168. [Bonus Episode] When Ambition Outgrows You: Identity, Marriage, and Learning to Lean

This bonus episode is an unfiltered reflection on what happens when the identity that once fueled your ambition no longer fits. I share openly about the messy middle of personal evolution, the quiet unraveling that followed slowing down in my business, and the unexpected ways that space reshaped my marriage, my sense of self, and my relationship with support.

This is not a story of resolution or arrival. It’s a story of transition, grief, surrender, and learning how to lean when hyper-independence has been your survival strategy for decades.

TOPICS WE EXPLORE:

• When ambition outgrows the identity that built it
• Hyper-independence and the fear of relying on others
• Slowing down without knowing what comes next
• How space in business can create space in marriage
• Letting go of being the provider as a core identity
• Grief, friendship loss, and the death of former selves
• Learning how to be held without shame

POINT OF THE EPISODE:
Sometimes growth doesn’t look like expansion… it looks like stopping. This episode is a reminder that ambition can evolve, identity can soften, and allowing support may be the most energetically expansive thing you ever do.

MENTIONED:

• The Energy Is Everything series (6 Episodes)

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MORE ABOUT ASH
I am the definition of duality — I swear like a sailor and break rules like it’s my job, but I also hold incredible space for my clients and work my ass off to help them achieve the success they’re after. But I'm also here for the non-preneur woman, too. My background in counseling gives me a unique perspective on what it means to show up, serve, & create connection for those who feel like they've never belonged before.

LINKS:

• Become the Regulated Woman
• Get emails that feel like your best friend (if your best friend was a therapist and actually told you the truth).
• Use code BB20 to get The Burnout Breakthrough for only $7
• Follow me on IG (dropping in once a quarter for updates & gossip)
• Website: ashmcdonaldmentoring.com

Work with me 1:1

• Therapeutic Mentorship
• Business Therapy (therapy + strategic mentorship)
• ...