Going on Sabbatical

Every new beginning starts somewhere.

What is this and who are you?

Hey! Welcome to my newsletter, where I’ll keep you all updated on my experiences and learnings during my year-long sabbatical. I’m Ashley, a US-based professional taking time away from my career in life sciences management consulting. During this time, I’m getting out from behind my laptop to throw myself into new places, spaces, and ideas to push my boundaries and perspectives.  To Fear less and live more. To find my Ikigai.

1. Why a sabbatical?

Honestly, I can’t imagine doing this any other way. I’ve learned that I’m an all-in person, so when I do something, I go all in. This approach to life has its pros and cons, but for the next year, I’m going all in on living more and finding my Ikigai.

2. Where are you going first?

Europe! I chose it largely out of convenience due to the familiarity and close connections I already have there. But this time, I don’t have a rush timeline, and I’ll focus more on connecting with people while pursuing a few passions within the skincare and food industries.

Here is a list of places I’m going to visit first

• London

• Lisbon

• Bordeaux

• Paris

• Munich

• Naples

3. What to expect next?

I’m not going to commit to a regular cadence of updates, but you can at least expect updates on skincare and pizza in Europe. Plus, other adventures and odd things I find along the way.

4. Feedback?

Got a suggestion or idea for me? Feel free to drop me a personal note at jamesash.m@gmail.com