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My two boys. 👶🏽🐕 Kayden knew I was pregna My two boys. 👶🏽🐕 Kayden knew I was pregnant before anyone. He could smell something was different about me. He started following me around and never left my side! I promised him I'd still make plenty of time for him after Baby Beyond came. One way I've kept my promise is by figuring out how to still take him on long walks despite having an infant to watch 24-7. He gets a long walk in the morning and then another in the evening. I bring both my husband and son with and we make it a family outing! While my husband pushes the stroller around the neighborhood or local park, I take Kayden out into the woods for a run/walk. It's a great way for us all to stay active. Everybody wins! Well. Everyone except my husband and his pollen allergies 🤧😅 👟 Sustainable/Vegan Workout Shoes (made from recycled materials): @laneeight
Cruelty-free beauty 🌱 Squeezing in some Sunday Cruelty-free beauty 🌱 Squeezing in some Sunday evening self-care with a vegan peel-off mask while hangin out with Beyond. I went most of 2020 without makeup and just focused on taking care of my skin. As a result, I haven't had a pimple in over a year! But this year, I'm wearing makeup again, so good skincare habits are even more essential to maintaining this clear skin I worked so hard last year to get! When looking for skincare products, remember to make sure they're both cruelty-free AND vegan. The two are not the same thing. Cruelty-free means no animal testing. Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients. Mask I Bought: Lift Off Purifying & Brightening Peel Off Mask by @wander_beauty
Can we talk about this? Every year, parents and gr Can we talk about this? Every year, parents and grandparents give bunnies and chicks to kids as Easter surprises. Not understanding what it takes to care for these animals, they abandon them after the novelty wears off. Rabbits are smart, social creatures that live for many years and require the same kind of love and commitment you'd give a dog or cat. If you bring any animal into your home, it should go without saying that they are now your family, not disposable toys or entertainment. This is why holidays lowkey stress me out y'all. Often, the traditions associated with our holiday celebrations lead to overconsumption, a surge in waste, and animal exploitation of some kind. So maybe it's time we rethink the way we celebrate. As you start families of your own, I challenge you to examine the childhood traditions you plan to pass on to your kids. This is the perfect opportunity to start new ones. Traditions that are sustainable and cruelty-free. We have the power to help future generations break the cycles of our harmful habits. What's a tradition you enjoyed as a kid that you realize now in hindsight might not have been the most planet-friendly?
Say hi to my hand splint! I'm wearing it for 2 wee Say hi to my hand splint! I'm wearing it for 2 weeks to treat a preventable "new mom" injury called Tendonitis AKA Mother's Thumb. Athletes are probably familiar with it, but new mothers? Not so much until it happens to you. When you pick your baby up or breastfeed in a way that puts stress on your thumb and wrists, your tendons in that area become inflamed. It happens to many new moms, but most women ignore it. WAYS TO PREVENT IT: 1. Scoop your baby up from his bottom while of course supporting his neck, instead of picking him up by his armpits. I used the armpit method a lot, which put stress on my thumb from doing it constantly. 2. Use a breastfeeding pillow! I was stubborn. I like to breastfeed "naturally" cradling my baby in my arms, but it's so much better for our tendons if we use a pillow for support. WAYS TO TREAT IT: 1. DO NOT IGNORE THE PAIN. Many women ignore it until it gets to a point that it becomes a chronic pain that needs to be treated with steroid shots or surgery. You can treat it before it gets that bad. 2. Wear a splint. You can buy one or see a hand specialist like I did. They molded a splint for me and told me to wear it for 2 weeks. 3. Take an anti-inflammatory. Whether you decide to go all natural with a ginger and turmeric tea or use medicine like ibuprofen, you need something to reduce the swelling of your tendons. 4. Rest your hand! Not easy when you have a baby. If you have someone staying with you, ask them to help you with picking up the baby, changing diapers, etc to give your tendons time to heal. My mom and husband are tag teaming. They even help put him across my chest when I breastfeed. I share tips like this in my stories a lot because knowledge is power. Sharing both the beautiful parts as well as the challenges of your journey just might help someone be more knowledgable along theirs. I wish someone had told me about tendonitis. Then maybe I wouldn't have a split on my hand 😅 Know a new parent? Share this knowledge!
I'm the judge for the "Best Products" category for I'm the judge for the "Best Products" category for @treehuggerdotcom's Best of Green Awards 2021: Sustainable Travel! Who I Chose: @lushcosmetics @shoprubylove @ebbyrane @bite @ec30_enlightened_clean Swipe left to see why I chose these 5 brands & which of their products I selected as the recipients of these awards. Have you tried any of the products I picked?
The fetishization of women of color go hand-in-han The fetishization of women of color go hand-in-hand with racism. The tragedy in Atlanta is the result of hypersexualization leading to violence. #stopasianhate
The definition of a hate crime is clear, yet peopl The definition of a hate crime is clear, yet people act afraid to label it as such when one happens. Asian businesses in Atlanta were targeted. Mostly Asian women were killed. Because they were Asian. Because they were women. This was a hate crime. End of argument. #StopAsianHate
Snap back culture is trash. It can cost you your c Snap back culture is trash. It can cost you your confidence, recovery, and/or bonding time with your baby. For two months after giving birth, I instead prioritized rest over weight loss and I'm so happy I did 💚 I'm sharing this to encourage soon-to-be moms and new moms. After you give birth, you might still have a tummy and that's OK and completely normal! I still looked preggo after delivering an 8lb 3oz baby boy 😛 Instead of hiding it, I embraced it and allowed my body to naturally shed weight instead of prematurely rushing back to the gym when I was still healing. And during those 2 months, the pounds started to drop just from breastfeeding, my uterus shrinking, and naturally expelling the fluids that accumulated during pregnancy. As of Monday, I'm now two months postpartum and finally back in my gym. But no pressure, no goal to snap back to my previous weight, no comparing myself to other women. It took me 9 months to grow a tiny human and I'm not going to rush my body to return to where it was before that. This is a reminder to give yourself time and space. Meet yourself where you're at and cherish every chapter of your journey 💪🏽 PS. Happy 2 Month Birthday, my sweet baby Beyond 🥳
I want my kids to grow up learning to love the pla I want my kids to grow up learning to love the planet and how to take care of it. A lot of adults are struggling with how to adjust our ways to be more sustainable because we have to change habits that we've had since childhood. So teach 'em while they're young so that caring for people, animals, and the planet will come naturally to them. Swipe left for some ideas 💚🌎
Yesterday was my 35th birthday! 🥳 Normally I li Yesterday was my 35th birthday! 🥳 Normally I like to spend my bday alone, but between motherhood and social distancing, I've learned to never take family time for granted. It was a day of firsts for us. My parents finished their vaccinations and my sister got tested so we could all be under one roof for the first time in over a year. My dad held his grandson for the first time. He (reluctantly) ate an entire vegan meal for the first time. We also hugged for the first time since 2019 🤯 It really was a special day. Me, my hubby, my parents, my big sis @jasminepennamma, my pup Kayden, and my almost 8-week old sweet baby Beyond. All at my dining room table eating vegan takeout food. I couldn't ask for anything more than that 💚 How have you celebrated your birthday during the pandemic?
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Ashley Renne

