Blog - Page 5 of 48 - ASHLEYNE SEITZ

Family Values

FAMILY VACATION I’m on vacation this week, bumming around the beaches of North Carolina with my immediate family. This is an annual occurrence, and we have rhythms and patterns of behavior that we follow. But this year, my high school best friend and her family also joined us. And the whole experience has me contemplating…

ashleyne seitz

August 23, 2024

General Musings

adventure, family, fun, growth, raising kids, safety, travel, vacation, values

Books: A Lifelong Love Affair

CALL ME A BOOKWORM My brother was the first person to call me a “bookworm.” He said it affectionately, watching me curl up in our parents’ living room armchair. I was maybe seven or eight years old and I remember I was rereading my then-favorite book: a historical fiction novel about a boy living in…

ashleyne seitz

August 16, 2024

General Musings

books, change, friends, growth, hobbies, literature, reading, stories, writing

The Myth of Improvement

I’M STILL MENTALLY ILL I realized this week that it’s been a while since I wrote about mental illness. So long, actually, that you might have found yourself wondering: “Is Ashleyne still mentally ill?” Why, yes, in fact! I am still mentally ill. And it’s looking like that will be true for the rest of…

ashleyne seitz

August 9, 2024

General Musings

anxiety, change, community, depression, growth, history, mental health, mental illness, society

The Influence Principle: How Others Shape Our Lives

WHAT’S THE INFLUENCE PRINCIPLE? This week I’ve been thinking about how many of us believe we’re unique, self-made individuals with our own opinions, ideas, likes, and dislikes. But have you ever considered how much impact other people’s preferences have on our lives? Whether it’s friends, ancestors, coworkers, or significant others, our daily lives are shaped…

ashleyne seitz

July 26, 2024

General Musings

community, cooking, emotions, family, growth, health, heirlooms, leadership, stories

Too Many Friends

DO I HAVE TOO MANY FRIENDS? This week, for no good reason whatsoever, I’ve spent a lot of time on Facebook. That’s fairly rare for me; I usually check for notifications and then head somewhere younger and a little more hip, like Instagram or the local plant store. But this week I browsed my “memories,”…

ashleyne seitz

July 19, 2024

General Musings

change, community, extroverts, friends, growth, history, introverts, social media

How to Get Back into a Habit

I honestly think that getting back into a habit after you’ve fallen off the wagon might be one of the hardest things to do. Well, after childbirth, obviously. And breaking up with a really nice person. And finding complimentary things to say to a middle schooler about their band concert. (“Great job ending the song at…

ashleyne seitz

June 21, 2024

General Musings

change, comedy, community, exercise, growth, habits, health, writing