Simplifying

At the beginning of each year I make a plan, not a resolution, a plan. Sometimes the plans are very specific like finish this project or that, sew the binding on that pile of quilts, paint that room, clean out that closet. One of my favorites was, “I will see every movie I want to, even if I have to go by myself.” That’s become a permanent part of my life. I write it down and look at it throughout the year to remind myself of what I want to accomplish in the year. A few years ago I made a generalized statement, “I will simplify my life.” What the hell does that mean? I didn’t know, but it felt right. It had something to do with getting rid of a lot of the stuff that had accumulated over the past 22 years and saying no and standing my ground.

Two years ago I decided that it was time to join a gym and to learn how to actually eat well. I was having some anxiety about this. Not because I didn’t know how to “workout”, which I didn’t, and not because I didn’t know what a proper serving size was, but because I was going to have to break the news to Barbara. We, as sisters, had a no sweating policy. As we used to say, “Bryson girls don’t sweat.” I knew she was not going to be happy because it would mean that she would have to join a gym and eat right as well. We only want the best for each other but we are sometimes oddly competitive. It tends to show itself in the form of shoe and occasionally purse envy, cute tops, great fitting jeans and funny as it may sound, scarves. I was afraid to make that phone call. But of course she was totally on board. Somehow she knew it was coming. It is so strange how we can live so far away from each other and still be on the same page about so many aspects of our lives, not just quilting. Barbara and I joined a gym together, her in Pennsylvania and me in NY.  You might think that this may have further complicated my life but oddly enough it fit very nicely into the simplification process.

This year’s plan is in keeping with the simplification process. Because I love a good challenge, this year I decided that I would go “cold turkey” off clothes and shoes. That is, I will not buy any clothes or shoes for the entire year. As I was looking through my closet I couldn’t believe I didn’t already own everything I needed. When I got up the nerve to say it out loud I told this great idea to my husband. He said, “Yeah, right. I’ll believe it when I see it.”  He’s a skeptic by nature and he pays the bills. He liked it, just not on the same life changing level as me. When I shared it with Barb, she said, “That’s so awesome! You can totally do that.” Remember, she’s frequently my partner in crime. So her response was a little different then I expected. Have I said lately how cool she is?

I started with unsubscribing from the email lists of all of my favorite clothing companies and removing my name from their catalog mailing lists, removing temptation. Of course I had to stop going into clothing stores that’s obvious, but I also had to stop shopping in general. I couldn’t start transferring into some other area. That would somehow be cheating.

One of my daughters came home last weekend and we went to Banana Republic so she could shop at their big sale, my first real test. Below are a few of the things that I didn’t buy. Things I would have purchased without thinking twice one short month ago. It was so nice to just walk away.

(That t-shirt with the orange flowers is SO cute. If anyone is longing to buy me a gift, that one would be great.)

Wait until you see what I’m doing to my sewing room…. stay tuned.

I love simplifying.

Mary