Live an adventurously green life

My personal stories about travel, being vegan, green living, smart tech, and blogging as a mixed race Black and Indian woman.

Category: Personal Essay

Posted on 1 May 20191 May 2019
7 Truths About How I Travel So Much—and Why Maybe You Shouldn’t

Blog, Money Talk, Personal Essay, Travel Tips

7 Truths About How I Travel So Much—and Why Maybe You Shouldn’t

Traveling is a privilege. If you’re tired of people telling you how easy it is to travel the world, yet it doesn’t line up with your reality, I’m here to share an alternative perspective. 

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Posted on 31 Mar 201931 Mar 2019
Conquering Keynote Speech Anxiety

Blog, Career Growth, Personal Essay

Conquering Keynote Speech Anxiety

How I got past my keynote speech anxiety and 5 tips to help you conquer yours. 

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Posted on 29 Jan 20191 Apr 2019
Why I Changed My Blog Name

Blog, Career Growth, Personal Essay

Why I Changed My Blog Name

Well hey y’all! NEW NAME! WHO DIS? Welcome to Hey Ashley Renne, the blog formerly known as Travel Lushes. New year, new me! Haha, I know, I know, so effing cliché. But real talk, this was a big switch and you may be wondering why on earth did you go from Travel Lushes to Hey

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Posted on 9 Aug 20185 Jan 2019
Black People Climb Mountains? | Climbing a 14er with Coors Light

Black Travel, Blog, North America, Personal Essay

Black People Climb Mountains? | Climbing a 14er with Coors Light

When I first got the invitation to ‘Climb with Coors’ in Colorado, an annual trek to Wilson Peak, the 14,023-foot mountaintop you always see in the Coors Light logo, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. As a mixed-race Black and Indian woman in the travel media space, I don’t often see images displaying people of

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Posted on 20 Oct 20175 Jan 2019
Lost Passport While Traveling – Our Emirates Nightmare

Blog, Personal Essay

Lost Passport While Traveling – Our Emirates Nightmare

Picture this. You’re all set to go on the most amazing adventure of your life. About to board a plane to one of those dream destinations that tends to be a screensaver on most people’s computers (The Maldives) and getting there on what was voted the World’s Best Airline of 2017 (Emirates). On top of

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Posted on 28 Aug 20171 Apr 2019
Women in Travel Summit Inspired Me to Quit My Job

Blog, Career Growth, Personal Essay

Women in Travel Summit Inspired Me to Quit My Job

I first went to the Women in Travel Summit in 2016 and I’m not even exaggerating when I say this conference played a role in sending me down the path that led to me quitting my job to pursue my love of travel full-time.  Yep, sure did. Let me tell you the story. In 2016,

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Posted on 25 Apr 20177 Jan 2019
Why I Quit My $80K Job to Travel the World More

Blog, Personal Essay

Why I Quit My $80K Job to Travel the World More

Watch the Video: Ugh, it sounds like such a cliché right? Here goes another person shouting from the rooftops “I quit my job to travel the world!” Blah, blah, blah. Yep, I did it. And it felt good y’all. But did you notice in the title of my post, I put the word ‘more’ at

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