asha’s Healing & Wellness fundraiser
Asha catching a sunset at Lake Hiawatha in October 2023. Photo Credit: Darcey McCampbell
what Asha’s Healing and wellness Journey is about
I’ve been really intentional about my healing, since 2017 when “the bottom fell out.” It is something that I take very seriously, and it has continued to evolve over time as I grow and heal and work hard to create a life worth living. Here’s a bit more about my healing journey, for those who are interested in knowing more and/or supporting me to continue to do this healing work.
Since 2017, each year has started out with a Mantra. I use this as my guide for the year, rather than setting a resolution. A mantra, or intention, has proven to be a really good option for me.
My 2024 mantra is to nourish & Nurture.
This means a lot of things, such as:
Nourishing my body with good food, sun, and water.
Nourishing my relationships by saying yes and saying no wholeheartedly.
Nurturing my inner child.
Nurturing my grown up self.
Nurturing my nephews and other important relationships by being fully present.
For the last 5 or so years, I have fundraised to support the costs of my healing and wellness. A friend told me once that he could see how much I was doing in the community, and that by donating to me, he was also supporting the community, because he knew that the healing work I was doing helped me reset when needed and to work towards more stability in my life so I could show up ready and steady for others.
I spend about $3,500 each year to cover the my medical care costs — both my monthly premiums and my out of pocket max. I go to therapy each week, and each year I tend to have 1-2 minor injuries from living an active lifestyle — most recently golf and tennis elbow in the fall of 2023, from paddling so much this summer.
In 2023 I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which explains a lot of the joint problems and other pain issues I’ve had the last decade. Having a name for this is great, though there is no cure. I will say however, that I am fortunate to still be able to be fairly active, even though I am often in pain — there are many folks with EDS who cannot live a very active life.
When I spend money on health care, I don’t have much left for the other things that bring me joy and ease. This includes things like:
Being on/in/near water. Last year for example, I bought a paddleboard (used, $200, had a hole in it, but still works) and a kayak (used, $125 + $50 for a paddle). I was on the water most days during the late summer and fall, and this brought a lot of peace to a particularly hard time.
Going somewhere hot when it’s cold here in MN. If you know me, you know I get funky AF in the cold months. I’ve been able to take a hot weather trip 4 out of the last 6 winters, and it has made a significant difference to my mental health. I save my own money for these trips, but as costs continue to rise, the likeliness of going on a trip decreases. These trips have literally been live saving, so I want to at least have the option to get out of town somewhere hot in March/April when it’s been too much winter here at home. When I travel, I don’t spend much money. I grocery shop as much as I can, don’t do “excursions,” and all the donation money I’ve ever used has only gone to plane ticket and housing.
Help with cleaning, yard work, organizing, etc. I have used fundraiser money in the past to help with some of the tasks that feel too overwhelming for me.
Gear - having quality outdoors gear is important to getting outdoors comfortably. In the past, I have used some of my fundraiser dollars to purchase accessible camping gear, which I have brought and shared on BIPOC and Queer camping trips, and have loaned out to folks in the community. In 2023, I also bought a couple of hammocks that I used regularly (both solo and with friends/family).
Bodywork. I haven’t been seeing my somatic person regularly for the last year or so, but I did get one massage in 2023. I wish I could say it was great, but it honestly wasn’t the best. That said, the act of even scheduling a massage/feeling like I can invest in my physical recover is a real treat. In early 2024, I had some really bad neck and shoulder pain that I could not shake. I considered getting a massage to help work it out, but the cost was too much. This is something that I would like to be able to do for myself without worrying about the cost. I get a massage about 1x every 4 years, but I know that I would benefit from more regular bodywork.
My Ask/Tangible ways you can support my healing efforts:
Donate to me via Paypal at AshaShoffner.
Donate to me via Venmo at SlayShoffner (phone number ends in 2773 if it asks you).
If you have a cabin or second home that you can let me stay at for a few days or more, I’m open to that too! A friend let me stay at her cabin for a few nights in 2022, and it was exactly the respite I needed to come back feeling rejuvenated and reset.
If at any time you have questions about the healing and wellness journey that I am on, feel free to reach out. If you’ve read this far, thank you for learning a bit more about me and my intentions for healing and wellness and for considering my ask to support this work.