Empaths Anonymous
Crystina and Danie are just your everyday black and brown eldest daughters in their early thirties, embracing their cultures and trying to navigate life as the highest versions of themselves while struggling to keep it together and carry everyone else’s shit too.
What started as humorous wine nights asking “am I the crazy one here!?” turned into a deeper need for bigger conversations on empathy, cycle breaking and mental health within BIPOC communities – enter Empaths Anonymous, a space to cry, curse, and cuddle.
Get ready for it all — conversations surrounding mental and emotional health, personal growth, community, race and culture, and more!
Welcome to the support group, feelers!
Empaths Anonymous
Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe: Releasing Emotions Through Dance with FitBodyByAshley
Happy Wednesday, Feelers! We have a special guest to continue our Tits Out Summer Series – Ashley Chatman!
Ashley Chatman is the founder of Fit Body by Ashley, a wellness brand that helps women feel strong, confident, and energized through fun, dance-based workouts. With a background in dance and a passion for helping women enjoy movement, Ashley is redefining what it means to get fit—making it approachable, joyful, and sustainable. She’s helped hundreds of women lose weight, stay consistent, and fall in love with fitness again—all from the comfort of their homes.
In this week’s EA meeting, we chat about:
-The birth of FitBodyByAshley
-Releasing stored trauma through dance
-Dance as a modality to move through grief
-Cultivating parasocial relationships through dance videos
-Supporting BIPOC communities through dance fitness
Follow Ashley on Socials:
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro & What's In Your Cup, Sister??
00:04:51 Happy Girl Club & Creating Community in Temecula
00:13:09 El Chingon & The Love Island USA Watch Party Viral TikTok Moment
00:17:25 Introducing Ashley Chatman, Founder of FitBodyByAshley
00:20:43 How Ashley Created FitBodyByAshley
00:25:00 Cultivating an Online Community Through Dance Fitness
00:30:11 Dance as a Celebration of BIPOC Cultures
00:42:43 Experiencing Grief as an Empath and Dancing Through Emotions
00:51:27 Everyone Can Dance! How To Dance When You're Intimidated
00:56:23 Where to Find FitBodyByAshley Online and Saying Goodbye
Crystina’s Coconut Cooler:
1/2 can (4oz) of Sparkling Coconut Water with Yuzu (Trader Joe’s)
Splash of coconut water (we love C20 brand)
Splash of Pineapple Juice
Lime Zest
Lime to Garnish
*You can add any kind of alcohol if you prefer this as a cocktail!
We’ll see you next week for a BONUS episode!
What are we listening to these days?:
We're excited to share a trailer for The Grad School Femtoring Podcast, hosted by Dr. Yvette Martinez-Vu. This award-winning show supports first-gen BIPOC students and professionals in navigating grad school, careers, and productivity in sustainable, values-aligned ways. Give it a listen and grab Yvette’s free Sustainable Productivity Playbook plus curated podcast playlist here: https://creative-trailblazer-5062.kit.com/29b17bb6a4
Nosey AF: conversations about art, activism, and social change.
Hosted by artist and filmmaker Stephanie Graham, this podcast features stories, laughs, and creative practices from filmmakers, artists, and activists. If you’re into hearing how artists create, navigate the world, and find joy in art and culture—you’ll feel right at home here.
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Contact:
empathsanonpod@gmail.com
Intro music by Heet Deth
Welcome to Empaths Anonymous, a space for dreamers, healers, and feelers. Navigating the fine line between putting yourself first and holding space for others. If you struggle with balancing your needs while still supporting your tribe, then you're in the right place. Welcome to the support group. Hi. Welcome back to Empaths Anonymous podcast. I'm Crystina. I'm Danie. And today we are talking about one of our favorite things that we've been reconnecting with dance. Mm-hmm. And using dance to release emotions and just. Quite frankly, feel yourself. Yes. Have your tits out. Have it, have your tits out because that's the kind of summer that we're having. It is. Before we get into all of that, what's in your cup? A specialty? Christina Mocktail. And you guys know if you know, you know. Cheers. She is. I have to literally give you guys a commercial. I wish they could sponsor the podcast maybe one day, but Trader Joe's has a mother effing. Ooh, that's good. Sparkling. Exactly. Sparkling. Coconut water with yuzu. Mm-hmm. And it's not yuzu juice. It's yuzu yuzu, puree puree. So it makes it sweet, but it's a natural sugar from the fruit. Right. And And with the coconut too, it's like creamy. Yes. It's a perf. And what else is in here? I put just a little bit of extra coconut water for some added hydration. Oh yeah. And we already had a pineapple juice open, so I just, it was like half of a pineapple pineapple juice. So we each have like a fourth of a can. It. It's so good. That's it. I have a wine cooler. I'll have a Pinot Grigio. Thank you. It's very summery. Very on theme. This is nice. It's fresh. You guys. It's giving July I, if I had the kin drops or my kava, this would make a very great, like I would put some drops in there. Mm-hmm. And it would taste just like. Alcohol, but without alcohol. That's true. It's very good. We should start whenever we have these little things that we put together. We should put the recipe in the show notes. I will. Can't live without my yuzu Coconut water. Yeah, it's a sparkling coconut water. I don't think that a lot of people make those. It's so good. Y'all better. Y'all better. I'm putting you on right now, but if you sell my shit out, I will come for you. I was gonna say, I might need to go to Trader Joe's and buy us like three or four more boxes because if that runs out like four bucks, stick a dollar a can. Right. And if we don't have it for the rest of the summer, I'm suing. I'll be so upset. Um, that's what's in both of our physical cups. Mm-hmm. And my cup of life, I feel. Good. We'll get into this in a second, but like we both went on vacation for a little while here recently. It's been kind of like this back and forth of like my baby being with me for an extended period of time and then going back with her dad for an extended period of time. So I'm trying to have, I'm really having to fill my days with very productive things when she's not here. And then when she is here, I am able to like pour into having her here and like doing experiences and fun things. So I've been taking her, she is like such a social butterfly. I have to take her to go see her friends. This child is four and a half years old and she's like, mom, I need to go see my friends. And I'm like, I get it. So lots of fun stuff like that. We did a Disney trip, which is so fun to see, especially when you have the opportunity to go. Once a year or whatever where you can kind of like see the growth and you can see what they're excited about and what they're interested in. Yeah, that's true from like year to year, because we went pretty much the same time last year. Yeah, it was June last year and it was July this year. Yeah, it was, it was before I left for 4th of July last year. Yeah. It was super late June. So yeah, pretty much around the same time. Yeah. Um, and then the fact that she's like tall enough now to get on, like so many more of the rides, it's like emotional for me as a mother. Of course. Yeah. Um, but she had. Such a fun time. I think the majority of our time was spent looking for characters and making sure that we got pictures with them, so that was fun. Yeah. She loves her characters. Emotionally. I was feeling it in the Capricorn full moon. Hmm. There was just lots going on. I was tired. I think that was like literally just after Disney too, so I couldn't really decipher what was what. Yeah. But energetically draining and yeah, lots of stuff. Has been coming to the surface, but I am excited to kind of explore all these different opportunities that, that we're getting, especially with Happy Girl Club and just mm-hmm. Meeting people in our community, which is what we set out to do in the first place. And so I think having all these events so far has been nice for us to like. See that there's so many more like-minded girls that are around the corner. We don't have to travel to Timbuk to, to find them. Right. Because they are here. Yeah. Yeah. We have an exciting event coming up in the works. Mm-hmm. Um, that. I am not gonna talk about right now'cause it's not completely 100% confirmed with the venue. It's very close. We're about 90% there. Um, in the next episode, we might be able to talk about it. I think so, so excited about that. When you're listening to this on Wednesday, tomorrow, Thursday the 24th, we have an event I. When you're hearing this, I don't know if there's gonna be tickets left.'cause currently when we're recording there's only five tickets left. Right? Or