Lessons from The February Challenge

Towards the end of January, my friend Debby told me about a personal challenge she and her son were participating in. For the entire month of February, they were not going into any stores but food stores. No shopping for anything other than food products, and those would be primarily limited to fruits and vegetables.

It sounded like an amazing experiment with self-discipline. Not only was there to be no shopping for anything other than food, but there would also be no idle store wandering, no window shopping, no perusing shops online. Instead, the focus would be pursuing more opportunities to support the arts and enjoy new experiences. To challenge one's self. To think. To grow.

I was right on board with this idea,and thus The February Challenge was born!

Being involved in the challenge with others who would hold me accountable made it much more fun! In addition to supporting one another, we also shared ideas and experiences. Visiting the mysterious Georgia Guidestones outside of Elberton, Georgia, has long been on my agenda...and we made that part of February's fun!

A windy cold day calls for Hello Kitty!

There was also a visit to music mecca Athens, Georgia, one of my Southern favorite towns! Dining at The Grit, visiting The Georgia Museum of Art to see a Guerilla Girls exhibit, and a trip to Daily Groceries Co-op.  These wonderful places are all in close proximity to us, and yet we hadn't been in ages!

Sighted along the way - we take the back roads, much more visually engaging!

We also took in a free theatrical production in our town and finally experienced Uchi E, a new Korean restaurant I've been keen to try.

Determined not to cave, I had to search for creative solutions whenever a situation arose where I might need to make a purchase. And I learned patience...hardly one of my virtues, but I found that in patience I discovered solutions that did not require spending. My son was totally on board with the challenge, and together we discussed why it is important to stick to financial goals.

I won't lie, though...I had to resist temptation that kept creeping my way. While I am hardly a shopaholic, I do love clothes, especially refashioning - altering and/or combining items to make new items! During the challenge, I shopped my own closet and refashioned a few things that weren't working for me whenever I wanted something 'new'. In addition, I reacquainted myself with my love of upcycling jewelry, making myself a few new pieces from junk jewelry and/or jewelry I no longer wear to match refashioned outfits. I've been on such a roll I'm even considering opening the shop again!

And the most amazing thing was, I felt so much joy during this personal challenge! Towards the end of the month, I will admit, I was counting the days until I could do a bit of thrift shopping - my favorite place to find items to refashion/upcycle , but I learned so much about how I spend not only my money, but also my time. It was humbling to, as they say, check our privilege as well. So many people don't shop for anything other than food because they can't. Every day for them is a challenge of finding creative solutions when shopping is not an option. I think this was the most valuable lesson my son took away from the experience, and I hope it is one that stays with him. He already has a strong social conscious, so I think it will!

Grounded. Grateful. Overflowing with creativity. Inspired. Happy. Culturally enriched. This is how the challenge left me feeling, and the lessons I learned will stay with me. I encourage you, if possible, to challenge yourself in this same way - take a month and shop for nothing but food. Get the kids on board, too! I am so grateful to Debby and her son Ethan for including us in this challenge. And now, as this sunny Saturday rolls in, it's time to keep those lessons firm and strong. A beautiful day means time in nature, enjoying the sun at sidewalk cafes, taking the dog on long walks, prepping the garden for planting - not wandering department stores and malls for things we don't really need!

Off to the Farmer's Market!

Much Love,
A

The Reward of Sticking to (Financial) Goals

I've written a lot about reasonable goal setting. Whether a goal is large or small, however, it's important not be distracted or tempted away from what you want/hope/need to accomplish.

Coming to the close of the February Challenge, it is this week I've found myself desiring to shop for, well, anything. I don't know why it's been so particularly difficult this last week, but quite a few times, I was tempted to cave. Still, I've not been to shop in any store but a supermarket since the end of January! And it's been quite an eye-opening experience; I even managed to completely makeover a corner of my den into my dream home office, without spending a penny!

With my freelance work increasing (hooray!), an organized place to work has been necessary for a while now. After seeing Kara Haupt's beautiful - and yaaaay, small - space featured on A Beautiful Mess, I was inspired and with two ice-days at home, got the job done, all with materials and items I already owned! I'll write more about the rewards of the February Challenge in a coming post, because while this was a small goal, it was a fun experiment, sometimes difficult to stick by, and I learned a lot about my shopping habits.

It can be  a much harder challenge, however, to stick by a larger goal that will take longer to accomplish. Just this week, I had to make a decision concerning some additional funds I came into. In December, I'd made a financial plan and set a goal to be accomplished within a three-year time frame. This plan also included what to do with any and all additional funds, large or small.

I can be very in-the-moment when it comes to extra funds and it was easy to imagine mini-breaks, vacations, new shoes, and so many other possibilities. I like to think I'm being all zen-like and enlightened and living-for-the-moment when I use extra money this way, but it's often just an impulsive choice that is fun at the time...and not necessarily in my best interests long-term. It's a tough line to walk, wanting to stick by a long-term plan but also living in-the-moment.

So...I did not do anything at all for an entire week...but yesterday I took a deep breath and allocated the majority of the funds to the proper place, completely in alignment with my personal financial goals and plan. I kept out only a small percentage for a bit of fun, and this choice felt great! This morning, I am happy that I resisted the temptation to spend the money and followed my plan instead! My will power was tested, but not giving in to temptation felt better than anything I could have purchased or any trip I might have taken could have felt!

Why yes, I do eat so much sushi that I have my own personal chopsticks!

Last night, in celebration, I rewarded myself with my favorite sushi and a bit of relaxing, altering a couple of dresses by hand while enjoying movie night with my son. The February Challenge and my own personal financial plan have made this a month of lessons and discipline, which I will discuss more in a coming post!

Happy Saturday All!

Amy