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Meet Ashley: Member of The Single & Childfree Network
- Angela G.
- May 1
- 5 min read
This space exists because of you: your stories, your honesty, your courage to live a life that doesn’t follow the script. And I want to start highlighting the incredible humans in this community and showing the world what a full, powerful, joyful SINK life actually looks like.
That’s why the Single and Childfree community * exists: to create a space where single and childfree women don’t have to explain themselves, defend their choices, or shrink their lives to make others comfortable. Plus, being in community with women who have the bandwidth for your friendship is so healing.
Each month, we feature a member of our community to share what their single and childfree life really looks like, what brought them here, what they’ve discovered, and what belonging in a like-minded community has meant to them.
In their own words, they share their experience of navigating life as a single, childfree woman finding community, and embracing a life that is intentional, independent, and fully their own.
If you’ve ever wondered whether anyone else feels the way you do: you’re about to see that you’re not alone. This is where you belong.
Today, we’re spotlighting Ashley from Delaware, OH
Tell everyone a bit about you!
I'm Ashley. Worked at my parent's factory until 3 years ago when they sold the business and retired. I now work for the company that they sold to. Started out as the receiving lead - dealing with all the truck drivers coming in. 6 months later got promoted to production scheduler. Now I have my own office (with a door! Woohoo!).
I'm the 2nd of 4 (2 boys, 2 girls) - brothers are both married with kids (2 nephews and 1 niece), and my sister is getting married this year.
I'm living life with my pup, Zuko. I rescued him back in May after telling people that I was just thinking about possibly getting a dog. I believe my actual quote was "As long as I don't look at photos, I'll be fine".
Spoiler - I looked at photos.
I am working on doing more things just for myself, but I do spend a lot of time reading. My favorite genre is fantasy, rom coms, and historical fiction. But as long as it's not horror, I'll read it if someone recommends it - even it means me putting off reading yet another book on my shelf.
I started going to the ren faire last season because someone at work recommended it. I now have season tickets for this year. Anything nerdy? Sign. Me. Up.
Sports? Eh. You'd think someone from Ohio would be a Buckeye fan, but I could not care any less for football. Now baseball? Soccer? Hockey? Yes please. I will gladly go to any of those games. Don't ask me to go to any other sporting event though.
Besides that, I'm just living my best life - Taking one day at a time.
What was going on in your life when you found the SINK community? And how did you find out about the space?
I found this space after scrolling through videos on Instagram. It was after several "you'd be a good mom", "don't worry. you'll find someone", "when you have kids..." conversations as well. I don't know how many times you can say "I don't want kids", "it's not happening", or my favorite "ew. no" before someone gets it through their head. But my family has stopped trying to push that agenda on me...for now. But I remember seeing the video that Angela posted and going "huh...I think I needed to see this." And then I went to the page and signed up not much later.
What made you decide to join and stay?
I finally found a space where I feel seen and heard for how I'm living my life. I love my family, but when all of them are married with kids, it can get a bit lonely when I'm around them. I don't feel that way here.
Has being part of this community shifted anything for you?
It's definitely helped me become more confident in my decision. I've always grown up thinking that getting married and having kids was what I was supposed to do. And now having this community and seeing others that feel the same way has been absolutely wonderful.
What’s one thing you love about your life because you’re single and childfree—or something you’re proud of that deserves more credit?
Being able to just get up and do what I want, when I want without having to answer for someone else. If I want to stay in bed until noon, I have no one to tell me that I can't - except the dog that wakes me at 5am to go outside. I love the quiet life of being single and childfree. And being able to save money for the things that I want to do.
What is a misconception about single and childfree life you want to debunk or an issue you want to clarify? OR, even something you wan to let people know about the REALITY of SINK life?
Our life isn't necessarily easier because we are SINKs. We are our own sole providers - physically and mentally. We don't have someone to necessarily lean on. We are tired as well. And we should be able to get the space to be able to talk about those struggles.to l
What’s one thing this community has validated for you that you didn’t realize you needed validated?
That I'm a strong, independent woman...
What would you say to someone who feels alone or forgotten because they’re single and childfree?
Find the people that make you feel seen - don't let those people go
Anything else you want readers to know about you, SINK life and the choice to be single and chidfree and The Single and Childfree Network?
It's taken a while for me to get to this point in my life and be okay with where I am. Being a part of this community was the step that I think I needed to be able to continue carving that path.
Joining a community of single and childfree women is LIFE CHANGING! And know, you aren't alone. Join us inside the network to meet other like-minded women. Plus, we do weekly co-working, monthly workshops, virtual meet ups and connect with SINKs in our cities. Check it out! You belong here!
*note: this group is for single (not partnered or in a relationship) AND (meaning both) childfree (not a parent, not parenting, not an empty nester looking for shit to do now that their kids left the house) women.
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