Give Yourself Credit!

Are you hard on yourself?  I am guilty of being VERY hard on myself.  (As in if I make a mistake, I berate myself over it for days).  It's exhausting!

So today, I'm giving myself credit for making the smart choice.  If you've read this blog, you know I LOVE my Stitch Fixes.  However, today I skipped my May 1 one and instead decided to apply the money I would have spent towards paying off a bill.  I didn't even want to pay the $20 styling fee right now (that would be applied towards whatever I bought).  I rescheduled it for May 30 instead (and may reschedule it for even later).  After all, I've done so much de-cluttering of my closets that I now know I have a lot of clothes already.  (And, I need to re-focus on my Total Money Makeover Debt Snowball).  

So, props to me for being disciplined and kudos to Stitch Fix for being so flexible!  Love it!!

What are you giving yourself credit for today?  It doesn't have to be something big, just something positive.  

XOXO,

Stephanie

Note:  If you want more information on Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, click here.  (I am only mentioning this because I've been doing the program (sometimes following it more closely than others) and it works.  I do not get any referral credits or anything by spreading the word about TMM).

New Favorite Bedding Set - LC Lauren Conrad "Tea Berry"

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been trying to will Spring in to coming!  I already have the Easter decorations out.  I have purchased pale pink skinny jeans and those oh-so-cute shoes I blogged about yesterday.  I am 1000% over this snow!!!  (And the thermostat stopped working right, so my house won't warm up to higher than 66 degrees.  Brrr!!)

While I was freezing my patootie off yesterday (and surfing the Kohls.com website), I came across this pretty little bedding set from LC Lauren Conrad:

I wanted to order it yesterday online, but it was out of stock.  So, off in the snowstorm I went this morning to Kohl's!  Much to my delight, they had it in-store!  "It was meant to be", I told myself!  "Sorry hubby for all the pink". :)

I've never, ever had a pink bedding set (even when I was little), but I love this one!  It's so Springy, cheery, and GIRLY!  (And I can finally use that ivory round pillow that I bought at Pier One several years ago and have never used).  

Check out the details on the pillow case that came with the comforter - little soft pink tea berries:

Also, there's enough blue in the comforter that it matches the pale blue walls of the bedroom (and makes this little ensemble tolerable for the hubby).

So, for $261 (no one said redecorating was cheap), I have a new, fresh bedroom look that makes me feel like a happy Princess.  (What female doesn't want to feel like that)?!  Now about that snow....

Product Junkie in the City - The Shower Revelations

I hopped in my shower this past Saturday and started staring at all the products within - what my favorites are and what I don't really care so much for.  And then it hit me - I rarely throw anything away.....

Let's take my shower caddie for example....

As I looked at it, I realized there's only really two things in it that I really love and would deem "favorites" - the "Be Enchanted" shower gel from Bath & Body Works (smells citrus-y and fresh and makes me feel more awake in the morning when I use it) and the little blue face scrubber in the bottom of the caddie that came with an old bottle of facial cleanser.  Other than that, the things in here are just things I'm trying to use up.  

So why would I keep all this stuff I don't even really care for?  

For one, I don't like to waste things.  

Some of these items came in subscription boxes (the upside down little bottle of Nelson Argon Oil Shampoo in the front left and the Macadamia Hair Oil sample in the bottom rack).  The generic conditioner sample is something the hubs brought home from staying in a hotel for work.  The two golden bottles of L'Oreal Shampoo and Conditioner (far right and left) were gifts from my mother-in-law for Christmas.  The big, pink bottle of Soft Soap Strawberry Shower Smoothie was an impulse buy at Kroger b/c I like the scent of strawberries.  The little Luxuvia sample was given to me at the Merle Norman store 5 years ago when I got married.  Throwing these things away would mean wasting money (or savings from throwing away something that was free that I'll have to buy later in another form).

That led to the next revelation - I don't really like to spend my money.

In retrospect, this is what leads me to use credit cards.  More often than not, I have the money to pay for something with cash.  I just don't want to give my cash away.  I want to hold on to it and keep it in a savings account because damnit, I worked hard for that money and what happens if I ever don't have enough!  (Which is the point of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  He tells you to use cash for purchases because it hurts more.  Does it ever!).  

The next revelation - somehow being surrounded by things makes me feel validated.

I'm a visual person.  Closets full of "things" makes me feel like I've achieved something because you have to be successful to have all this stuff, right?  The same with my office at work - the more papers I have on my desk, the more the Company needs me right?  Look at all this work I have to do!  It's not for anyone else to see (I'm actually embarrassed when my desk is messy).  It's for my own personal validation.  (Where did I ever come up with this??)!

The last revelation - I need to purge my closets/drawers.

Look at this sad, little hair clip - 2 of the 3 prongs are broken off.  And yet I've kept it for years.  It still kind of works (if you like the hair-tilting-to-the-side look).  Time for said clip to go bye-bye!

And look at this bra - it is falling apart!  It's from Lane Bryant and I've had it for years and love it!  (It's one of those back smoothing ones and the fabric is so soft).  I paid over $60 for it.  However, I've lost weight and my boobs haven't been the size of this bra since last September/October.  I finally sucked it up and ordered some new bras from Victoria's Secret.  They came today and they fit/aren't falling apart.  It's time for this little (OK, it's big - who am I kidding) puppy to be thrown away too!  Job well done bra!

I've done a little purging as I've lost weight - selling my "fat clothes" on eBay or donating them to AmVets.  I've used the money I've made by selling my clothes to buy new ones that fit and to pay off debt.  I still need to go thru my stuff and get rid of all things broken or damaged that I can't fix (or just don't want to).

At age 36, I know I've accomplished a lot in my life and I'm proud of it.  And I know my company needs me because I am an incredibly loyal, hard worker and always strive to do my best!  "Things" don't define me.  How I live my life each day and treat those around me does!  

Who knew taking a shower could also cleanse my soul?!  Can't wait to see what happens if I decide to cook :).

The Beauty of Silence

A crazy thing happened last night as I sat down to write my blog - there was silence!  The husband was out of town for business, I accidentally left my cell phone at work on my desk, and as I sat and wrote my confessional (err - I mean blog), I noticed it - SILENCE!!  AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

I don't know what type of situation you have, but with my work especially, I am around people all day long.  A big part of my job is customer-service based, which means doing presentations, holding staff meetings, the phone ringing non-stop, people coming in and out of my office, and multi-tasking like my tail is on fire.  I thrive in that environment and definitely feel I'm at my best when the pressure is on.  As a naturally shy person/introverted person though, I love just having time to myself to think, and well, exhale.....

Before I met my husband, I didn't have cable and wasn't big into TV.  I used to take long baths several times a week after work or read a book or magazine when I got home.  That was my time to relax and clear my head.  Once we met, I stopped doing that (mostly b/c the hubs has golfer feet and I was too lazy to scrub the tub each time I wanted to take a bath).  We got cable and I became addicted to these reality shows (Real Housewives of Every County in America or the E Channel anyone??) when he isn't home and to watching sports or the History or Discovery Channel when he is.  There's 3 cats running around wrestling and wanting held and petted, and there's another person living in my house who, gasp, likes to talk and know how my day was, etc.  

My point being - silence is a luxury that is often fleeting.  I often find myself watching mindless TV in order to drown out my stress so I don't have to think about things, rather than tuning in to how I'm feeling and finding solutions on how to fix things.  For me, this happens best when I can think clearly and when there's silence.

So, last night I soaked in the beauty of the silence around me (and thanked the good Lord for the chaos and blessings of today).....