One positive aspect of this quarantine is definitely the fact I am spending much less money and I have not bought any new clothes or shoes, for more than one month. Let me emphasise this, I HAVE NOT BOUGHT ANY CLOTHES OR SHOES AND I AM HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I like clothes and shoes, I like bags, scarfs, hats, sunglasses, etc, etc, but for some years now, I have decided to change my shopping habits.
When I started working, I had an income and no big financial commitments, my available surplus to spend on clothing and shoes was big. I spent a lot of money on clothes, shoes, bags, etc and I even bought items thinking ”I might need this in the future, like a party”.
For a couple of years, I was definitely a fan of shopping therapy.
I was sad, shopping.
I was frustrated, shopping.
Needed to seduce a new partner, shopping.
But it didn’t take me long to realise that this was not working out. Eventually life also directed me in the direction of therapy. I cannot talk enough about how good therapy was for me, I totally recommend it.
One of the things that naturally happened was that I didn’t get the urge to go on shopping sprees anymore and I didn’t have the need to accumulate things anymore. I noticed that as I was sorting my thoughts and emotions in every session, I was also sorting my house and my things.
I was throwing out a lot of things out of my life. I was throwing out physical things and I was throwing out all those old feelings and mindsets that were no longer working for me.
A few years later, I got to know the minimalism trend and I ended up finding the documentary The Minimalists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Co1Iptd4p4.
I loved it, finding out that other people felt the same as me.
I also ended up reading the book Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-That-Remains-Memoir-Minimalists/dp/1938793188
I strongly recommend everyone to watch this doc and read the book, if you can.
There are several layers to minimalism, but what I want you to understand is that anyone can join, at their own pace, setting their own boundaries. I will never be like those people that get rid of their furniture and sleep on the floor, because they want to drastically reduce the amount of things they own.
The beauty is that there is no right or wrong way.
What do you gain?
You learn that you are worthy, that you are not the things you own, that people will love you for you and not by the clothes you wear. If someone is “with you” because you wear G*cci shoes, are they really your friend?
You learn that you save a lot of money.
You learn to enjoy fully the things you own and appreciate the time and money invested to produce that item.
The list is long and I could go on and on, but I will let you find out by yourself.
I wish I can establish with time, that you are you. That your personal style has nothing to do with money, that is Ok not to constantly be buying new things.
I am Franca and this is personal!
Franca Personal Style Consultancy 