really lovely painted rocks + driftwood via anica (because if I'm not buying anything, I'll most definitely be paining rocks...)So in an attempt to take my “summer of self-improvement” beyond creative pursuits, I’ve decided to do a little detox of sorts for the month of August. Specifically, I’m going to cut out all sugar, alcohol and non-essential shopping for the next 30 days…
(I’m going with the proclamation up front here, long-winded explanation to follow…just to mix things up a bit. I’m living on the edge friends.)
The mid-year mini spending hiatus has actually been brewing for a while... Back in the spring, I read Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man and was not only in complete awe of how spartan Beavan was willing to go but also incredibly inspired by how much his drastically non-consumer life increased his day-to-day happiness. New shoes notwithstanding, this is something that surfaces for me every time I embark on a spending hiatus of any length – that feeling of contentment that comes when I’m living in a more mindful way, buying only what’s truly necessary for survival. It’s even a little bit of a rush.
But then there’s also some practical motivation behind a late summer shopping freeze -- the unfathomable amount of kid detritus lurking of late in girlies rooms or "the bottomless pits of stuff." Seriously friends, where do all these things come from? It’s like a Mt. Vesuvius of toys and tchotchkes and little plastic bits….totally overwhelming, but also motivating.
So in an attempt to (re)tap into my inner “voluntary simplicity” and help tackle the mounds of…well, crap taking over my house, I’m in hiatus-land for the next 30 days.
And because it’s more fun if you make these things as hard as humanly possible, I’m also doing the no sugar and no alcohol thing for the same period. Yes, it’s possible that I might be a little crazy, but I promise there’s a method to my madness. See if I’m going to do a spending hiatus then I can’t buy any new jeans, and all the ones I currently own are, let’s just say, snug due to a steady summer diet of gelato and margaritas. Makes perfect sense, right?
So here we go -- no sugar, no alcohol, no unnecessary purchases...for the month of August.
I’m not even going to ask if anyone is in with me, I like you guys too much.