three? Three, three. So by the time you hear this, the event will likely be sold out. Right. But you can always follow us on socials for the next one to see. Yeah. For the next one because you won't wanna miss the next one. I'll just put that out there, girl. Period. You will not wanna miss it. But yeah, in my Life Cup, I, so when she, um, had her daughter here and they were going to Disney's and doing all the things, I, as I. Pretty much annually due, went home to the Midwest for 4th of July and it just, it's different. It's just a different kind of feeling. I'm not really a patriotic person, but 4th of July in the Midwest just feels very like American, feels like the scene in the Sandlot and not in a mago way. But just like, yeah, it feels very, it almost feels like the summer I turn pretty, it's like going back to cousins Beach. Mm. It's just very, like, we do the same thing. We have our traditions. Yeah. My family and my mom's best friend's, family, we always get together. They have a house on the lake, we have a house on the lake. We go out on the boat, we watch fireworks on the boat. Likes. How many, many years have you guys done that? Literally, I mean, we haven't. Obviously when we moved to Vegas, we stopped'cause we lived in a different state. We met them and my mom, we became friends with Sherry and I became friends with Katie, her daughter, when I was in first grade. So I was six or seven. Wow. So a long time. A long time. Minus the Vegas years. Every year. Every single year. They're like, the round trees are coming over for 4th of July and then it's just kind of snowballed because as we've all gotten older, like both of her kids are married now. Mm-hmm. And so there like, um, partners come and now Katie has a daughter. Yeah, my brother brought his girlfriend this year. So it's like every year it's just kind of gotten, it's more and more people More extended. Yeah. More extended. Yeah. I get that. I do. So it's always just a thing. And then my hometown is like, it's like a town from a Hallmark movie or from like a show. It's, it's like a town of 6,000 people. Right. And the only thing to do on 4th of July is it's called the East Troy Beer Tent. And my gosh, everybody goes to the Easter beer tent and there's like a cover band. Oh, how fun. Yeah. And so we all just go there. They literally only have Miller because it's Yeah, Wisconsin. Yeah. And that's like a Milwaukee beer. Yeah. So they'll have like Miller Light and like maybe one or two other beer options. And then they have like one seltzer option and everybody, I mean, I did not, but people just go there and they get sloshed at the east, trite off of Miller. Yeah. And they have like crazy, very American like corn on like Wisconsin corn on the cob and like how is that different corn dogs. And does it have dressings? Like like's Sweet corn? Oh, okay. Do you eat it with like butter? Butter and salt. Okay. Yeah. I mean, it's the Midwest, so they don't do the whole Yeah, no, I figured it's not like, like street corn here. Yeah, yeah. No, I went to the San Diego Fair and I got my corn. That was one of the first things I did was get my goddamn corn in the top. Yeah. With the, all the spicy I put, I put a little too much spicy this time. Yeah. My mouth was burning. Yeah. But, so that was my, my break, which was nice. I got to spend a lot of time with my dogs this time, and we just kind of laid low, which is what I needed. Hmm. Because I've just really been feeling it lately. Mm-hmm. Um, the need to take a pause and a break. So that's, that's what's in my cup. I'm coming back from that. Um, still feeling a little bit under the weather, which is really annoying, but excited for like the rest of our summer and. Kind of having a reset moment to be able to enjoy things and move things around and reprioritize. I think so. Yeah. I definitely feeling like part of our tits out summer, even though we didn't anticipate it, is a lot of like reframing how we think about things and how we're doing things and, and in every single bucket of life. Right. As well. So, um, yeah. Oh yeah. The life buckets are bucketing. Oh yes, definitely. Have I shared this on the podcast? I know it was on my list of things to share, but I know if I actually did, but I said I had to sit down and I had to. Make different columns of, you know, this is an absolute priority. This is like a maybe or a mm-hmm. A middle of the tier priority. Mm-hmm. And this is like a, I can drop this. Yeah. And I really had to sit down and say like, okay, what matters to me and what things do I need to focus on? And right now, at least, like, obviously the podcast is always a priority'cause I love it and I'm passionate about it, but mm-hmm. My health was like one of the top ones on there. Mm-hmm. And then working on my business. So I'm, I'm having to move things around so that I can. Prioritize those things and it sucks.'cause it feels like having to say no to other things that I do wanna do. Mm-hmm. But I just don't have the space. I'm one person. Yeah. We talk about a lot, trying to do everything all at once at full capacity, 150%, and we just know that's not the reality for the situation that either of us are in. And also just not healthy when we're over here trying to tell you guys to take care of yourselves and we're not taking care of ourselves, so. Right. Yeah. I think that's something really important to bring up is that like we are all. Figuring it out together. Mm-hmm. All the time. And so writing down your buckets, if that's something, if you're feeling like you're in constant overwhelm, approaching burnout and burnout, which we have an episode on burnout with Kelly, if you haven't listened Yeah. Go back and listen to it. Go back girl. Um, fantastic. She has really, really tangible, practical tools. Write. Out your buckets, you know? Mm-hmm. What's mattering to you in this moment and what is actually a real priority? Like if you're writing your health down, it's not gonna be something that you can just ignore. Yeah. Right. And so I think that's important to do it, and we should all. Right. We should all write out our buckets. Yeah. Another thing that's feeling very fun for us right now is prioritizing our TikTok again. Yes. So that's something, it's becoming fun again. Which is nice. It's, it is. We had to let go of this idea that everything has to perform. Mm-hmm. So literally just showing more of our personality, because we know that you guys hear more from us on the podcast. You're listening to us for, you know. An hour-ish. Right. 45 minutes to an hour. People on the internet who just find us from our accounts don't really know that much about us. So showing more about our personalities on TikTok has been kind of fun. It's kind of scary. Like I posted a TikTok the other day and I was like, I told Dan, I'm like, talk me out of talk of, uh, posting this'cause it's just ridiculous. And she's like, no, do it. Yeah. I was like, no, it's a really good, it's a good video. So as we always do, it's linked in our show notes. Mm-hmm. But if you show us some love on, on TikTok, we are kind of, I think, peeking behind the red. Curtain, I suppose. Right. And like, uh, just becoming more comfortable with having an online presence because we've figured out that for the both of us, it's still, even though we're here and we're in camera and it's all these lights and it looks like a production because it is and we care about it. Mm. It's still. Easy to hide behind like some of the guests we interview. And then that gives us an option to like share guest clips and less of us Right. Talking and less of us sharing who we really are as people. Yeah. Because the point was that we were sharing the journey. Mm-hmm. Imperfectly. So kind of like Danie said before, we're figuring things out. In real time as you guys, as we're showing you guys. Mm-hmm. Um, and so we wanted to be able to show you that because starting something, a creative passion is never gonna be buttoned up from the beginning. Especially like when you don't have a background in it. Especially when you don't already have the platform built and you don't have, you know, thousands or millions of followers, you don't have a team behind you who's helping you do all the things. So we just wanna show more of ourselves. And it's really funny that it kind of aligns with this episode'cause we talk about going to Eling, go with our guest Ashley. Mm-hmm. And honestly, the clip that I did not expect to blow up is us at Al Chingon at a Love island. Um, watch party. Watch party. Yeah. It was. It was interesting'cause we had posted it. We're like, okay, like we hope it does. Well first, Christina posted. Kind of like a video montage of like Yeah, just different clips and like kind of audio over it and like did well, it was fine. It's a pretty standard viewership for where we're at right now. And then she thought of just posting one section of the video, the clip of Chris and Huda. Making out the way they were, um, in the speakeasy. Mm-hmm. Um, with the original