The Lopsided Conversation Trap10/20/2022 Have you ever been in a one-sided (or severely lopsided) conversation? One where the other person talks and talks, and when you finally get a moment to chime in, you don’t feel like they truly listened to what you said? Plenty of people in the world claim to have no problem talking to anyone, about anything, anywhere. They have a voice and they use it a lot. But QUANTITY of words (and VOLUME LEVEL) does not beat INTENT and how you make people FEEL when they’re in conversation with you. What over-talkers don’t realize is that they’re swinging their voice wildly like an unruly sword. At best, this way of communicating keeps others at a distance (or silent). At worst, it cuts off deep connection with others and possibilities for collaboration. Learning to be a better listener can change your world, your life, and your relationships. I’ve been working on my listening skills my whole life--first as a shy kid who didn’t talk much. Then as a public relations professional and second-language learner. And now I love diving even deeper as a musician and coach. That’s why a peer review like the one below means a lot to me. Start LISTENING to others like your life depends on it. Because it does. “Overall Ashley is a shining example of a great PQ (Positive Intelligence) coach. I believe she brings much radiance and energy to her sessions with the client. She is truly present with excellent 3rd level listening (intuition) when interacting with the client.” - Peer Coach Reviewer I'm starting my next round of coaching this month. If you'd like to learn how to improve your performance, reduce stress in your life, and deepen your relationships by using your OWN voice more powerfully and effectively, email me for details! With gratitude, Ashley 
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It's Just a Couch10/10/2022 When the delivery man carried it in, I could see the surprised look on his face.
“That is ONE ORANGE COUCH…,” he said. "Yeah, we've been impatiently waiting to see if we'll like it," I added as a sense of both dread and relief washed over me. We bought an orange couch sight unseen (apart from a couple pictures online)...and we like it! But the relief of the wait being over is because this large piece of furniture is not just a couch. It's so much more than that. It’s a place for relaxation after a long day and an opportunity for daily connection and conversation with my husband. It’s a dream realized—I tried to picture this pop of color in my house so many times but couldn’t be sure it would work well until I saw it today in place. It’s a feeling of completion—for weeks our living room felt and looked strangely empty…unfinished. And let’s not forget the BOLDNESS of the color (how could we?!?)! That’s a side-effect of the new level of boldness I have stepped into in my own life. Although we weren’t expecting to wait 1.5 months to get it (and especially didn’t realize how much we’d MISS having a couch), it was worth the wait. This fun piece of furniture is so much more than “just a couch.” It’s a symbol of comfort and family and fresh beginnings. It’s a symbol of home. Now to pick out a new rug to go with it! With gratitude and from my orange couch, Ashley Coming Home: A New Orleans Debut10/4/2022 When my husband received word a few months ago that his job was transferring us back to Louisiana after 5 years in Texas, it wasn't a surprise. In fact, this was one of the aspects of life I had thought about very carefully and knew I'd need to accept before we got married. When we heard the news, we were excited to be close to family again, but that also meant starting over for me just as steady gigs were coming back and fun musical projects were getting off the ground. So to make the transition as smooth as possible (I'd never actually been a "jazz musician" in Louisiana), I did what countless moves overseas have taught me to do: hit the ground running. And while establishing myself here hasn't been ALL sunshine and rainbows (I still get in my own way plenty of the time :p), it has been amazing to start planting new seeds and see them produce lovely opportunities that, in some cases, I hadn't imagined before. They say, "Bloom where you're planted." And I like to add to that: "Start planting NOW!" With that being said, there's a concert I've been nurturing for a couple months that I would love you to be a part of! Please join me tomorrow, Oct. 5, from 8pm to 10pm at the beautiful Marigny Opera House in New Orleans for "Coming Home: Live from the Marigny Opera House." This show will feature some of my favorite jazz standards and traditional jazz songs as I celebrate what "home" means to me through music. I hope to see you there! With gratitude, Ashley  AuthorAshley Orlando is a jazz vocalist/ukulele artist and coach who helps growth-focused leaders find their voice, grow their presence & amplify their impact. Archives
November 2023
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