Family surprises, winter market walks, and protecting my peace
Checking in with a very full heart (and an even fuller stomach) after a weekend in Toronto. 🇨🇦
This time of year always feels like a weird tug-of-war. Part of me wants to go 100mph to "finish the year strong," and the other part of me just wants to rot on the couch with a hot tea and a cozy game. I’m leaning heavily into the latter today as I write this!
Before we get into the "business of business," here’s the quick recap:
✨ TLDR ✨
🎈 Surprised my family in Toronto for my uncle's 70th birthday
❄️ Unlearning the "hustle" (and struggling to turn off work-brain)
🛠️ Systems Update: Why I officially hired interns to save my sanity
✨ 2026 Vision: Building for space, not just speed
📸 Visuals: A little recap of my 2025 evolution over on the Gram
The view from the 6 🌆
My heart really needed the family time, the winter market walks, and all the food. Being far away from home for most of this year has taught me that time is the only currency that actually matters.
But if I’m being honest? Even with the flexibility I’ve built, I still struggle with the "toggle" 🫠.
Learning how to actually turn off the work brain while traveling is a major work in progress. I’ve realized I’m still unlearning the idea that my business is my only identity. I’m figuring out what fulfillment looks like when I’m not "getting the job done."
10 years ago, I thought "success" was just climbing a ladder someone else built for me. I didn’t realize I could just… build my own? 🛠️
From life coach, to VA, to OBM/Systems Strategist, this ladder has purpose.
For 2026, the systems I’m building aren't just for "success," they’re for space. 🕊️
The Delegation Era 💼
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about advocating for my own limits. While I am super capable and enjoy doing a variety of projects/tasks for clients, I can’t do it all at the same time.
I’m not perfect at it yet. Earlier this year, I found myself consistently going over my monthly hours with a client. She had taken on massive new projects (including a nonprofit program from scratch, ie. branding, emails, website), and I hit a point where I was perpetually overwhelmed.
Because she didn’t have the budget to simply "buy more of my hours," we had to find a different solution for the long term.
So, we hired 2 interns.
We onboarded them earlier this month and it’s been a massive learning curve for me. It’s forcing me to get better at:
Delegating instead of "doing"
Creating crystal-clear instructions to minimize the back and forth (TY Loom for recording walkthroughs easily)
Building out the resources they need to fly
It’s a lot of work upfront, but I can already feel the shift. It’s finally allowing me to step back so I can help her focus on the big picture goals for 2026. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best system isn't a new app, it’s a new way of protecting your capacity.
Your Turn ⤵️
✅ Take the Quiz: claimyourmagic.co/quiz and discover your Entrepreneurial Magic Archetype.
💌 Referral Bonus: I’m opening up spots for new projects in Mid-January 2026. Know someone who could use my tech and backend magic? You'll receive a cash bonus or a 30-minute mini consultation when your referral becomes a client. Send them to claimyourmagic.co/referral to get started.
See you in 2026 ✨
With love and magic,
Ashley
