Welcome to SoCal Lifestyle with Ashley Z!
My Mission:
“To share good thoughts, insight, my passions, kindness & healthy products with the world.”
Hi there! Thanks so much for stopping by! My name is Ashley Zeiss (rhymes with Ice) or just Ashley Z for short, and this fun, but crazy blog idea all came about after reading just the first 3 chapters of the book “Girl, Stop Apologizing”, by Rachel Hollis back in 2019. If you haven’t read this book, it’s definitely a must read if you need motivation on starting a blog, a small business, or any dream you may have! This book is so very inspiring. I have been wanting to start a blog page for many years now. I tried back in 2013/2014 when my son was still very little. Needless to say, I ran out of time and energy to write, and needed to get back to work and make some money. The thought of even trying to do something that didn’t create an income just wasn’t in my wheel house.
Fast forward 5 years…I picked up this book and WOW! All of the excuses I had running through my brain were there, written in black & white. But, what also changed are my circumstances. I currently own my own Social Media Management business and I have a bit more time to write. My daughter is now 19 years old and is attending college. She’s still living here with us but she’s (almost) completely self-sufficient. My son, is now in the 6th grade and can also do most things by himself, with the exception of driving and making his own dinner. I have the capability to spend my evenings writing and to be honest, I feel I a lot more knowledge of life and have experienced so many things, both good and bad. Have you ever heard of Covid-19? I’ve raised a human being (or two), changed careers, owned a business, became a home school teacher, mastered (kind of) being a Stay-at-Home-Work-Mom. I have 22 years of marriage under my belt, have experienced trials and tribulations, ups and downs, the good, the bad and the ugly, and I feel I have some great knowledge to share.
I love to travel through out Southern & Central California and would love to share our pictures & adventures. I’ve lived in San Diego County since 1998 and there are so many amazing things to do here. I hope to share some of the obvious ones and some of the not so obvious ones.
I wanted to create a blog to help me become more accountable. I’m one of those people who always says they’re going to go here, or visit there and put this, that and the other on my “bucket list”, and then never do it! I say I’m going to try new things and visit different places, even around San Diego, and then…never do it! 2020 was a year of sitting around in my Pj’s working, over-eating, drinking too much, watching too much Netflix, and becoming complacent with solitude and isolation. I’m so over it! 2020 made me realize how much I truly miss traveling and exercising, spending time outside, going out to eat, getting dressed up and meeting NEW people! So, piss off 2020! I’m so not doing that any more. I will put on a mask and go for a hike and hit the new outdoor restaurants, take a day trip to Orange County or Palm Springs and explore what’s around me. I’ll over-tip my servers, be kind to the people who bag my groceries and take my order and do anything for me that I don’t have to do myself. (I was actually doing that prior to Covid, but just wanted to re-iterate) And I will life my life to the FULLEST. I need YOUR help to keep me accountable! Ask me where my next adventure will be, whether it be a full-on road trip or just a jaunt around town! Hope you enjoy the adventure with me!
Cheers! Ashley Z.