enter my brain.

enter my brain.

Welcome to In Progress

a living journal about faith, creativity, and becoming.
learning to navigate life, business, and belief in real time.

This space started as Creative Insider, a behind-the-scenes look at my journey as a creative entrepreneur.
But as I grew, so did the story.


Now, In Progress is where I document the whole process—spiritual, emotional, creative, and everything in between.

Here, I share honest reflections on what it means to grow without rushing the process.
Sometimes that looks like creative breakthroughs.
Sometimes it looks like doubt, discipline, and surrender.
Always, it looks like progress.

Whether you’re a believer figuring out your next step, a creative craving deeper alignment, or simply someone who values honest conversations about becoming—this space is for you.

We’re all works in progress.
And that’s exactly the point.

Expect:

  • Reflections on faith, identity, and purpose

  • Creative process notes and lessons learned

  • Open letters, journal-style musings, and conversations that invite your voice too

  • Real stories of progress in real time

All Is Well,
Ashlee Nicole

Issue 030: Begin Again by Ashlee Nicole

Because maybe courage doesn’t always mean starting over—sometimes it just means starting honest.

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Issue 027: The Urge to Return (to School) by Ashlee Nicole

Lately, a familiar thought keeps making its way back to me.

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Issue 024: A Byline & A Legacy (Rell Finesse, BET & Me) by Ashlee Nicole

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Issue 021: When the Turnaround Doesn’t Feel Like Comfort... But it's still God by Ashlee Nicole

*cues "Turning Around for Me" by VaShawn Mitchell*

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Issue 018: Sisterhood is Saving Me by Ashlee Nicole

It positions you, it sharpens you, and sometimes, it carries you when you don’t have the strength to carry yourself.

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Issue 015: Proactive, Not Reactive: My Health vs. My Business by Ashlee Nicole

I’m learning that I can’t let my health or my anxiety write the narrative of my business. But I also can’t pretend they don’t exist.

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Issue 029: Proof of Concept by Ashlee Nicole

I [you] can build it, prove it, and release it anyway.

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Issue 026: The Story Is the Strategy by Ashlee Nicole

“The experience is yours, but the lesson you learned belongs to the people you’re meant to serve.”

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Issue 023: The Fear After the Yes by Ashlee Nicole

This week’s reflection: I’m realizing it’s not rejection that scares me. It’s what happens after the “yes.” What do you do when you finally get what you prayed for…

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Issue 020: Stop Letting One Bad Experience Define an Entire Industry by Ashlee Nicole

One bad experience shouldn’t define an entire industry. Let’s talk about discernment, accountability, and the role we play in our own investments.

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Issue 017: Turning "Weakness" Into Strength: How Personal Branding Protects Me by Ashlee Nicole

Sharing my struggles isn’t a liability. It’s a strategy.

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Rethinking Traditions by Ashlee Nicole

A Reflection on Holidays, Faith, and Family

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Issue 028: Womanhood isn’t a monolith. by Ashlee Nicole

The birth of "Fingerprints".

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Issue 025: Trust Your Gut. Trust Your God. by Ashlee Nicole

The move I didn’t make, the job I might not keep, and the lesson I needed.

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Issue 022: Plan B Ain’t Settling—It’s Surrender by Ashlee Nicole

*cues "Another Surrender" by Woman Evolve Worship*

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Issue 019: I’m Okay With Being Used by Ashlee Nicole

But, there’s a difference between being used and being misused.

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Issue 016: The Auntie of Branding? I like the sound of that. by Ashlee Nicole

Putting the pieces together...

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Issue 014: Vlogmas 2024 by Ashlee Nicole

I'm focusing on consistency before I upskill.

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