to help you move from seeking external proof to building internal trust. This is your reminder: the void is not punishment, it’s integration. ⏱️ In This Episode * The “sticky middle” between uplevels explained * Career transitions, freelancing, and portfolio careers * ADHD and creating your own structure * Nervous system regulation during identity shifts * Productivity guilt and time freedom * Why growth can feel lonely * How to build trust in a new version of your life * Tools to move through uncertainty without quitting 🌐 Connect with Us: * LCW Instagram: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/lifecuriouswomen/] * LCW Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@LifeCuriousWomen⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@lifecuriouswomen] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleynadinelopez/] * Ashley Nadine Lopez Tik Tok: ⁠⁠@AshleyNadineLopez⁠⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleynadinelopez?lang=en] •Sign up for ⁠⁠our newsletter.⁠⁠ [https://lifecuriouswomen.myflodesk.com/lifecuriouswomen] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/support]

5.8 How I Prepared for Losing My Job: Trusting the Unknown & the Magic that Came After

Send in a question or feedback! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/fan_mail/new] In this solo episode of Life Curious Women, Ashley shares a deeply personal update after taking a much-needed break in January and opens up about a major life transition that completely shifted her relationship to work, rest, and trust. After being unexpectedly laid off from a role she loved, Ashley walks listeners through how she had unknowingly prepared for this moment, both practically and emotionally. From building financial safety and alternative income streams, to rewiring her nervous system around productivity and achievement, this episode is about what happens when life forces you to slow down — and you finally listen. Ashley reflects on: * Why January is not the best time for her to set goals * Preparing financially and emotionally for uncertainty * Letting go of the “one-income” mindset and embracing a portfolio career * Trusting intuition before life makes the decision for you * Nervous system safety, rest, and redefining success * What aligned work and spaciousness actually look like now * Navigating fear, trust, and unexpected magic after a major career shift This episode is for anyone who: * Is burned out or questioning their relationship to work * Is navigating layoffs, career transitions, or freelancing * Feels stuck between safety and alignment * Is craving a slower, more intentional way of living * Wants permission to redefine success on their own terms ✨ If you’re in a season of transition, this conversation is a reminder: you’re not behind, trust the journey!  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2143469/support]