audio and because of where we were, there were very visceral reactions to what was happening on all the TV screens. And so, and, and the drinks were flowing and the drinks were flowing. The parties around us. Yes. Yeah. They were, they had quite a lot. Which is fine. Do whatever you want. But yeah, it was, it was very funny and it was probably one of the things that we didn't really expect to have the views that it did and the engagement that it did, but we're happy and, and then I think it kind of showed us like people are really interested in the things we post. They just have to see it. And so if you're on that journey of like feeling weird, about being seen in any shape, way or form, in any type of creative journey or space, you just. Like this advice is constant. Just keep doing it because you never know. Just post. You never know. Just post the shit. Yeah. We would constantly talk ourselves out of like doing all the time doing things. Mm-hmm. Because it wasn't gonna perform. And I'm like, well girl, it's not gonna perform if you never post it. Period. Either way. So we just hopeful we might as well try. So, like Danie said, reframing and just purely viewing it as fun and we're making it a priority to try and post every single day, but it's not so like rigid. Yeah. It doesn't always have to be that like a lot of what TikTok is is just people stripped back in their day to day. And so I think that we just need to get our neck out of our shoulders, and that's why we always have to go dance because we're Yeah. A little robotic. Right? Yeah. Speaking of. For this episode, if you clicked on it, we are talking about. Visiting something that makes you feel good. Mm-hmm. And for both of us, that's dance. It's about releasing those emotions. It's about being in community with people. Yes. Even if you're not like physically dancing with people's, just being true. A crowd of people dancing to music that you love. Right. Especially, we're all enjoying it. Right. For the same, share a story later in the episode about, again, El Chino and it's becoming our favorite place, but why we go there is because we love listening to Latin music. Mm-hmm. So. Being in a space with music that you love, with people that, you know, share similar interests, share similar culture mm-hmm. Uh, is really just good for the soul. So it kind of aligned that since we're having this tits out summer, we, um, are talking to Ashley Chatman mm-hmm. Who does dance exercise. Mm-hmm. Um, so kind of pairing up this. Idea of enjoying dance as a way to express yourself, but also as a way to get fit. Mm-hmm. And stay in shape in a way that feels. Good to you and in a way that's accessible for everybody because, um, I mean we both have shared multiple times. We are just really not, I can get myself into being a gym girly, but it takes a minute to get me there mentally. Yeah. For me, if I know if I'm gonna get back into it, I know I'm gonna have to. Carve time out where it's gonna be a thing that becomes something that I'm building into a habit. And so I know if I don't have the capacity to already do that, I'm not gonna waste my money on a gym membership when I know I'm only gonna go like twice a month. Right. You know what I mean? So I have to have the capacity to build that habit. So if I know that I'm not gonna be available every single day. At a very specific time to go, or like a window, right then it's just not for me. So I love that these are things you can access at home. Obviously the market of workout videos can be seen as saturated, but that's why we, loved that it's Ashley and that she's a black woman. Mm-hmm. And that she can show you parts of herself while doing this also, and that just turns her into a real person. You know, it's not your slim body, whatever the, what are they called? Beach, Chloe Beach Body. It's, yeah, the, those like really popular videos. Anyway. No. Tino Shade, but I'm just saying no T to Chloe Ting. It's just what it is. Yeah. Yeah. We appreciate that. Something everyone can do from their living room or wherever you're at, right? So stay tuned. Me and Christina are gonna try one and you guys can join in on that. Fun right? Laugh fest, right? We'll see how that goes. But yeah, before we continue to just keep talking your ear off, let's just get into it. So we hope that you enjoy this interview about dance expression and exercise with our lovely guest, Ashley Chatman.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Today we have a very exciting guest. Her name is Ashley Chatman, and she's the founder of FitBodyByAshley, a wellness brand that helps women feel strong, confident, and energized through fun dance based workouts, with a background in dance, and a passion for helping women enjoy movement. Ashley is redefining what it means to get fit. Making it approachable, joyful, and sustainable. She's helped hundreds of women lose weight, stay consistent, and fall in love with fitness again, all from the comfort of their own homes. Welcome to the podcast, Ashley.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:We are so excited that you are here. Mm-hmm. It's very, um, timely, which we will get into, but we've just been enjoying moving our bodies more through dance. Mm-hmm. And so, yeah, it just was like divine alignment, like, oh, oh my gosh. It's like the perfect time to have Ashley on.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I agree, and I love geeking out about dance and fun movement, so let's go for it.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yay. We're excited. Yeah, we, actually went to a Padres game last night and I passed by our favorite like Latin bar that we love to frequent after the games usually. Mm-hmm. And a lot of the time, like they're playing like the early o's r and b, like hip hop, but every once in a while, like they'll go. Several songs playing some Latin music and like, that's where we really live. And so I was just like, oh, I miss it. I wanna go back. Because really it's so much fun to, to move your body. Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:before we get into the nitty grittys, we do have a segment on our show where we ask our guest What is in your cup? And so that means what are you sipping on literally? And what is in your mental and emotional cup, figuratively, today.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Ooh, I love that. So what's in my cup today is a lemon line sparkling water, and
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:all the bubbles today. It's so refreshing
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:what I am filling my cup up with today, mentally, emotionally, gratitude, as well as ease.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:in the duality of those two,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes. We love that. Yeah. Ease is hard for us.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it's hard for me
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:yeah, we struggle.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:poured up,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:up.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right. And I feel like it's become like kind of like a hot button word, like ease and flow and that everything should just feel like that. And I'm like, I would love that to be the goal, but some things are hard work. Mm-hmm. And I think that sometimes we have this stigmatization that ease just means that we don't have to do anything. So.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Oh yeah.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:And I honestly have to schedule it into my calendar. Like
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:say, okay, Ashley, this is designated time that you are going to relax, decompress, in the ease, even if it's just for a few minutes, because
