As the calendar changed over from 2018 to 2019, I resolved to buy no new clothes in the new year. One of my previous co-workers had done just that a few years ago, and I thought, why not give it a try? A couple of friends thought I was crazy and that I probably would have a hard time with it. One friend thought I would just buy other things instead. Another friend thought about trying the challenge too.
While only 4 months in, here are a few things I have learned:
1. I have way too many clothes -->
While I have not added new clothes to my closet, I have put clothes in bags to be donated...and I still have way too much. I don't know how the clothes accumulate so much over time (aside from all of the race shirts)! In all honesty, I could probably try this no new clothes thing for two years and be okay.
2. It's easier to say no when you have a clear "rule" -->
Because I have set the hard line of absolutely no clothes buying, I'm tempted a lot less to even look in shop windows or at ads. I have unsubscribed from as many clothing store emails (e.g. Old Navy, Eddie Bauer, etc.) as I could. (I'm pretty sure the ads were tricking me into thinking I would save money if I bought more, while the truth really is you save money when you don't buy anything!) When I am waiting in line for the elevator at Trader Joe's and see the cute items in Loft, I can just turn away.
I found this to be true during Lent as well. Just for Holy Week (Palm Sunday through Saturday at sundown) I gave up all sweets. And while it was hard, I found it easier to forgo the treats than when I try to limit myself or reduce my intake at any other time. And it was so freeing! I knew I couldn't, so I didn't.
3. Changing up the routine can be good for the soul -->
It's definitely been eye-opening to live by this promise to myself. I have been dependent on material things without even realizing it. Yikes! But by making this resolution for 2019, I, in essence, hit the pause button and was able to start making small tweaks to live, in my humble opinion, a better life. I know that moving forward once 2019 comes to a close I will be more conscious of the clothing I buy and less impulsive of buying clothing even when it's on sale.
All in all, I am grateful for the graces I have already received through this resolution as well as the support of friends who keep checking in on me about it to see how it's going. Only 8 months to go - I totally got this!
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Getting It Together
Happy 2017! As we start the new year (resolutions and all), let us remember what really matters, those things that cannot be bought but, instead, bring us closer to one another:
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Back to Basics for 2016
No BIG plans for the new year. Let's face it, if they were TOO BIG, I'd never achieve them.
So, let's keep it simple and bring it back to the basics:
1. Invoke the holy mother of God: Mary, help of Christians, pray for us! My first goal is to offer up everything to (and through) Mary - the Salesians helped me develop a deep devotion to our blessed mother in high school, so it's about time to renew and strengthen that relationship. I will pray one Rosary each day, and I will make an intentional effort to end each prayer in Mary's name.
2. Get healthy. This second goal is not about losing weight...it's about feeling better from the inside out. This is inspired by my mom (who's been really into reading labels) and some other friends, blogs, etc. If I feel at my best, I'll be less likely to get sick and more likely to be 100%.
3. Read. And make it a variety this year - I'm starting out with a memoir about a girl who moved to Uganda after going there on a mission trip...and we'll see where we go from there. I had a pretty good year in reading in 2015, so I hope it can only get better! (Recommendations are welcome.)
Yes, there it is. Pure and simple. (I'll probably add #4 Learn Guitar just for kicks - one of these years I'll actually do it!)
Oh, and here's my bonus list (taken from Pope Francis himself):
So, let's keep it simple and bring it back to the basics:
1. Invoke the holy mother of God: Mary, help of Christians, pray for us! My first goal is to offer up everything to (and through) Mary - the Salesians helped me develop a deep devotion to our blessed mother in high school, so it's about time to renew and strengthen that relationship. I will pray one Rosary each day, and I will make an intentional effort to end each prayer in Mary's name.
2. Get healthy. This second goal is not about losing weight...it's about feeling better from the inside out. This is inspired by my mom (who's been really into reading labels) and some other friends, blogs, etc. If I feel at my best, I'll be less likely to get sick and more likely to be 100%.
3. Read. And make it a variety this year - I'm starting out with a memoir about a girl who moved to Uganda after going there on a mission trip...and we'll see where we go from there. I had a pretty good year in reading in 2015, so I hope it can only get better! (Recommendations are welcome.)
