Ashley Judd Is In Pursuit Of 'The Joy She Never Had As A Child'

Ashley Judd is in her era of inner peace!

The actress, best known as the daughter of the late singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music sensation Wynonna Judd, stepped back from the spotlight to embrace a healing journey.

A source recently weighed in on Ashley Judd's efforts to overcome the traumas of her past, revealing her pain mainly stemmed from her childhood and the pressures of the entertainment industry.

According to the source, Ashley has been on a "long journey to reconnect with herself and find joy in everyday things during the few decades she has left." They claimed she did not have a normal childhood because she grew up in a famous family and worked for them before launching her acting career.

The pain Ashley allegedly endured did not end after becoming a leading actress in Hollywood, with the source noting the pressure of the ever-demanding industry took its toll on her. Now, Ashley is prioritizing herself and choosing happiness by listening to her "inner voice."

"She wants to experience the joy she never had as a child. Her hope is to lose all the drama and expectations and splash around like a silly child enveloped in light," the source told The Daily Mail. They added that she wished to "become totally unselfconscious so she can find her true self."

The source's claims matched Ashley's sentiments in an August 31 post on Instagram. She dropped a video compilation of moments from her trip to Greece, capturing her in high spirits as she embraced nature, took dips in the sea, and soaked up the sun.

Ashley captioned the video with a lengthy message about healing, noting she hoped her insides could match her outside like the teachings of her "wisdom teacher." She noted it was challenging for people to love themselves after the world and those around them ruined their image of themselves.

"When we were 2/3 years old, our families & society hadn't distorted our natural feelings of self-worth and self-care yet," Ashley argued. She added, "Trauma & deprivation I do not transform, is trauma & deprivation I will transfer. Thus, I start with myself."

A month before her healing journey post, Ashley received hundreds of positive comments from fans for her unbothered nature. She shared a video of herself at the beach, rocking a one-piece swimsuit while playing with a jellyfish in the water.

Ashley declared she was a proud member of the "We Don't Care Club," noting she allowed her inner child to thrive rather than constrict herself to the boundaries set by society.

"If you let yourself be free, how would your True Self & Inner Child spend your Carefree Timelessness?" she asked fans in the post's caption.

The entertainer's words resonated with fans, who applauded her for staying honest and vulnerable in a world where celebrities hid their true selves.

"I love Ashley Judd. She is just so real and accepting of other women," an IG user penned. Another agreed, writing, "There's truth in every post you share. Raw, real, unapologetic."

Ashley has been vocal about healing from past wounds for years and reflected on the pain from her childhood in a 2022 interview. The Blast covered the story, reporting that she addressed her scars while discussing her mother's tragic suicide.

Naomi, best known for performing as The Judds with her oldest daughter Wynonna, ended her life with a gunshot wound to the head in April 2022. Ashley noted the horrific incident changed her perspective, helping her realize that she "grew up with a mom who had an undiagnosed and untreated mental illness."

Ashley claimed Naomi had shown behavioral changes and made choices in the past that she now saw as a result of her illness. Her words implied her late mother had hurt her as a child; however, she no longer held grudges because these incidents stemmed from her mental issues.

Ashley's older sister, Wynonna, addressed their relationship on "Talking in Circles with Clint Black" in May. She revealed they had an unconventional relationship as siblings, claiming the actress dubbed her "sister mommy" because she raised her while Naomi worked to put food on the table.

"I'm a little bit sad about that, 'cause I didn't get to be her sister. It was just the two of us, trying to survive. I'm bigger and meaner than her, 'cause I had to be," Wynonna confessed. Unfortunately, the sisters could not maintain their relationship despite their close bond as kids.

Wynonna lamented her distance from Ashley, saying, "I don't see her very much, and we're not as close as I'd like to be, but that's because success took us away from each other." The country music star, per PEOPLE, found success in her late teens when she and Naomi started performing as The Judds.

Can Ashley Judd's healing journey help her improve her relationship with Wynonna Judd?