Lifestyle of the Dull and Cat-Obsessed

Last summer, I was unhappy with so many things in my life. It spurred me to make some changes that included working out more, watching what I ate, and being more mindful of my body. It took well over six months before working out was just something I did, not something I necessarily dreaded. It took even longer before I finally got that promised "extra energy" that comes with working out.

I'm not perfect. Sometimes I skip a day here or there or call twenty minutes of yoga "working out."  I still buy Yoplait yogurt, don't quite get enough servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and buy prepackaged salad dressing and tortillas.  But we recently bought shares in a CSA and we're looking forward to half a bushel of locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables every week from June through October.  I'm going to work on making our own yogurt, beef jerky, and bread over the summer.  Slowly but surely we're making changes that make me happy.

I'm not as happy about some of my lifestyle habits, especially my cheap fashion choices.  The recent factory fire in Bangladesh that killed hundreds of people really drives this home to me.  The things I love to wear the most are the things I have paid the most for - things like my Mephisto Helen sandals (made in Austria) and my Ann Valentine eyeglasses (made in France).  These are also things that are made in countries with strict labor standards.

So I'm going to work on this. I'm going to work on buying things locally when possible. It is incredibly difficult to buy garments manufactured in the United States, but I'm going to attempt to do it as frequently as I can and, failing that, to buy from companies with safe and humane labor practices. I will slowly weed out my clothing and accessories so that I have fewer items, but all items will be things I love and things I know will make me happy when I wear them.

To start, I'm going to throw out/recycle/take to Goodwill fifty items in our house.  Clothing that stresses me out/does not fit/does not make me feel fabulous will be the first thing to go.  I'll keep you updated on how that goes. We actually have moved so frequently recently that I feel like I've done a good job of weeding things out, but I'm going to force myself into an even more stripped down lifestyle with the idea that a simplified lifestyle will help me to feel more excited about my life when I wake up in the morning.

And, because I know you have missed her, here is a picture of Zellybean.  I will not be getting rid of her.  She's too cute, you know.