choose love

I'm often asked about the positive, open attitude that I carry in life.

"Have you always been this way?" someone recently inquired.

And the answer is pretty much yes.

Growing up, I was a happy, bubbly, open child. It was something that my mum recognized at a very young age and as a result hoped that I would be someone she could confide in later on in life. "[Ashley] is such an open child and I feel very close to her, maybe she'll be the one I open my whole heart to. Time will tell".

Following my mother's death, I made a conscious effort to maintain my positive outlook. Her death was a tragedy, but I didn't care to wallow in my grief. It wasn't easy, but I knew that my mother would have wanted me to continue to fully live, learn from my experiences and embrace all that life has to offer.

“I believe that every single event in life that happens is an opportunity to choose love over fear.” ~Oprah Winfrey

During savasana in a yoga class over the weekend, I found myself thinking "in with love, out with fear" and I was overcome with a wave of calm and acceptance. I've realized that my positive attitude and my perspective on life comes from my decision to choose love. 

Over the last two weeks I've had to make some big decisions. I've had moments of being overwhelmed by the choices at hand and how they would impact my life. While maybe a little frightening at times, making a conscious shift to positivity and love has had a profound impact. My decision to choose love over fear has allowed me to feel excited and rejuvenated by these choices, trust my intuition and recognize the abundance of awesomeness and potential in my life.

When we choose love instead of fear, doors open, serendipitous opportunities present themselves and we are empowered to live the life of our dreams. Isn't that what we're all striving for?

Today (and every day) I encourage you to choose love.

Looking for more? Check out my sweet friend Meghan's creed and Gabrielle Bernstein's May Cause Miracles.