Smart Chaos

Ashli Smart
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Simplifying life, business, and tech—one chaotic week at a time. Life, work, and parenting can feel messy—but chaos doesn’t have to win. I’m Ashli Smart, and each week I share practical tips, quick wins, and real stories to help busy parents, small business owners, and professionals take control. From AI hacks and productivity tips to parenting and marketing strategies, Smart Chaos helps you simplify your week, stay sane, and maybe even enjoy the chaos a little. My Amason Picks: https://www.amazon.com/shop/theeashlismart?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_100QR69Q7BGA2ZPZTR7K

  1. Oct 2

    S2E 9: TikTok Reminded Me of Someone I Lost

    Episode 9: TikTok Reminded Me of Someone I Lost The people who helped raise us don’t always share our last name. This episode wasn’t planned. I checked my email, saw one of those “people you may know” messages from TikTok, and the name in the subject line stopped me. Yenenesh. Yenenesh passed away, but before that, she was an Ethiopian international student who became my mom’s assistant and, somewhere along the way, became something like a big sister to me. Seeing her name sent me back to a whole part of my childhood I hadn’t thought about in years: growing up around a college campus in Defiance, Ohio, my parents’ work, international students who became family, the cafeteria, the Hive, wingdings 😂, and all these people who helped shape my life without technically being relatives. Then I called my mom. She reminded me of a memory I’d forgotten from the last time Yenenesh visited us in Texas. And sitting in my house is an Ethiopian teapot she gave me during that same visit. Suddenly, I realized something: When we lose someone, none of us gets to keep the whole person. We each keep our little pieces of them. And when we share our stories, sometimes we get to put some of those pieces back together. This one is emotional. My voice cracks. I’m remembering things in real time. But maybe that’s exactly how this episode needed to be. Because sometimes an algorithm thinks it’s showing you someone you may know... and instead, it reminds you of someone who helped make you who you are. This is Smart Chaos.

  2. Sep 14

    S2E8: Nobody Actually Knows What They’re Doing

    Nobody actually knows what the f**k they’re doing. Not your boss. Not the executive sitting at the head of the table. Not the parent who looks like they have everything figured out. Not the person making the big career announcement on LinkedIn. And definitely not me. 😂 For years, I thought adulthood meant eventually reaching some magical point where I’d just…know shit. I’d know how to parent. I’d know exactly where my career was going. I’d walk into rooms feeling completely confident. I’d understand money, relationships, houses, motherhood—and apparently why my grass keeps dying. Turns out, there is no orientation. Nobody gives you the binder. In this episode of Smart Chaos, I’m talking about how freeing it has been to realize that most of us are simply making the best decisions we can with the information we have. I get into motherhood and the absurdity of Junie thinking Mama knows everything, why senior leaders became much less intimidating once I realized they’re figuring things out too, what working in AI has taught me about expertise, and how my definition of confidence has completely changed. Because maybe confidence isn’t: “I know what I’m doing.” Maybe it’s: “I don’t completely know what I’m doing, but I trust myself to figure it out.” And THAT is a version of confidence I can actually live with. So if you’ve ever looked around and thought everybody else somehow got the adulthood instruction manual you missed… This episode is for you. We’re all experts at something.We’re all beginners at something. And apparently, we’re doing this shit in real time.