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I am somebody who tends to always be in that grind, go mode. And so. it definitely is not a default. um, it's something that I'm, I, I practice as much as I can when I can, but it, it's not always the case. So, you know, you, you have to find it when you can.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Absolutely. So getting into it, we wanna know a lot more about your story. So what made you decide to enter the fitness space and specifically focus on dance workouts?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:So it started by accident, honestly, because my. Experience with getting fit, approaching wellness. It's always been shaped from this lens of no pain, no gain, right? That was really all that I kind of knew growing up and when I went to college, I gained the freshman 15 plus another 15 because you know, we love extra credit over here. I decided that I wanted to prioritize my health and wellness, but I didn't like going to the gym. It wasn't fun for me, and I wanted something that felt sustainable and felt like something that I could keep up with long term cue, my sister, taking me to my first ever Zumba class, which if you've never heard of that before, it's essentially a Latin inspired dance workout that you can follow along with. And I grew up being a cheerleader and was feeling active in a lot of. You know, dance curricular activities. And so it just felt aligned for this to be something that I could use as a form of exercise, and that helped me to lose over 30 pounds and get into one of the best shapes of my life. And from there I started to teach classes, and I created a workout video for a class that I was teaching because we were going on a hiatus. And I uploaded it to YouTube because they were like, we can't see you for the six weeks. Please send us something. I meant to make it private, but I wasn't entirely sure how to work YouTube at the time, so I made it public. And a lot of other people started to see it and it started gaining a lot of traction very quickly. And then people were asking me, Hey, can you create more videos? This was so fun. And I was like, sure, why not? So I just started creating more and more content and started growing a following around that. And I saw that there was a gap where women specifically needed movement that felt more fun and enjoyable and something that didn't. Really feel like exercise as much and was still effective and, and it still helped them to reach their goals. And so that has led me to here now where we're at almost 500,000 across
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Wow.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:platforms. I call'em my Dance Fit chicks.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:have fun and we really try to prioritize wellness and just making the, the journey as enjoyable as possible.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah, I'm with you on that. I really struggle to get into the gym, especially at first. I just hate it, especially because I feel like a lot of, I mean. I, I go to a chain gym. I won't like shout them out. But I feel like the, just sometimes the energy in gyms is just not it, and it just like gives you this very like, concrete mm-hmm. Warehouse vibe. And I'm very much inspired by like, being outside and like open, well lit spaces. And the gym just feels like dead energy to me. So, um, I always am like looking for other ways to get exercise in that isn't necessarily like. Going to my local gym. And I also love Zumba. I've been getting back into it, so,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes. No, I agree. And that was another. for me in terms of going to the gym as well. It's just not feeling very comfortable in the
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:of the gym
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:not really knowing what to do. And you know, we shouldn't care about what other people think. But you are a little self-conscious about if people are looking at you or just. Feeling like a beginner, right? Feeling like you can't fully be comfortable and let your exercise hair down, so to speak. And so being able to dance at home or at a park or really anywhere, it just, it gave me a lot more freedom too in terms of just not feeling as self-conscious as I was going through that journey of becoming more experienced in my fitness.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Good. Totally. I think that we can get in our heads a little bit,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:about that experience and about like that fear of being perceived, especially at the gym. So, it's really great that you created home workouts for people. What has that been like cultivating that, community?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:So I originally did create workouts online, but I also taught in-person classes.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:that mix with both then. Pandemic happened, things
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:and I pretty much switched to an exclusively online virtual model. And so it's been really important for me as a creator and as a coach, to just make sure that I have still some of those like live stream touchpoint with my community, with my audience, with my members, and then also just making sure that I bring that energy to the content that I create. So I really want people to feel. That fire, um, and that excitement through the screen so that that encourages them to get up and move. And I've had so many people say that like, oh my gosh, I feel like you're in my living room with me, or I feel like you're at home working out with me. And it just, it makes it a much more enjoyable, interactive experience for them.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:That's sweet. I was gonna actually ask something about the feedback that you get from what, what did you call them again? I'm sorry, the.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Fit Chicks
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:dance fit chicks. How cute is that? Um, you should get like a little shirt with like little chickies on it. That'd be cute.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:do not chickies. That's a good one. I might have to steal that one.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right? That's so cute. But the feedback that you do get from your chicks, do they ever, not only do they say like, okay, obviously I feel like you're in there with me, like the energy that you bring, but do they ever come to you with feedback that it's improved their mental health or that it's gotten them out of like a little bit of a rut mentally?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Oh yeah, so many comments.'cause you know, now that my YouTube channel has grown to the size that it is, I'm getting a lot, my videos and my content get pushed out a lot more, so I get to reach more people, thankfully. And some of the most common comments that I get are. From moms who were like, you know what? After I did this 10 minute video, I just cried because
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:one of the first times that I actually took intentional time for myself and it challenged me, or it just gave me an opportunity to pour into myself before pouring into somebody else. And that really touches me in a way, because while, yes, I definitely am here to help people with a physical and aesthetic goal, like ultimately. Wellness, it's so much bigger than that. It is about showing up for yourself. And you know, as women especially, like, we're very, very quick to be kind of at the last of the to-do list when it comes to self-care. And so it's, it is. Just sort of redefining what that looks like and giving yourself that permission to fill your cup up and to take care of yourself so that you can continue to go out and take care of others. So yeah, that's probably one of the biggest compliments that I could get is just seeing people who actually take a moment to comment and to say, this brighten my day so much in, in ways that you, you can't imagine. So, yeah, I love that.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:I think you're probably, I guess they're finding the videos or the videos they're finding them,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:uh. Space and time postpartum that, is pretty lonely. Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:can have a lot of people around you and they can be physically in your environment or in your space, but mentally you do feel a lot of the time by yourself because you feel like, you feel like you're the only person that's going through that. And the wave of emotions is a lot too. It's like I often would find myself crying for no reason, as they say, but it's really not. You have so much happening in your body during pregnancy to keep this being alive and then all of a sudden, like this person exits and they're in a new environment and they're experiencing something traumatic. So, but you're still having to like, help them survive in the environment, but you're like, I don't know what I'm even doing here either.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:the fluctuations in hormones alone are a lot. You get in the shower and like. The clumps of hair coming out. So you can imagine like first time moms or you know, new moms having just given birth, do you feel like they're in this lonely place and they don't really know where to start? And I just feel like dance as a, as an expression in itself is not even necessarily a workout. Obviously you feel really good after, but it's, it's a lot more emotional than I think climbing the StairMaster.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:For
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:what I mean? Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:And, and also, I mean, like climbing the StairMaster too, I feel like you're just, you're a lot more focused, less, you have your playlist and you're, you're able to, to vibe out and zone out. I feel like you're just so much more focused on, ugh, okay, when is this gonna be over
