It certainly has been some time since I've been in the blog-o-sphere. I'm not completely sure what's compelling me to come back after all this time, but, HERE I AM!
It's now officially 2020, a new decade and a new year. Around this time last year I remember writing out a long list for myself of ways to "live better". I can't even tell you where that list is now, but I can guarantee that the majority of those things didn't stick for the long haul.
Looking into this year, this new decade, and now being in my thirties, I see a real opportunity to start fresh. I've decided to keep things a bit more simple, with three main goals:
1.) DRINK MORE WATER
2.) Focus more on doing what makes me happy, not just going with the motions, and
3.) Buy exclusively second hand
The first one is pretty simple, but to provide some backstory; the past few weeks have been a wake-up call to how I feel in my body and how I've been taking care of myself. Rather than another long list of new healthy habits, I thought it would be best to start small, and just try to keep myself freaking hydrated. Baby steps people, baby steps.
#2 was actually something that struck me recently. Recently I've been forced to keep things very low key, sometimes not really moving from the couch at all. It resulted in me reading a TON the past few days, and I didn't realize how much I had missed it! Growing up I used to move through books like crazy, but now as an adult I feel like I've gotten too comfortable in the routine of coming home and plopping in front of the TV. Realizing how much reading sparks joy inspired me to get back to it more regularly, and also intentionally choosing to do other things I love that maybe I recently have abandoned. I guess we'll see throughout the year what those other things may be!
....and number three. I think this definitely ties to #2 - as you've seen from my previous adventures, shopping it something I absolutely love. It's therapy, it's fun, and it's a way to bond with people I love! However, I think this past year I definitely was a little reckless. I actually started off 2019 with the resolution of no new clothes at all - who was I kidding? I made it about 5 months (way longer than I thought), but ended up essentially going on a binge to make up for the time of not getting my fix. I think making every effort to buy only second hand will be a fun challenge for a few reasons:
- I'll need to be more creative! I'm looking forward to new shops/websites/ways of shopping that I haven't been exposed to before.
- I'll get back to my true bargaining roots - ready to dig back into my favorite thrift and vintage stores! I'm also hoping that this has a nice effect on my bank account.
- I foresee buying second hand resulting in more thoughtful purchases. Without the opportunity of return policies in most cases, I'm hoping this drives me to purchase items that I truly love, not just piles of fast fashion I get for cheap. I want to curate a wardrobe I absolutely adore.
- You can't deny the benefits of shopping second-hand:
- Second-hand shopping can keep money local and supports local businesses and organizations
- Helping with sustainability
- Reducing business to companies that exploit workers in third world countries
I think there will definitely be exceptions here and there with this one (for example, we got tons of gift cards for the holidays, buying handmade stuff from local artisans, definitely not buying secondhand underwear..... etc.), but I think it's a fun and exciting challenge to start the new year.
I'm looking forward to bringing Bettie back in 2020, and can't wait to see what we find!
Until next time!
