Ashley Does: 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge

Work. School. Cooking meals. Keeping house. Laundry. Running errands. Providing taxi services for tiny humans.

It’s impossible to tally all the different ways women take care of everyone and everything around them.

It’s important work, what women do. We are the people who keep life running smoothly. We make sure everyone’s where they need to be, when they need to be there, and wearing pants. Usually while we have less than stellar hair. (Let’s be honest here.)

It is so important for women to take the time to care for themselves. If you run all day long, all week long, without taking some time for yourself, you’ll run yourself out!

It’s in our nature to put ourselves last. There are so many important things to get done that self-care gets pushed to the back burner.

Because of this, I am issuing you a challenge that I hope you will accept. Because you are worth it! You are worth taking the time to make sure you #fillyourcup and take care of yourself so you can better tackle all the things you have to accomplish.

The 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge

The premise is simple: commit to 15 minutes a day in the month of April to do something for yourself. Something that fills you up, recharges you, and makes you a better YOU.

You can use these suggestions or come up with your own. I designed this list to be tasks that are easily completed in 15 minutes a day, but take more time if you can! And while this list is geared toward the calendar month of April (more lengthy tasks are listed on the weekend days) you can rearrange them as you need to.

The point is to commit to yourself and follow through with that commitment. Treat yourself how you would treat anyone else: if you make a promise to a friend, coworker, or family member, you aren’t likely to break it are you? Treat yourself that well. You deserve to be treated that way!

Print out this list and pin it up somewhere in your house that it will remind you to take the time to #fillyourcup every day.  Check back on Mondays throughout April for your weekly reminder of upcoming challenges.

I can’t wait to hear how your participation in the 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge changes your life! Be sure to come back and tell us how it went in the comments!

Need daily encouragement for this challenge? Join us in the Pretty Things Lounge on Facebook where we’ll be sharing our #fillyourcup successes!

Ashley Does: Treat Yourself to A Pretty Things Subscription Box & Fill Your Cup!

Do you love trying new things? How about getting happy mail?

That’s what I thought – we ALL love getting fun, new things delivered to our door! And we absolutely deserve to treat ourselves to me time!

Because of this adoration, I have something super fantastic to share with you!

Y’all I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!

Ashley Does: It’s Time For An Anti-Aging Routine

I was born in 1984. That makes me (almost) 33.

Guys I’m not old. I’m the first to tell you that 33 years old is not old.

Are we clear there?

Good, because I’m going to tell you something that may shock and appall you.

If you are over the age of 25 – it’s time for an anti-aging routine.

Please don’t throw anything!

Ashley Does: How To Choose The Perfectly Posh Skin Treatment That Best Fits Your Skin Type

We all have skin. And as people with skin, that means that we have to take some time for ourselves every so often and take care of that skin.

My favorite way to get 15 minutes of “me time” and take care of my skin is to treat it to a Perfectly Posh face mask treatment. I do these up to 5 times per week, depending on the type of week my skin has had.

There are two different types of face mask treatments:

“On” Masks and “Off” Masks

The difference between these masks may seem slight, but it can be tricky to decide which type of mask you need, how often, and why. 

Ashley Does: That One Time My Husband Said I Smelled Like An Old Lady

I’ma let that title sink in for a moment.

Could you imagine coming to bed after doing your nighttime skin routine, only to have your husband kiss you goodnight and ask:

“Why do you smell like an old lady?”

Guys I was thirty. I wasn’t old.

Needless to say, I tossed my night creme and started shopping for something new. 

Ashley Does: Salute to Working Parents

It’s Working Parent’s Day.

I know this day is probably supposed to be for parents who work outside the home.

I was that parent for the first 2 years of my oldest daughter’s life. It’s a hard road to walk down. Knowing that someone else witnessed your child’s first steps, or first words, or an injury, or a victory…it’s hard. I have nothing but respect and compassion for parents who work outside the home. Y’all deserve all the props and paid vacation in the world.

This post is geared toward parents who work from home, but I think every working parent will find value here!

Ashley Does: Pretty Things

I have 3 daughters.

My life is full of girly things: pink, purple, princesses, puppies, unicorns, accessories, makeup, and all things that smell nice.

Pretty things.

I am officially becoming a girly girl who loves pretty things.

Who saw that one coming? (Let me tell you: not my mom!)

Ashley Does: What (this) Mom Really Wants for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day.

If you are on the internet ever, there’s a chance you’ve seen the “What To Get Mom for Mother’s Day” videos going around.

Basically their message is leave mom alone. Let her sleep in. Do her chores. Give her the TV remote.

Don’t get me wrong…

Sleeping is in nice.

Having a clean house is nice.

Not having to adult is nice.

But you know what else is nice? Thoughtful gifts from my husband and kids. Their time. Their gratitude and appreciation toward me.

I hate the idea of Mother’s Day as a “day off.” I want to spend it with the people who made me a mom! And with MY mom! We are celebrating moms on Mother’s Day and dangit, I want to be celebrated. Not ignored.

Ignore me on Tuesday. Please. Please?

Please.