Color Me Brave: Ashley Shaw #politicalboss #womenpower #careerblog

Color Me Brave is a blog series that celebrates amazing women that are both successful in their careers and supportive towards other women trying to make it. This series was created especially for millennial women of color because I want them to see other women of color that have been in their place, walked in their shoes and persevered. Color Me Brave is full of fabulous women leaders with dynamic stories. Enjoy and join me in applauding these industry leaders. To contact our Color Me Brave leaders, please email hello@thecolormeb.com.

Ashley Shaw

Color Me Brave: Where did you attend college? Graduate school? 

Ashley Shaw: I attended the University of San Francisco for both undergraduate and graduate school.  I received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Politics and a Masters in Public Affairs, specializing in Government Relations and Campaign Management. 

Color Me Brave: What do you do for a living? Where do you work?  

Ashley Shaw: I am a Field Coordinator at National Skills Coalition - In my current position I create and maintain multi-stakeholder coalitions that advocate for workforce policy changes at both the state and federal levels. That involves direct communication with state and federal policymakers and developing advocacy tools for partners in 30 plus states.

Color Me Brave: Why did you decide to take on this position? Is it part of a larger plan for you? 

Ashley Shaw: I decided to take on this position for a number of reasons. One, it allows me to remain engaged in policy efforts with the federal government and presidential administration. At the same time, I can continue my advocacy work across the country. My current position allows me to leverage nationwide contacts into networking opportunities that I can use to advance my career and skill sets. This position is definitely part of a larger plan.

Color Me Brave: Are you a member of any professional organizations? If so which ones? Ashley: Yes, I am a member of Washington DC Young Democrats. I am also a member of the Public Affairs Council and the Association of Government Relations Professionals. 

Color Me Brave: What are the biggest challenges you face in your job? In your industry? 

Ashley: One of the biggest challenges that I and my industry face is that we cover so many areas of interest; and, it’s a challenge to make sure everyone is on the same page. For example, we work with employers, community colleges, labor unions, community based organizations, federal government and workforce development boards. As someone who is constantly engaging with these different stakeholders, I have to be strategic in my approach.  Making sure that everyone doesn't go into his or her own agenda but that we are all on the same page. It takes a lot of strategic thinking and planning to get policies moving, and running successful grassroots campaigns.

Color Me Brave: How do you overcome obstacles in the workplace? 

Ashley: I first try to understand where there other person is coming from. I have learned that responding right away is the best way to be misunderstood and causes more problems. There is a famous quote that says seek first to understand then to be understood. I try to live by that quote and not jump to conclusions or respond with anger. 

Color Me Brave: What’s something you wish you could tell your college freshman self? 

Ashley: I would tell my college self to keep praying every day and seeking God's guidance. I would also tell myself to enjoy these moments, you will never get another chance to live care-free with your best friends and have fun with them 24/7.

Color Me Brave: How can women show their support for other women in the workplace? 

Ashley: I believe mentorship is a great way that women can show support. There is nothing better than taking a young woman under your wing and helping her find her passions, skill sets and setting out ways for her to achieve her dreams and goals. 

Color Me Brave: What do you do to relax with your girlfriends? 

Ashley: Brunch, Brunch, and Brunch! And after brunch we venture out and explore the many museums that DC has to offer. 

Color Me Brave: Anything else you want our millennial hustlapreneurs to know about you? 

Ashley: As a woman of God my faith is very important to me. I continue to thank God for how far he has brought me and I have faith in His promises that my future will be nothing but AMAZING!

For more information Color Me Brave and other CMB services, check out our website www.thecolormeb.com ! Click here to join our mailing list!

Continue reading the first issue of "Color Me Brave," and read about Danelle's advice to other millennial entrepreneurs.

A couple of our CMBrave honorees shared their wisdom and experiences during the #SheLeads2016 virtual conference. Our facilitators shared tips on networking, taking on leadership roles at work, self-care and more! Sign-up here and get access to interactive + fantastic workshops!

Adding Self-Care to Your Daily Routine

I've always been a multi-tasker. In high school and college, I participated in countless activities and held many leadership positions. In graduate school and now in my professional life, I give my all to work. I volunteer for every opportunity presented to me. I try to connect with all my colleagues to increase my network. My mind and body are constantly on the go, living my hustalpreneur life.

I haven't had time to write a blog in over a month. No doubt, I've had content because work life has been in overdrive. In addition to my 9-5 being crazy busy, @TheColorMeB is gaining more traction every day, and I just became a stylist for Stella & Dot. 

