I feel like a better daughter. During this challenge I've learned that family should come first. Your parents are the some of the few people who genuinely love and care for you. If I could go back to when I first started this challenge I would tell myself it is worth it. One challenging aspect of my journey was doing something nice for my parents if we weren't on good terms that day. If they were mad about... say the tone of my voice, it took a lot of strength to put our differences aside and complete my task for a day. In the end, being  nice after we argued about some little thing was something like reconciliation. It was gratifying to have my parents thank me for my act of kindness each night. It brought all of us some kind of nostalgia, it's amazing how something so seemingly insignificant can completely change the mood of a household. I'm glad I chose this challenge and I would do it again.

So I'm nearing the end of my twenty day challenge and it's a little bittersweet. I know my parents have enjoyed it thus far and it's been very eye opening and rewarding for me, I'm just a little worried that I won't be able to keep it up once day twenty is over. It's easy to stay on track when it's mandatory, I need to do this to get a good mark, but when it's all said and done I still want to make my parents life happy and a little less stressful. I spent a lot of time deciding what to even do for my challenge and I'm glad I went with this. I saw this as an opportunity to better myself, and over time I've leaned that one of the best ways to be happy is to make someone else happy.

I was so tired that I kinda filmed the wrong way, my bad...

Today I challenged my accountability buddy, Riley, to find time for himself. He's a very busy person who's constantly worrying about other people, and I want him to take a breather. I told him that he needs to care for and love himself first and foremost. He can't put himself on the back burner forever. Hopefully he will take my advice and become a little happier in the process.

I tend to leave my kind act until the end of the day and then rush to find something to do and don't put a lot of thought into it. At about eight o'clock I find myself brainstorming without much luck. What I should do is make a long list of possibilities and follow through with them, that would make my challenge a lot more enjoyable. It is kinda frustrating that I'm struggling with finding ideas. My lack of creativity is taking away from the spontaneity of my kind gestures. I need a boost, so I'm turning to Riley for more ideas. Hopefully he can help get me out of this rut.

It's the little things that count! 

Five Things I Love About You!

It's getting harder to find ideas. Time to think outside the box.

I'm a little unimpressed with my lack of inspiration.

I'm starting to see my parents a little differently. It's nice to see them smile.

I'm realizing that this is more than a twenty day challenge. It's something I should be doing everyday for the rest of my life. I wouldn't be here without my parents and they deserve a little appreciation. It's a long road of kind gestures ahead of me.

As the sun goes down each day, I feel more content knowing that I made someones day a little brighter.

So far this challenge has been very eye opening. It is refreshing to reconnect with my parents. The simple things I have been doing have such a big impact. I honestly thought my parents wouldn't really notice my extra effort, but they do notice and they express their gratitude. It feels good to do something kind and be appreciated.
The most difficult part of my challenge is coming up with something to do for them everyday. Riley has been giving me some good ideas to work with. Something that would make my challenge a little easier and more enjoyable is having my parents home more often. They both leave for work about the same time I leave for school and I won't see them again until late at night, and they rarely take weekends off. I would like to do something as a family, but for now I'll just have to do something nice for them to come home to.
I'm thankful beyond words for my parents, they're devoted, hard working people who provide unconditional love. I'm glad I chose this challenge and I'm looking forward to coming up with unique ideas to show I care.

Riley keeping me on track!

Today I made gingerbread cookies for my parents to enjoy after a long day of work. It was a simple thing, but I know they appreciated it. If you ever plan on baking for your parents, be sure to clean up the mess. It defeats the purpose of a kind act when they have to clean up after you!

This is who will keep me on track, my accountability buddy Riley. He is at my house nearly everyday so he will be a constant reminder. He appreciates my parents almost as much as I do. If he is unable to come over, he will surely text me to get my butt in gear. He may come across as "inattentive" but believe me, he always keeps me motivated and focused.