Tough week.
Challenge Rule 1: Buy No Clothes/Don’t Covet
This week I ruminated about last week’s store adventures.
I’m still unsure about how I feel about the whole thing. Many thoughts have crossed my mind, and they are all pointing at paradoxes: I have more clothes than I need, but I still managed to think, for the space of a few minutes, that a zebra dress would change my life for the better. I am satisfied with every item of clothing in my closet, yet for some reason, that satisfaction still leaves wiggle room to want something new.
Clearly, whatever that urge is for something “new” is not gone yet, even after six and a half months. So this opens up a new question: Was I expecting the urge to completely go away? I guess, without ever actually saying it, I was hoping it would go away. I remember when the agonizing feeling of coveting finally started fading, during week 7 of my challenge. I felt so much peace.
Going into stores again stirred up that dissatisfaction again and started making me question my hoped-for outcome. I’m not liking that very much.
Challenge Rule 2: The Inventory
I did something incredibly important on this front this week: I found a new home for my bunny sweater. It has been in a little bag in my bedroom for months, ever since I decided that I needed to get rid of it. I just couldn’t do it. Was it because I couldn’t find the right home for it? Was it because I was still clinging to the memories that were infused in it? I don’t know.
But it is gone now. And oddly, I have a new hole in my heart. I’m hoping it will be self-healing.
Like I said. Tough week.
Challenge Rule 3: Go-To Catalogue:
My four summer dresses are making life simple.
Challenge Rule 4: Mise en Place/Plan Ahead:
Easy as pie.
Challenge Rule 5: Repair and Mend, Alter when Necessary:
My sewing projects had nothing to do with mending or repairing, nor even altering.
I think, as a reaction to that rumination about wanting something “new” I kind lost my mind and started fishing around in my “fabric” (not even really, because I only have one actual piece of fabric, which I am saving for the perfect project), that is to say, my duvet covers and baby swaddles. These are things that I had kind of earmarked for crafting projects, but hadn’t yet determined what kind.
This week, I sewed a wrap dress with no pattern whatsoever, and created a very cute top that I adapted from a pattern. Here, enjoy:
Round-up
Every so often in this challenge, when I think I’ve made some headway, I start to slip a little. But sometimes we have to back up a little so that we can jump a little farther, right?
In Other News:
The Ideal Life Reels continue until next week, when I will have completed a full cycle of the exercises for my Instagram audience. I have, additionally, been adding prompts each day as regular posts. The reaction, while publicly is rather mild, has been privately very rich. I love it that these ladies are opening up to me the way they are. That’s the point, right? If I can help just one person get closer to their dreams, then it will all be worth it.
I’m not sure what the plan is after this. I will probably continue to post the daily themes to plant the seeds and provide a reminder, but give myself a video break while I work on the…
PODCAST! Yup. It’s happening. Sure, there are tons of unknowns, but I love what it’s turning into: conversation about getting from here to there, the things that hold us back, how learning to look at life through a different lens can bring us greater satisfaction, and, of course, funny stories and laughter.
Join me on Instagram to follow along with the final Ideal Life Reels!!
Sing With Your Feet 