She is Fierce – The Story of Ashley Johns

Enter below for your chance to WIN Ashley’s inspirational mantra decal! We also have a couple of ways for you to get Ashley’s cool mantra design, including one that’s FREE. Read through her post and see the bottom for details.

Sometimes, when you’re on a journey and have committed yourself to it 100 percent, you lose sight of what makes you you. My name is Ashley Johns, and I am the creator and leader of the Fierce Forward community. I don’t think I’m that different from anyone else, and when one of my Facebook followers calls me inspirational, I am still a little surprised by it. I think to myself, “How did I get here?”
I’ve always believed we are capable of anything. Like many women, I struggled with my weight and never felt satisfied with my body. I was fierce in the gym and did everything right but was still not happy with my body. In 2011, when I hit that wall everyone experiences when losing weight, the dreaded plateau, I headed down an unhealthy path with gusto. For several weeks, I ate absolutely no carbs and lost 15 pounds. Even though I loved what I saw in the mirror, I knew deep down that this was a bad road. If you’ve ever taken dieting to the extreme, you know that every part of your body suffers including your hair and your brain. I was so committed to losing the weight that I didn’t hear my heart saying, “This is just not who you are.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I had some amazing experiences thanks to my dedication to fitness. Bodybuilding.com chose me for their Lift Life campaign in 2011, which was amazing. But throughout the shoot, I never felt secure. I continued my extreme dieting, and while my muscles looked great, it didn’t translate to my brain. I was fierce in the gym, but I wasn’t fierce overall. And I knew that had to change.

Today, more than five years later, I realize that living authentically is a challenge — and one that I am committed to fully. Having done everything right for most of my life, then falling into unhealthy patterns and being comfortable with being uncomfortable, I have emerged in a deeply committed way. Fierce Forward is a mantra that I created to remind myself to be fierce every single day. I started a community with Facebook that includes a group of over 40,000 people that encourage and inspire each other daily to be the best that they can be. And I have my own line of limitless bracelets (armor) with empowering sayings.

By being true to myself, I have found the balance that helps me live more fully and gratefully every day. My advice is always the same: lead with your heart, make loving yourself a priority, and have the courage to live the life you want. Thinking back on the journey and the original question, “How did I get here?” I realize I was here all along.

Want to know the concept behind my mantra? I worked with WiseDecor’s artists to capture it in a compelling design. This short video explains what it’s about:

Fierce Forward and wisedecor.com Wall Decal from ashley johns on Vimeo.

WiseDecor makes it easy and fun to customize this same mantra for your walls:

Or you can get the printable version at no cost:

About this inspiring person:
Ashley Johns is a goal coach, motivational speaker, yo-yo dieter turned mindful eater and designer of Fierce Forward Armor to encourage you to live with intention each day!