  3. Sep 4

    S2E7: I Never Thought I’d Be Somebody’s Mom And Somehow, I Have a Whole Son

    S2E7: I Never Thought I’d Be Somebody’s Mom And Somehow, I Have a Whole Son There are moments lately when I look at Junie and think… How the hell do I have a child? Like…a whole son. A real person who talks to me, has opinions, asks for Band-Aids, says “oh my goodness,” gives me kisses, and moves my hand back to his face when he wants me close. And somehow, I’m his mama. In this episode of Smart Chaos, I’m talking about the absolute mindfuck of watching your baby turn into a little person right in front of you. I never grew up dreaming about motherhood. I didn’t have baby names picked out. I didn’t picture this life. And because becoming a mom took its own journey, these ordinary moments sometimes hit me even harder. There was a time when Junie was just an idea. A hope. Something I wanted but couldn’t guarantee would happen. And now he’s here… having full conversations with me. Asking for what he needs. Showing affection. Making jokes. Becoming himself. And honestly, it is both beautiful and a little heartbreaking. In this episode, I talk about: What it feels like to suddenly realize, “Oh shit, I have a son” Watching a toddler’s personality and language explode The difference between caring for a baby and getting to know a person Why the tiny moments hit harder than the big milestones The weird sadness that comes with watching your child need you less How motherhood has changed the way I think about time Why I’m trying to stop rushing toward the next stage and actually be here for this one Motherhood is wild because you can think: “Please stop touching me.” and “Please stay this little forever.” at the exact same time. And somehow both are true. I don’t know if I’ll ever fully get used to saying it… but yeah. I have a son. And that is still absolutely f*****g wild.

  4. Aug 28

    S2E6: The Day I Finally Slowed Down

    S2E6: The Day I Finally Slowed Down And Noticed How Much of My Own Life I'd Been Missing You know what's crazy about slowing down? You start noticing how much you've neglected. I originally said that while thinking about my house—the unfinished projects, the spaces I'd stopped paying attention to, all the little things I'd been walking past every day. But then I realized…I wasn't really talking about my house. I was talking about my life. For a long time, I thought my problem was that I didn't have enough time. Between work, motherhood, marriage, responsibilities, goals, projects, and everything else, I was constantly moving from one thing to the next. And somewhere along the way, I got really good at managing my life without always being present for it. In this episode of Smart Chaos, I'm talking about what I've started noticing now that I've slowed down enough to actually look around. From sitting in my backyard with Junie under the string lights, to rediscovering tennis, reading, podcasting, working on my home, and doing things simply because I enjoy them—I'm realizing how much of my life I was postponing until some imaginary version of “later.” We talk about being productive versus being present, why everything doesn't need to become a goal, what motherhood is teaching me about time, and the uncomfortable realization that there may never be a magical point where everything is finally handled and we get permission to enjoy our lives. I'm still ambitious. I still have goals. I still have approximately seventeen projects happening at any given moment. 😂 But I'm trying to stop treating the present like it's just a waiting room for my future. Because maybe I don't need more time. Maybe I need to actually be present for the time I already have. And maybe the life I've been working so hard to build... is already happening.

  5. Aug 21

    S2E5: The Best Thing I Ever Did Was Become Bad at Something

    S2E5: The Best Thing I Ever Did Was Become Bad at Something Why Being a Beginner Again Was Exactly What I Needed When was the last time you were genuinely bad at something? Not “still learning.” I mean actually having no clue what the hell you're doing. 😂 As adults, I think we get so used to being competent that we stop putting ourselves in situations where we might look inexperienced. We stick with what we know, what we're good at, and what feels comfortable. I didn't realize how much I was doing that until I started playing tennis. Suddenly, I was a beginner again. I couldn't serve. I didn't always know where I was supposed to be. I made mistakes. I got frustrated. And sometimes, I just wanted to quit because I hated feeling like I wasn't good at something. But somewhere along the way, I realized the uncomfortable part wasn't actually tennis. It was my ego. In this episode of Smart Chaos, I'm talking about what being a beginner again has taught me about learning, confidence, curiosity, and getting comfortable saying, “I don't know.” And tennis isn't the only place I've experienced it. I've felt it while learning more about AI, growing professionally, podcasting, and trying things I haven't mastered yet. We talk about: Why adults become uncomfortable with being beginnersWhat being terrible at tennis exposed about meThe difference between being experienced and actually growingWhy saying “I don't know” can be a strengthHow curiosity has changed the way I approach AI and my careerWhy you might be avoiding something simply because you don't want to be bad at itI'm starting to believe that one of the best things we can do for ourselves as adults is intentionally become a beginner again. Because maybe being bad at something isn't proof that it isn't for you. Maybe it's proof that you're learning.