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Whereas with dance and. Just more fun centered workouts. You really get lost in the movement of it. And I've said so many people are like, oh my gosh, that flew by. Like I wasn't even aware of the time. So it gives you something else to focus on, and it just allows you to be a bit more present in the moment and in yourself too, which I love.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Mm-hmm. I think that. For both the black community and Latiné communities. I think that dance is more than kind of like what you're saying. It's more than just dance. It's, kind of a celebration of our cultures and a celebration of our. Ourselves, our body, through the music and through the dance. And so kind of like what we said before, we've been going to this Latin club, called El Chingon, if you guys are in San Diego, you know?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Ooh.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm. And, we just, there's been a couple of times where we've left and like we've been feeling on a high or like we've left and we felt like we like hit a major breakthrough, or we're like, you know, really moving this. Trauma and tension and that stuck feeling out of our bodies. Can you just speak to that and like, how can dance be like a form of therapy for people who have gone through trauma? And how does it really like, affect the way that we connect to our bodies?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm. disclaimer, I'm not a trauma informed
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:or licensed professional, so I can't speak to it in terms of that more clinical lens, I mean, dance has always been healing for me and I think there's a lot of literature to support how we can tend to store trauma in the body
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:how movement is a really great way to help release that. And I just love using dance as a language that allows me to say things that maybe I can't. Necessarily say in words, it allows me to deal with my feelings, whether those are happy feelings, sad feelings, anxious feelings, you know, angry feelings. It, it gives me an outlet to let them out. And, um, I think so much of what we're conditioned to do is to hold things in and not really express them, especially as we get older and we become adults. It's like, you should be. your emotions or dealing with things in a certain way. And dance really allows me to just let it fly and let it go and, and be free. And yeah, I definitely love using it as one of the therapeutic tools in my toolbox
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:just need to just release.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:that feels really good to be able to have that. And I also kind of treat dance and movement in general as like a multivitamin. So it gives my, it gives me, and it gives my body sort of a, a baseline for health of, okay. make sure that I've, I've checked this off so that I am supporting myself both mentally and physically, then you can kind of build from there.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:I love that so much. That's what we're, that's what we found. Yeah. It's like we're not necessarily going to the club'cause we love to club. Like obviously we're in our thirties, it's kind of like past the time. Like we're not there anymore. It's specifically to go dance there. Um, and because the DJ. Like, you usually know what they're doing. Yeah. And so I don't want anyone to like misinterpret what it is that we're saying. Like, we're not at El Chingon every Saturday, but like, no, when we have an opportunity to go and like when we walk past and they're playing bad bunny, you can't not walk in. You know what I mean?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Exactly.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:pushing guys away. We're like, no, we don't wanna dance with you. We wanna dance with each other, not you.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes. Don't kill the vibe please.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:exactly. And so that's so interesting, like the way that we have that experience and then we leave there and it was almost like, I don't know, I've been having these kind of like emotional experiences or a lot of like release that happens afterward and it. Probably the place I least expected it to happen, but sometimes I'll just get back in the car. In the car. Yeah. It's, yeah, I'll just get back in the car. It'll be like the flood gates have opened and I'm like, well, of course, because I allowed things to exit my body that have been stored there for a long time. So I love that very much. But yes, uh, as a disclaimer, we do not have to go to the club. Yeah, exactly. Get trauma out. We just walk past and, I don't know. It's a, a bit of a, a magnetism situation I think. So we just, we just feel pulled in, that's all. Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:to be said about dancing with a community, dancing with other people
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:You know, I'm
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:huge club person, but let some bump in music, be playing any and everywhere, whether
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes. Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:wherever like I am. I'm ready to shake these hips.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:So, and I, it's fun to be able to do that with my friends
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it gives you an opportunity to just. Honestly, just really sit in in yourself and who you are and laugh. And there's been so many times too, where I've cried throughout a whole dance workout, like tears streaming as I am going through and doing the movements, and, I needed it.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it, it, it gives you what you need in whatever medium that might be, whether that's at home alone or on your own, or being able to fellowship and commune with other people.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah, it's so powerful. I've talked about it on the podcast like over the last few months, but I've been really tapping into like honoring my inner adolescent
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm. Love
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:I think that we, hear a lot about like, inner child work, which is great. And I think that I'm just at this point where I'm like. Almost reconnecting with like the teenage version of myself, and like middle school version of myself and like what, what she enjoyed again, which has been really fun for me. And like one of those things was always dance.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:grew up like going to dance classes and I did like hip hop. I did tap I through different periods of my life. I did different types of dance, but I can specifically remember, there was a time where a new dance teacher like moved into my super small town. Like I grew up in a town of like 6,000 people. And we didn't really have our own dance studio. We'd have to like drive to the next nearest town or city to be able to go to a dance class. And my first ever class. She turns on Shakira and she's like, this is the fundamentals, like in order. To learn hip hop, in order to learn Latin dance and all these different styles of dance, like you need to learn how to move your hips and connect with your hips. And I think that that has just been always something that like I carried with me. So now as an adult, when I'm looking at different aspects of healing and wellness and really trying to do a lot more like hip opening exercises, a lot of the times I'm coming back to dance, whether it's in my Zumba class or we're out somewhere, or even just like. Dancing here at home or in the car, like the, the power it has to be able to just one, reconnect with a younger version of myself that dance brought a lot of joy to, but then two, be able to like also focus on the wellness and health aspect and really tap into like an underlying aspect of, wellness and just really. Healing those traumas or like letting that those stored emotions out has been really fun and really powerful for me.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I love that and I'm glad that you mentioned that you are focused on getting back to your.'cause I've heard it said in different ways that, you know, part of growing up is. The world telling you that you need to be an adult and this is what being an adult looks like. And then really all we're doing is just looping back to getting back to being a child
