Conversations with the Inspiring Ashley Cockrell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Cockrell.

Ashley, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born and bred in Birmingham, Alabama — a southern belle at heart! I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN where I received both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. In 2013, I relocated to Houston, Texas to begin my professional career as a Nurse-midwife and a Family Nurse Practitioner to this day.

Although I’ve always been very academically driven, I am also a natural-born creative. In 2017, I felt a strong urge to express my more creative side after being stifled for so long. I thought to myself, what about starting a blog? I’ve always had a love for fashion, travel, and pretty much anything empowering or inspiring for women. Starting a blog seemed like the best way to share my travel experiences and fashion style with others while allowing me to express my creativity.

After months of doubting myself, I finally decided that I had nothing to lose. On January 1, 2018, My Living Spree was born! It serves as my personal creative platform to inspire and empower women to live their best lives through travel, fashion, and self-development. In my very first post titled “Let’s Go on a Living Spree!” I talk about my journey, the catalyst to My Living Spree, and what going on a “living spree” means to me. Since I took that leap of faith, My Living Spree has been such a blessing to my life and the lives of countless others!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My journey has been amazing so far, but it has definitely had its challenges. I’ve found it difficult to balance a full-time professional career with blogging. In the beginning, I found it difficult to find balance until I realized there is no such thing as “balance”. Now, I strive for harmony, which means that everything is working together for the greater good. One day one area may need more of your attention and that’s okay. The key is prioritization and checking in with yourself to know where you need to focus.

I am also Type A and a perfectionist, which can present its own set of challenges. My primary focus is quality and therefore I can spend countless hours working on one thing until I feel its perfect. Now, I have learned how to set limits and take breaks. I speak more about this in one of my most recent posts, “Aloha and Woosah: Unplugging to Recharge”. In this post, I explain the importance of giving yourself grace, listening to your instinct, and letting go of imaginary or unattainable expectations from myself and others. To me, tapping into “self” every once in a while will allow you to be more productive, creative, and give you the energy and drive you need to keep going!

My final piece of advice would be to remember your “why”, follow your passion, and don’t quit no matter what. Focus on the journey, not the destination. What matters most is who you become along the way.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into My Living Spree story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a full-time Nurse Practitioner and Nurse-Midwife and I am so happy to have such a rewarding professional career. I am also a content creator for multiple platforms. The first platform is My Living Spree, which is my lifestyle blog and the second platform is and MILQ Mag, which is a fashion blog for and by people of color. My focus is to empower and inspire women to become the best version of themselves in every area of life –mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I am most known for promoting self-discovery through travel and inspiring women through fashion. I am also known to empower women through motivational and spiritual quotes, relationship talk, and fitness! My most recent post, “Body Goals” documents my recent fitness journey and how transforming physically led to a mental and spiritual transformation as well. My Living Spree is all about how to live a limitless life! I am most proud that My Living Spree is uplifting, dynamic, and relatable. It’s a unique lifestyle blog in that it is a way of thinking and a way of life. No matter where you are in life, make it a living spree — indulging in any and everything that makes you feel alive and fuels your passion!

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
My mother and Michelle Obama have been the most inspirational women in my life. My mother is the most selfless person I know and gives back to her community in countless ways. From volunteering in soup kitchens to praying for others in times of need to giving financially to numerous philanthropic initiatives, she is constantly seeking ways to help others. Her selflessness has made her such a relatable person and someone others value and trust. She has impacted so many lives including those of her coworkers, family members, friends and even my own. Personally, she taught me how to have unshakable faith in God during life’s toughest moments and to believe in myself above all else.

Similarly, Michelle Obama embodies selflessness, but on a larger scale. One the most notable ways she gave back to her community was her childhood obesity initiative “Let’s move!” Not only did this initiative combat a common chronic disease within today’s society, but it also challenged others to live healthier lives and to become a better version of themselves from the inside out. Michelle Obama also taught me how to always hold my head high, keep a smile on my face, and remember “when they go low, we go high.” Her large-scale impact inspired me to continue to empower and inspire women not only on a large scale within my community but also on a large scale through my own platforms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mylivingspree.com
• Email: info@mylivingspree.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycockrell/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mylivingspree/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AshleyCockrell

Image Credit:
Farran Manuel, Instagram @farranmanuel, Kristina Baldwin-Williams, Instagram @kbaldwindesigns_photography

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.