My family is my greatest wealth.
“If you want prosperity for a year, grow grain. If you want prosperity for 10 years, grow trees. If you want prosperity for 100 years, grow people." - Chinese Proverb
I am one of 25 grandchildren.
I am the daughter of immigrants. I get my work ethic from my father and my zest for life from my mother. It is because of them that I experience the gift of family everyday.
I am a big sister and little sister. Sandwiched between two brothers. As children of the middle class, we believe everything is best shared - except for boba.
My name is a mantra, a poem, a song lyric.
Ashley Ga Lai Mui is my first sacred utterance in the Universe. It’s the sonic vibration and frequency that the Universal energies use to find and assist me. My name serves as a guide.
I affirm my existence and reclaim my inheritance by acknowledging my name - fully.
Ashley
It is derived from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) words æsc (ash) and lēah (meadow, forest clearing). Meaning: Ash tree meadow
Mui
In Chinese, Mui means plum. The more popular phrase, Mui Fa (plum flower) is used in poetry, as a muse in paintings, and is recognized as a national symbol of China.
Lai
Affectionately, Lai means beautiful.
Ga
Simply, Ga means family.
Ash Tree Meadow Family Beautiful Plum
My story is grateful.
A city kid with a big heart, open mind, and a passion to serve.
I grew up in a neighborhood called the Sunset, otherwise known as the Outer Aves. Since birth, I was just 15 blocks short of the Great Pacific Ocean. I have what biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols calls the Blue Mind. A study shows that living near a body of water improves the quality of one's overall mental health, and has therapeutic benefits ranging from increased happiness to creativity.
In the water, everything becomes clear. It’s the blue spaces that invite me to reflect and tap into its wealth and wisdom. It has a way of encouraging me, humbling me, and having me believe that all things are possible.
It’s the trip to water’s edge that continues to bring me to a place of profound gratitude.
Everything I create is out of a deep appreciation for life. I am a home for those who perpetuate connection, reciprocity, creativity, and love. My life work is to connect all things to and through gratitude.
I am the author of A Little Book of Affirmations series and the founder of Gratuity Included.