I am elated with my newest purchases from Stella & Dot. Check my page here.

My schedule isn't to blame for my inability to write, however. I have carved out time to sit down and write, and even with my light and sweet coffee, I couldn't muster the focus to write. Something has been off. I haven't been eating right, haven't really had an appetite. I've been worried about finding a place in the middle of summer in NYC and moving my apartment and two dogs.

Then it hit me. I was stressed out.

The feeling of stress

I had been waking up with worry on mind. Worry about my moving situation, my personal life, my work situation, my new opportunities - it was overwhelming. The smallest thing would make me feel this great sense of anxiety. It was exhausting. 

I went to visit my family, in San Francisco, and realized what was going on. My friends and family noticed physical and emotional changes in me. I noticed the changes too. While at home, I called on my spiritual sisters and mother. I allowed myself to be vulnerable with them, and really got to the bottom of all the anxiety. More importantly, I went to church and gave all of my worries to God. 

Self-Care

I always rely on my faith to get me through trying times. While at home, I also realized how absent God is in many facets of my life in NYC. I made a commitment to change that. I made a commitment to stop worrying and start taking care of myself. While I was starting to thrive professionally, I was neglecting to feed my spirit, nourish my body and rest my mind.

Here are 5 specific things I've committed to adding to my daily routine:

1. Finding a church home

Joining a church where I actually live is very important because to foster and cultivate my faith, I must join a fellowship. Joining a church provides you with a place to worship and find others that can support you in your trials. I enjoy going to church because it's a chance to connect with other black women that understand me and can suggest spiritual coping mechanisms to overcome. 

The brutal winter in NYC had a lot to do with my stress. Snow every week made it difficult to explore possible churches. While at home, I found a church that broadcasts their weekly sermons on their website! It has been a God-send.

2. Eating three meals a day

For the past few months, it has been a struggle to commit to eating three meals a day. I'll have a large coffee for breakfast and forget to eat more until lunchtime. For lunch, I'll have a helping of spaghetti and water. I snack on candy bars in the late afternoon. When I get home, if I'm not too tired, I'll have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's so unhealthy!

My challenge is three meals a day! Pinterest is my best friend for this one. On Sundays, I make my lunch for the week in my slow-cooker. It's usually chili or chicken and vegetables. Try this sticky wing recipe. To accompany the slow-cooker dish, I make a big pot of rice. Still working on incorporating more vegetables in my lunch. For my dinner, I try to keep it simple too. I'll make pasta, and load it with my favorite vegetables. Spinach and cabbage are great vegetables to quickly make also.

#pinterestwinning

3. Alone time

Working full-time, having a coupe side hustles, being in a relationship and being a dog mom of two requires a lot of my time. I challenge myself to take time to do things for myself. Another challenge is being more financially responsible, so I'm not going to start splurging. I bought supplies for a DIY pedicure. When it's sunny outside, I wake up early in the morning and go for a walk. My alone time is all about taking the time to embrace the simple things that make me smile. Add that to the top of your priority list.

Treat yourself! Every day! Maybe not a pedi every day but something funners :)

4. Financial responsibility

I'd be a lot less stressed about money, if I took more time to be proactive. I usually make my budget for two weeks and spend until I get paid again. That's clearly not working. I needed to wake up, and realize to be a legitimate entrepreneur and businesswoman, I need to get my personal finances together. Instead of worrying about paying this bill and that loan, I'm focusing on financial goals. 

I use Mint.com to keep track of my monthly bills. Those amounts are stagnant. Rather than focusing on all the money going out, I've cut all unnecessary bills. I started prioritizing better and leveraging the leftover money to save and invest. I'm saving to move to a better apartment. I'm also saving for a big summer birthday party!

5. Celebrate yourself!

My birthday will be a chance to celebrate months of progress on my self-care challenge. You have to remember to create opportunities to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments. My boyfriend's birthday is the day before mine so it will be a joint birthday party and celebration for both of us. 

Self-care is important to remember because without it, it's hard to appreciate life's gifts. We can easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle of urban living. We shouldn't do that. We have to remember to take care of ourselves - body, mind and spirit.

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xoxo,

Courtney

Founder/CEO 

@TheColorMeB

P.S.

Celebrating yourself can include treating yourself to something beautiful like the ring above. Check out my page!

My stylist page!