Ashley Wagner became the first American woman in a decade to medal at the World Championships in 2015-2016, earning a silver medal. She’s U.S. Figure Skating’s top-ranked figure skater and has held the ranking consecutively over the past few years.
Although Ashley’s competition days have come to an end, she continues to be a prominent figure in the ice skating world by commentating Grand Prix events. Here, she shares her 5 Rules For Life, in her words.
1. Get it done today.
I am the worst when it comes to procrastinating, and if I give myself an inch, I take it a mile. Holding myself to this standard helps me keep myself accountable and productive!
2. Compliment people more often.
I’m the girl who will walk up to the random woman in the store and tell her that her outfit looks amazing, because it absolutely does and people deserve a boost! I used to be super shy, and putting this into practice helped make me feel a lot braver talking to new people.
3. Say no, and often.
In a world where we are constantly told to say yes to every opportunity, I found myself burned out and exhausted after a career full of people pleasing and “yes’”. Confidence in the word “no” has helped me choose the opportunities that are worth my time and energy, and help steer me towards a more curated future that I want for myself!
4. Treat your body with kindness.
This one took a while, but can be approached in so many ways. As a retired athlete it is easy to tear myself apart for no longer having the six pack of my training days but I’ve learned that I don’t train 8 hours a day anymore, and that is OK!! Instead, I focus on fueling myself more wholesomely, and making sure that the products that I use are clean and good for my body! It’s especially important that I use a clean deodorant and I love Type: A because their formulas glide on smoothly and are aluminum-free and 100% safe!
5. Feel your feelings. As a psych major, this one seems obvious to me, but it is incredibly hard to put into practice. We so often try to ignore uncomfortable feelings, and that just holds us back from being able to acknowledge, process, and move forward.
Thanks, Ashley!
Stay tuned for more Five Rules installments.
“Five Rules,” is a series on Rouge18 in which I ask others to share their five rules for life about anything and everything. You can learn a lot about a person by reading which five things govern their actions, no?