Yes, there it is. Pure and simple. (I'll probably add #4 Learn Guitar just for kicks - one of these years I'll actually do it!)
Oh, and here's my bonus list (taken from Pope Francis himself):
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Awaken Us From Our Sleep Walking
75 degrees and sunny on Friday in Florida (where I spent my Christmas vacation)...
High of 5 tomorrow with very low wind chills and ice/snow (where I currently live)...
The cold weather has definitely quickly jolted me back to the reality that school starts up again on Monday. (Vacations always pass much too fast.) And, while I'm looking forward to seeing the students again, I have to keep things in perspective - they'll probably be pretty tired/crazy/wired coming off a two week break.
Great.
But before the thoughts of school dance in my head tonight - that's if I can fall asleep in the first place - I want to touch on the homily the visiting priest at my school's parish touched upon during his homily today (which he tied in rather nicely to the Epiphany). He started with a very brief story of a man in WWII who heard the steel guitar for the first time while over there. Upon his return, he wanted his sons to learn the steel guitar, as he was fascinated by and fixated on it. What was something some intriguing that the man would do everything to make sure his sons learned how to play that instrument? (It's kind of like how the Magi were fixated on that star...) He went on to explain that those two boys were Santo and Johnny Farina, a rock and roll duo probably best known for the song "Sleep Walk."
The priest then transitioned into the idea of sleep walking through our faith - in other words, going to Mass on Sundays, saying our prayers, etc. but out of routine more than anything else. That's not what Christ came into this world for, is it? He went on a little more about this idea, and after his homily, in place of the Nicene Creed, he had us think of a plan of action we can take in our everyday lives so as not to sleep walk through our faith this year.
Naturally, I thought of some resolutions I had already made about praying a decade of the Rosary every day, keeping a gratitude journal, and trying to attend evening Mass and/or adoration at least once a month. I believe these are concrete, simple actions I can take to be more awake and alive in my faith this year.
But it will be a day-by-day effort, and there will be many opportunities to likely say no or forget about these actions. It's essential to remember, however, that faith needs to be a conscious action, not just a set of motions we do because we have to follow the rules.
Awaken us, O Lord. Fill us with your love. Amen.
High of 5 tomorrow with very low wind chills and ice/snow (where I currently live)...
The cold weather has definitely quickly jolted me back to the reality that school starts up again on Monday. (Vacations always pass much too fast.) And, while I'm looking forward to seeing the students again, I have to keep things in perspective - they'll probably be pretty tired/crazy/wired coming off a two week break.
Great.
But before the thoughts of school dance in my head tonight - that's if I can fall asleep in the first place - I want to touch on the homily the visiting priest at my school's parish touched upon during his homily today (which he tied in rather nicely to the Epiphany). He started with a very brief story of a man in WWII who heard the steel guitar for the first time while over there. Upon his return, he wanted his sons to learn the steel guitar, as he was fascinated by and fixated on it. What was something some intriguing that the man would do everything to make sure his sons learned how to play that instrument? (It's kind of like how the Magi were fixated on that star...) He went on to explain that those two boys were Santo and Johnny Farina, a rock and roll duo probably best known for the song "Sleep Walk."
The priest then transitioned into the idea of sleep walking through our faith - in other words, going to Mass on Sundays, saying our prayers, etc. but out of routine more than anything else. That's not what Christ came into this world for, is it? He went on a little more about this idea, and after his homily, in place of the Nicene Creed, he had us think of a plan of action we can take in our everyday lives so as not to sleep walk through our faith this year.
Naturally, I thought of some resolutions I had already made about praying a decade of the Rosary every day, keeping a gratitude journal, and trying to attend evening Mass and/or adoration at least once a month. I believe these are concrete, simple actions I can take to be more awake and alive in my faith this year.
But it will be a day-by-day effort, and there will be many opportunities to likely say no or forget about these actions. It's essential to remember, however, that faith needs to be a conscious action, not just a set of motions we do because we have to follow the rules.
Awaken us, O Lord. Fill us with your love. Amen.
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