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:exploring our adolescence and what made us feel really happy and alive as as kids. And uh, I think that's so important.'cause you do lose sight of that as you get older and you know, you're. Your mindset shifts or maybe you have different goals or career trajectories or just life milestones that you hit. But um, yeah, it is really important to include that fun and that play. And I think that's also a big part of why I infuse that so much into my brand is that you don't really get to see a lot of that represented in other forms of fitness modalities. It's very much a. Come on, let's go in here, work hard, play harder, or if we're even playing at all. You know, it's
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:like you said, kind of sterile at times. And so, yeah, getting back to that, those childlike tendencies and interests, it, it does make a difference. It.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:It really does, and we don't really, uh, have an option in this house because my daughter, who's four and a half, has recently discovered her own personal love of dance. And so if it's not, Harry Styles, which that phase was, is long gone. As quick as it ca came, it went, um, which sometimes she'll still play him, but right now it's all Michael Jackson and all the time,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:you're
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:and I mean, she is just on the music videos. I could see her little brain trying to like memorize the moves and then like she does the moves like on her own. I'm like this child.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:cute.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah, she's very athletic as it is. And so we've tried different sports here and there, but I think the one thing that I've held off on, I think just until she's a little bit older is dance. And so I think that now we are probably fast approaching the time running to get her into a class.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:well just
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:y'all are going on tour. We'll make sure to get tickets.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right. Oh yeah, for sure. And we're gonna be like her background dancers'cause she runs the show. Oh, for sure. Oh, for sure. Yeah. If it's not Michael Jackson, she's like, by play by, yeah. Play Bad Bunny. She loves it. So she's, she's in that hip moving action. Yes. And then it's like, somebody needs to come dance with me. You know, like I'm not doing this on my own. Like, mom can just make Crystina come dance with me. Like it's a whole thing.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:We've got choreography. Okay. 5, 6, 7, and eights. We've gotta, we gotta gear up for the next Cowboy Carter, uh,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Exactly. Put that out into the universe. Yes. Yeah. I know when I, have an opportunity to take her to her first show, where it's probably just us girls, um, it'll be really interesting to see like who she decides on. I think obviously if I'm gonna take her to her first show, she's gonna be the one to choose. But yeah, I think that, it's so important to just even acknowledge it
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:A piece of our culture that sometimes even gets looked down upon. I think the way that we move our bodies sometimes is like hypersexualized, especially within our culture, or cultures. Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:judge. Exactly. And I don't know if that comes as far as the people who are judging comes from a place of insecurity or envy sometimes in a way, or just a complete lack of understanding of like what that means to us as a people. So I think it's really important to. Revisit those things. Like I am very much involved in an age group, that's all adolescents right now. And I can see what it is that we're talking about where it's like there's this rush to grow up. There's this rush to be an adult and a grownup, and you're gonna be in high school and blah, blah, blah, X amount of years. And then after that you have to go to college. And it's just like all these, like you have to, you have to, you have to, and you have to take that seriously, which you do. But in a way it's like. How much is that ingrained to the point where they are also losing sight of who they are? Mm-hmm. As at the end of the day, a child,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:you know, even when you hit 18, you're like, okay, I guess I'm here now, but what does that even mean?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:So just constantly encouraging kids in that age group to really. Not even like define their identity, but just figure out parts of their identity. Like when I see one of my students really interested in like drawing and art, I'm like, yes. Like don't lose sight of it. You're going to have to tap back into that later if you do forget it. Because no matter what, and like you're saying, it's that never ending cycle. It's like, okay, we get to adulthood and then what do we try to do? We try to figure out who we were as kids.'cause that was the most pure and vulnerable version of ourselves. Mm-hmm. Instead of like this force to just be 18 before you're even 15, you know?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. It's, it's getting in the box and then realizing, oh, no, breaking back out of it again
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:the
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:It's, yeah, it's such an interesting thing to think about. But uh, as far as. Moving on and talking about those traumas and how dance kind of helps us. We wanted to offer our condolences for the loss of your mom.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm. Thank you.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:and we. Often discuss grief on this podcast, but through the lens of being a very highly sensitive person and maybe how, like the stages of grief, how they're so concrete and seem to be a little bit more written in stone. Those don't always really apply to someone who's highly sensitive or empathic. So we wanted to ask you, in the context. Of being that type of person. Highly sensitive, feeling a lot. Did you find that dance and movement helped you move through that grief a little bit?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Absolutely, and honestly, I did mention it at the beginning, but my mom's passing was another reason that encouraged me to even prioritize my own health and wellness goals. Fit body by Ashley I don't think would exist had it not been for her and for me, going through that experience of losing her because thought if I had the knowledge and just the expertise that I have now, if I had that back then and if she'd known what I know now, you know, maybe things would be different. And so a lot of what I do in my business and my brand, it is to honor her memory. And when I show up for other people, it's me also showing up. In honor of her. And so that gives me a deeper why and a deeper meaning for why I do what I do. And, you know, particularly wanting to encourage black and brown women to prioritize their wellness. Because we just know that there's so many disparities when it comes to healthcare and just taking care of ourselves in general, that other demographics don't necessarily have to struggle with in quite the same way. so. Being able to have this bigger purpose for my business, for my brand, for my community, for my dance fit chicks, also using dance as a tool to help me process grief in whatever form that it, it comes in. you know, dance was something that I was able to do a lot with my mom. It was a a way for us to just have our own special moments with each other and laugh and be silly. And I have a lot of fond memories of us when we were just dancing. So, and you
