Living In Purpose: A Conversation with Stephanie Alejandra Flores
Stephanie Flores is a veteran, mother, and an advocate. She has every reason to be cynical, but instead, she's still fighting. Still refusing to look away.
We talked about growing up in Ecuador, raising her daughter Mila in a world that doesn't always make space for Black girls, and navigating breast cancer while learning that vulnerability isn't weakness.
And then she said something that stopped me in my tracks: "We're always living in purpose. Everything that happens in our life is not a coincidence."
This conversation is about community, motherhood, and what it means to keep showing up even when life gets heavy.
If you've ever felt like you're falling behind or haven't figured it all out yet, this one's for you.
Reclaiming My Attention (And Maybe My Life)
I knew exactly where my lack of focus was coming from: "Hello, my name is Ashlee, and I'm addicted to my phone." What started as staying informed turned into chasing dopamine hits through endless scrolling. I'd pick up my phone for one thing and end up on TikTok twenty minutes later, wondering how I even got there. My bedtime routine was a battlefield, over an hour of scrolling before I could fall asleep, blue light winning the nightly war to get rest. Then I removed my phone from my bedroom entirely. The first night? I slept through the entire night for the first time in months. Thirty days later, I've finished three books, don't touch my phone for two hours after waking, and I'm learning what it feels like to be present in my own life again. This is what happens when you decide you want something different and you're willing to do something different to get it.
Embrace the Journey: Travel, Wellness, and Connection
WokenHeart is finally here, a dream years in the making, sparked by a solo trip to Iceland that ignited a passion for exploring both the world and my inner self. Join me as I share the journey behind this new space, dedicated to travel, wellness, and community, and the desire to inspire you to chase your own heartfelt desires.