Day 151/366 days Towards Self-Mastery
Consumerism is an addiction, I'm certain of that. It's been a long time since I've indulged that addiction yet I can still walk through a glitzy mall and become captured by the beautiful displays and colours and textures that invade my senses.
In my blog yesterday I talked about my collections. What I didn't mention is that I have traded consumerism for foraging and fossicking in flea markets, weekend stalls, garage sales and my all time favourite, off beat second hand junk shops. Or maybe I did mention it?
There's a sense of authenticity about foraging and finding that special piece. My senses are not trained for it.
I have to think about it, dig deep and find out if it's really something I love and can use. It's super easy to buy something that is packaged and marketed and has a whole story that someone else created about how much it will mean to me. That's not it with pre-loved items. There's nobody out there touting their benefits to you. It's up to your imagination.
My love for the old, the tried, the true, the used up, the loved up, the shaggy and sometimes beaten up cannot be satisfied in new furniture stores, kitchenware displays or by soft furnishing retailers.
That doesn't mean I never buy new. I do. There's simply more excitement in the old and aged. And of course, when living simply that's way more affordable.
This morning I plan to go foraging. It will be a welcome break from all this isolation. I have a $20 budget. I'll be looking for a pair of jeans and a nice big warm jumper to get me through winter with my new hand-made boots! There's nobody up here in the hills that retail new jeans so pre-loved it is.
The lady who sells antique jewellery will likely be visited, as will the antique store that I see has a dressmaker's mannequin. I'll also be searching for small cross-cut crystal bowls to use for soya candles. My plan is to scent them with my collection of aromatherapy oils that I rarely think to use and have had tucked away in an antique shaving cabinet forever. And if I'm really lucky I'll find another scarf at the recycle boutique that will perfectly match those boots, Polish, hand-made that I spoke of.
We have 3 used book stores in this village that I'll be giving a wide berth today as I want to get home to begin my very first attempt at the long process of making croissants.
When it comes to finding joy in life, give foraging and fossicking for pre-loved a fair go. You might just find that you fall in love with it. There was a time in my life that I wouldn't even dream of it. That was when I wasn't myself, but some version of myself that reflected the consumerism that I am immersed in. Nowadays I'm feeling more grounded in my authenticity, my true nature, my history and my present.
I could go on about purchasing pre-loved as a political move away from consumerism, but that's not it for me even though it is a side benefit. I think that's key. We have to be fully engaged, fully committed to a path to make a permanent shift. I don't believe that deprivation is the way to a fulfilling life. It's more about finding what runs in your veins. For me that's a deep connection with my ancestor's way of life, the simple life.
And when I decide to plan it and have the budget to match, I'll take a trip out country to some very special and secret second hand junk shops that I've discovered. Maybe I'll invite a friend along for the sheer joy of sharing time fossicking together.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.
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