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:think about, I dunno if you guys have seen the movie Sinners, if you haven't, spoilers coming. But there is a scene where, uh, one of the main character plays music and it kind of opens up a portal for the ancestors people from the past, the present, and the future. And they're just all dancing together. There really isn't a lot of words spoken, it's just. Them collectively moving and it just shows how, through different timelines, how dance and that music is able to make that happen. And so, yeah, I, I just feel like dance has given me so many opportunities to feel connected to what I'm doing in my business, to feel connected to my memories with her, and also just feel connected to my body and being able to process. Any and all feelings and emotions as I continue to go through this grief journey.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Yeah. I like that you say that it you, you're using it in the present tense because I do know how it was a while ago. Right,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. I was about 14 years ago. Mm-hmm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:right. So someone can hear that number and be like, okay, well it wasn't like recent. Mm-hmm. But. For the loss of your mother, like of course it's gonna feel as recent as it was, you know, so I, I,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:over it.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:no, no. Right. It's like sometimes, depending on what it is that you are going through in your life and experiencing a certain memory or emotion, it can feel like it was yesterday or it can feel like it was, you know, very, very recent. So the number doesn't always really. Matter per se. Um, I don't think it ever really gets easier, so I appreciate that you say that grief is present and we're always like moving and working through it. I think the loss of any family member, especially someone as special as someone's mom, it's really important to acknowledge that. It's never gonna get easier. You just learn how to deal with it differently. Mm-hmm. So yeah, we appreciate that a lot. Definitely gotta get back on my, I gotta get back on my zumba's too.'cause when I first started going to the gym, I was like, no. And then I, they were, they were doing the classes like it was, you know, the, the surgence of, of the zumba's, it was taking over Southern California and the ladies with their beads. I was like, which I love those ladies. I mean, they're like serious. They're serious about it. Yeah. When you have the beads, you know, and I can never actually quite get to that level, but I would, I would love to get back to some sort of like class situation and maybe, maybe I can find like a mommy in me. Yeah. A mommy and me could be fun. Definitely, and even just having the resource that you provide available online that like anytime, kind of like you said, creating those moments of ease and flow within our day. Like, oh, let me turn on Ashley's video and like, let me just get like a 10, 20 minute workout in and then go on with my day. I think that. Speaking to the intimidation of like going to the gym, not knowing what to do. It's like I can just do it at home and I can move my body and I can feel like free in, in alignment and then, you know, go back to the never ending list of responsibilities and things that I have to carry on my list, so. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it, it helps to lower the resistance as well, because. You know, I understand being disciplined and like, I'm gonna get to the gym no matter what. If it's, if it's on my calendar, if, if I've scheduled it in, then it's happening. But then there are some people who are like, okay, going to the gym can be a whole thing. It can be, okay, I've gotta get all of my stuff together. When am I gonna go? I've gotta make time to get in my car, commute there, get there, make sure that I'm to work in with other people who were there. So sometimes it's not always a very quick process, and that
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:overthink things
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm. Yep.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I'll just. I'll do it tomorrow or
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Okay. Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:so
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Ding, ding.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:to. Hello,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:group on, uh, pushing it off to the next day,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:It does give you a little bit less of that resistance where it's like, okay, no, I can literally turn this on in two minutes
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:be done and on my
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:30 minutes. And I kind of craft a lot of my workouts like that to be around that 30 minute mark because I understand that people are busy and they have other things that they wanna do, but they can still make time to prioritize movement and themselves if they feel like that's what they wanna do.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:And like you said, it takes all of that work, that processing out of it, because it's not sometimes going to the gym. Gym isn't just like, oh, I'll go to the gym for an hour. It's like what I have to do to get myself there and then. Being at the gym and then being like, okay, this is what I'm gonna focus on today. And then yeah, getting home and all of that kind of stuff. So I appreciate so much what you offer to your community. And I am excited to try them with Danie and I think that we should do them with her daughter too. Mm-hmm. And we'll send you some videos because I feel like that would be a good time. Yeah, we want to. And then when the episode airs, which will be July, that's why we're feeling like very summery, we're just calling it a very fresh, free, fun summer. Yeah, it's a tits out summer. We're just like boobies everywhere.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:out,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Like out.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:out,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:We're gonna like get color in the backyard. So we're definitely kind of on that wave. And so I appreciate the accessibility for number one. For people like us who hate it and then have to pay for something that we hate is crazy. So it's like the accessibility of being able to do that and then, finding something that like you can do one 30 minutes and they're like, okay, that's it.'cause I got a really busy day. Right? Like, you, I wanna keep going. Like, let me get, let me get to the next video. Gives you more options. It's accessibility to the communities that we know are underserved. Yes. Especially in that space. So, yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:And I'm glad that you mentioned, you know, sending videos of you doing it with your daughter, with your family.'cause that's one of my favorite things to get is when people say, this is me doing the workout video with my 5-year-old or my 10-year-old, and they're into it, they're like,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:we're, we're getting, I'm getting low.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:done jumping high.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it's, it's a, uh, a moment for you to. You know, be able to bond with your loved
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:also just be an example too of this is what, taking intentional time to prioritize yourself, your wellness, fill your cup up looks like. And I think that that's a good lesson to teach.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah, absolutely. Yes. For anybody who feels, who might feel a little like embarrassed about dance or moving their body or like, you know, there are people who say like, oh, I'm a horrible dancer. Like, I have no rhythm. I don't believe that. I feel like everybody can dance. I mean, I'm sure that there are people who like struggle with the rhythm part. But do you have any advice for people who just get a little bit intimidated or a little shy about dancing?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I agree with that sentiment. I don't think that dance is exclusive to any one person, and I don't think that you have to reach a certain level of goodness in order to practice it or to feel confident in doing it.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I do try to craft a lot of my workouts for different levels. So starting off slower and then we can speed things up. And I'm like, you can always stay at a slower pace if that's what makes you feel most comfortable. Or giving people options so that if they want something that is lower impact, then they can follow along with that. Or beginner friendly, they can follow along with that. So that's something that I do try to be just cognizant of when I'm creating content.'cause I recognize and understand that we're. All kind of operating from different levels. So how having content that caters to that I think is, is helpful. But in addition to that, I mean, I just always encourage people to move how you feel led. Like I say, hey, even when I was teaching in person classes, I would say, look, this is what I'm doing up here, but if this is your song and you feel led to do something else over there, go for it. I'm never
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:instructor that's like, you've gotta do it exactly how
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it. And if you don't, then you're doing it. No. This
