Here it is the first of May, May day. You may recall one of my resolutions; I will not buy any new clothing this year. I really began the 1st of November and I have not bought any new clothes since then. I am allowed shoes and under clothes. I've bought a pair of tennis shoes.
Oh, yes, I have been tempted. I liked to shop online and have tried to avoid my usual spots, occasionally browsing, even putting something in the cart, but pondering before I hit the enter and not doing it. I even went looking for a new shirt when we had family pictures, tried some on, but looking in the mirror I would ponder my goal and if I was really ready to break it.... I put it back and left....more then once.
I started this goal for 2 reasons. One was to be less of a consumer and try to reuse the things I have. Reduce, reuse, recyle. The second reason is deeper then that; shopping had become something I did when I felt depressed or joy. It was an excuse to not pay attention to the bank account or my feelings and run my fingers across the keyboard or thru the catelog. It wasn't so much that I wanted something new, it was that I 'needed' something new, somehow to fill what ever void I had in my life at that moment. For 6 months, I have had to leave that void empty and examine what that means. It has been a challenge and not always pretty.
I have also learned that clothes do start to wear out... imagine that! T-shirts get nubby and start to get little holes in them. I'm going to have to get rid of some of them. I have tried new uses for worn out shirts: cut up into dish cloths, white board erasers for school, even using pieces to embelish other shirts.
I'm not done yet. I've made it this far and hope to see Nov 1st w/o something I had to buy. How are your resolutions coming?
4 comments:
That is such a hard resolution!I'm proud of you making it this far. I know you can do it.
My resolution was to send friends and family birthdays cards. I have a big family which is what makes it challenging but so far I have done it!
Also, I decided to take charge of FHE and though we didn't do it last week, we have been holding FHE every week and it has made a big difference in our home.
Wow aunt Paula so honest. So proud of you for not spending that does seem like a hard resolution. My resolutions are so awesome that I don't remember them. Lol oh wait it was to get out of debt and happy to say we are closer than the beginning of the year ;-)
I am SO impressed lady. How wonderful that you 1) know yourself enough to realize that shopping is a distraction and 2) are brave enough to do something about it.
I have long been meaning to substitute some of my "fall-backs" (eating poorly) with things I neglect because they challenge me, but things I enjoy nonetheless (writing, mostly). You are my inspiration!
that's great. have you figured out roughly how much money you've saved buy holding back on stuff you're pretty sure you would've boughten a year ago?
My resolutions are coming along fairly swimmingly. the one that stands out to me now that needs doing soon is defrost and clean out the disgusting large freezer in the garage.
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