A long time has passed since my last
post, but I’ve been feeling hesitant about writing due to some recent shopping
failures. I was hoping that I could use this blog as a tool to keep me
accountable but recently I’ve found myself reverting to some bad habits and I've been reluctant to own up here. However, one of my goals for 2014 was to be
kinder to myself and not beat myself up for making mistakes so in the spirit of
this I’m going to accept, let go and move on! As much as I hoped that writing on
this blog would help me to make better choices, I also want it to be somewhere I
can write honestly about the challenges I face on a daily basis trying to a
conscious consumer. So on that note, I want to write about something which has
been troubling me a great deal recently and that is mental clutter.
I’ve mentioned previously that as I make
progress towards my goal of shopping more mindfully and
creating a minimalist wardrobe, that my obsessive tendencies have resurfaced in
other areas. This is something that I've only become aware of quite recently and I'm at a loss as to how to get a handle on it. As I declutter my home and limit the amount of items I buy I
realised that I still spend a great deal of time planning purchases, obsessing
over the optimal way to store my jewelry/clothes/scarves etc and concocting the ‘perfect’ skincare
regime. All this = what I think of as 'mental clutter'.
As my interest in minimalism and simplicity has deepened, I want to shop more consciously but I struggle with the tendency to
over analyse and research every purchase. As an example, I mentioned in my last
post that I wanted to use more natural skincare. This has led to countless
hours researching how to make a toner, and the best oils for my skin type. Part of my
has enjoyed this little research project but there is also a part of me that
feels overwhelmed by the amount of information and choice out there. I can now see that by being so strict this year with my clothing purchases, I had just transferred my compulsion to shop into other areas. So I've been swapping one bad activity for another, which was never my intention!
V x x
This is the first time I have looked at your blog, and this was the first article I read. I want to commend you for being candid with your readers. We are all a work in progress. I have also gotten bogged down in research on the web. There is simply too much to take in. So, just as society has a glut of consumerism, it also has a glut of information. As you mentioned in your article, the key is finding balance. Part of finding that balance is remembering that our time has value, more value than whatever thing we are buying or researching. I just wanted to give you an encouraging word. Keep working toward your goals. I'm cleaning out my closet, removing one mistake after another. I know I'll feel better when I've removed these mistakes from my life. I hope to be a more prudent shopper in the future.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you taking the time to share such a thoughtful comment. Its nice to know that I'm not the only one struggling with these issues. Good luck with being a more prudent shopper in the future! Victoria x
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