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:you taking intentional time for you and whatever that looks like, let it be that. So if it's a, I'm doing a move and they feel like they can't quite grab it. March in place, you know,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:your hips. Or just take some time. Some people will also just watch it first so that they can get an understanding of the movements and kind of have that visual first, and then they'll do it. So it really just sort of depends on what makes sense for the individual. But I just encourage people to not put pressure on themselves. And the thing too, with the the dance fitness workouts, it's. It's less choreo, it's less, okay. This is a combination of moves that we're doing and it's, we're trying to just sort of create some type of routine. It's more of
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:we're, we're. Disguising fitness as dance. So there is more of the fitness aerobic movements that are blended in with that as
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it's a lot easier to pick up on and follow along with. And then repetition as well. So
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:a lot of the moves over and over again. So like by the end of the routine you're like, oh, okay. These are kind of like the three to four moves that we're gonna just do. Repetitively and then you're able to pick it up. So a lot of different answers to that question, but you know, overall I would just say, just try to go into it by having fun and getting whatever out of it that you need.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Yeah. I think that one of the, because we're having this theme for the summer, right? I really just wanna encourage everybody to reconnect to joy again and wonder and awe. I think that for our communities, underprivileged communities, minority communities. This has just been a time in our country where it's been very divisive, where we feel a little bit under attack, uh, unsafe, scared, worried about what's gonna happen next. Confused. And I think that we can use dance and we can use fitness and wellness. As a way to rediscover that joy for ourselves and infuse a little bit of that into our everyday. So I'm just encouraging anyone listening, to try out Ashley's, fitness videos and report back, you know? Mm-hmm. Put'em on Instagram, tag us tag Ashley, like we wanna see you guys. Mm-hmm. Um, enjoying the workouts and just prioritizing joy again and putting that and your mental health in the forefront. Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes, please do and leave a comment as well. I try my best to respond to as many as I possibly can, and I also like to consider myself the dance fit cheerleader for my community as well, so, one of the things that I really love about my community is that when they share and they post, or they leave comments or they send me messages, it's an opportunity for me to say, yes, keep going. Keep doing this. To
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:it and to let them know that I see you
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:of you. So please enjoy. Let us know what you're up to, what you're doing, what you like, what you like to see more of.'cause that's what we're here for.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And we wouldn't encourage our audience and your fit chicks to keep going and doing it without us actually trying it either. So we're gonna have, we're gonna be accountable to one another. We're gonna, oh yeah, we're, we're gonna do it and we're gonna Oh yeah. Send all those through. Like we said, this is coming out in July, so we're going to like film some content that's gonna support the episode that's gonna be infused in there so you guys can check us out doing the workouts too. And yeah, it's gonna be a good time. Mm-hmm. Um.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:will be doing now that it's warmer,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:summer series.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:be some new fun content that'll be coming out too.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Fun. Oh, perfect. Yeah. Speaking of that, yes, you got us right on the on the wave. Can you please let our community know where they can find you, where they can interact with the workouts and with you for.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Absolutely. So you can find majority of my workout fitness content on my YouTube channel, youtube.com/fit Body by Ashley. And I'm Fit Body by Ashley on all social platforms, so Instagram, TikTok, I'm out on threads or anything like that. But yeah, those
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Right. Okay. Yay. Cool. And then outside of, the dance workouts, I don't know if you're able to share, but do you have any other like, exciting projects going on?
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I do. So I'm also an actor
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. Okay.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:a lead role in an indie feature film that'll be filming in October. So I'm really excited about that and I'm actually going to be sort of just. Showcasing and documenting my journey of how I use dance and fitness and well and wellness to help me prepare for this role. So that's
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:that's so cool.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:fun journey to go on.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Congratulations. Yeah,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Thank
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:exciting. I saw it on your Instagram today and I was like, Ooh. I don't know if she's allowed to talk about it or not, but
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:no, I am, and I definitely like, wanna encourage, you know, I'll share, like if I'm on set or
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:project, hey, this is what gives me energy, or I'm gonna do this workout before I head to set. Or this is me trying to hit my step goal so I can stay energized in between scenes so it all blends in together. And uh,
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:one thing that I love to do aside from what I do with my Dance Fit Chicks community.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Amazing. Yeah. We'll keep up to date with your journey. Exciting.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Thank
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:share with our audience too. That's exciting. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Really fun. All righty. Well, thank you so much for being with us today, Ashley. We're so, so excited for everyone to hear this and excited, like Danie said, to watch your journey. Mm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Appreciate it and I'm excited for you all. Excited to see what other amazing episodes y'all have coming down the pipeline
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Oh, thank you.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:yeah, like I said, let us know, Danie, when, when we're going on tour, you know.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:I know. I mean, I gotta get her into something. I mean, the, the child is all over the place and it's just like nonstop energy morning till night. Like it is constant. It's always, I'm like, let's figure out where to put that.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:You know? Um, and I love it. Yeah. Right. And we ha and I, when I see those things, it's like I, to be a good parent, you have to nurture the things that you see in your child. Yeah. She has a whole choreography to Bad by Michael Jackson down. Mm. You play that song and she'll drop everything she's doing and she will show you. Yes.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:so she's got like I, I got the dance for you.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Mm-hmm.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:I just need the stage.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes. It really is the whole thing. Anything is her stage. It's the living room. It's outside over here when we have family over. Yeah, it's any places she can find is her stage. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much. Like we said, everything will be linked in the show notes for everyone to find you on YouTube and we are so excited to share our journey, even though I'm. Not gonna lie. I'm a little scared to like show everyone my moves, but you know,
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:Don't be
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:I will do it. I'll do it. Yeah.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:just have fun.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yes, absolutely.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:of advice. Just have fun.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Yeah. We'll, well thank you for spending time with us.
ashley-chatman-aka-fit-body-by-ashley--she-her-_1_05-27-2025_141727:so much for having me. This was so fun.
empaths-anonymous_1_05-27-2025_141727:Of course, of course.
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