  6. Aug 14

    S2E4: Confidence Isn't Something You Find

    S2E4: Confidence Isn't Something You Find It's Something You Build What if confidence isn't something you're supposed to have before you do the scary thing? I've spent a lot of my life thinking I needed to feel confident first. Confident enough to speak up. Confident enough to try something new. Confident enough to walk into the room and feel like I belonged there. But lately, I've realized I had it completely backwards. In this episode of Smart Chaos, I'm talking about how tennis, Toastmasters, work, podcasting, and a whole lot of uncomfortable moments have changed the way I think about confidence. Turns out, I didn't become confident and then start doing these things. I did them nervous. I did them unsure. Sometimes I did them while completely questioning myself. And every time I showed up, I collected a little more proof that I could handle it. That's what started building the confidence. So if there's something you've been putting off because you're waiting to finally feel "ready," this episode is for you. We talk about: Why confidence doesn't actually come firstThe difference between courage and confidenceWhat being terrible at tennis taught me about myselfHow practice changed the way I show up at work and in ToastmastersWhy we tend to replay our mistakes instead of remembering our winsHow small moments of proof slowly change the way we see ourselvesMaybe you don't need to find more confidence. Maybe you just need to give yourself the chance to build it. Confidence isn't the ticket that gets you in the door. It's what you collect after you've walked through it.

  7. Aug 7

    S2E3: The Court Became My Classroom

    The Life Lessons I Never Expected to Learn from Tennis I thought I was learning how to play tennis. Turns out, I was learning how to trust myself again. In this episode, I'm sharing the unexpected life lessons that came from saying "yes" to something completely outside my comfort zone. What started as a hobby slowly became a masterclass in resilience, confidence, community, and personal growth. Whether you've ever picked up a tennis racquet or not, these lessons apply to all of us. Sometimes life asks us to be beginners again. Sometimes confidence only comes after we've failed a few times. And sometimes the biggest growth happens when we're willing to look a little silly while figuring things out. In this episode, we talk about: Why being a beginner is actually a superpower How confidence is built one small win at a time The importance of finding your people Why personal growth doesn't stop after motherhood or your career takes off Learning to embrace progress instead of perfection The question we should all be asking ourselves: "What's my tennis?" If you've been waiting until you feel ready to start something new, I hope this conversation reminds you that ready isn't a feeling—it's something you create by showing up. You don't have to know exactly where the journey will lead. You just have to be willing to take the first step. Remember: You deserve something that's yours.

  8. Jul 31

    S2E2: It Was Never About Tennis

    How One Hobby Helped Me Find Myself Again Sometimes the thing that changes your life isn't the thing you expected. When I picked up a tennis racquet, I wasn't trying to become an athlete. I wasn't chasing trophies or trying to master a new sport. Honestly, I was just looking for something that belonged to me. What I found was so much bigger than tennis. In this episode, I'm sharing how becoming a beginner again helped me rediscover confidence, reconnect with myself outside of motherhood and work, and build friendships I didn't even know I needed. This isn't really a story about tennis. It's a story about remembering that you're still allowed to grow, evolve, and become a new version of yourself—even in your 40s, even after becoming a mom, and even when life feels incredibly full. If you've ever wondered who you are outside of your job, your family, or your responsibilities, I hope this conversation encourages you to say yes to something that's just for you. In this episode, we talk about: Why I decided to try tennis What becoming a beginner taught me The identity shift that comes with motherhood Finding confidence through progress instead of perfection Building friendships as an adult Why every mom deserves something that's hers Whether your "tennis" is painting, gardening, dancing, hiking, starting a business, or finally taking that class you've been putting off, I hope this episode reminds you that it's never too late to discover a new part of yourself. Because sometimes the thing you think is "just a hobby" ends up changing your life.

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About

Simplifying life, business, and tech—one chaotic week at a time. Life, work, and parenting can feel messy—but chaos doesn’t have to win. I’m Ashli Smart, and each week I share practical tips, quick wins, and real stories to help busy parents, small business owners, and professionals take control. From AI hacks and productivity tips to parenting and marketing strategies, Smart Chaos helps you simplify your week, stay sane, and maybe even enjoy the chaos a little. My Amason Picks: https://www.amazon.com/shop/theeashlismart?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_100QR69Q7BGA2ZPZTR7K

Information

  • Creator
    Ashli Smart
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ashli Smart
  • Show Website
    Smart Chaos