What changes are you making this year?

[2xblended]

Just wondering if anyone else is making any changes to their lives this year?

1- I've just deleted all my social media and only have 6 insta accounts bookmarked on my browser that are all public pages. All of these offer me some educational info. No more white noise from all the influenzas in my precious head space.

2- I'm entering my 4th year of low-buy (this is becoming trendy but, I did it first ).
I bought 5 things in total last year (including a pillow, socks, a couple of hardcopy books that I didn't want to read online, and a hoodie). It's so freeing using up what I have fully and letting every item I own be fully enjoyed and utilized. I have 3 things to buy this year but am not in a hurry to do so. This journey has been remarkably easy for me- I feel no need to own more and more stuff- but some YTers are doing it and make it seem like a real struggle. I wonder if that YT culture makes it harder?

3-I'm planning on taking a self-defense course (always wanted to and think it's only responsible for a woman to do) and hopefully some swimming lessons. I can swim but I was never taught properly, so I think it's about time I learn correct form.

4- I'm also reducing my screen time massively. I've been on medical leave so I'm online all the time to keep myself busy. That's not good for anyone!
I take loads of online courses for fun and my job also has plenty of screen time, so I need to make sure I spend my leisure time away from technology. I will likely put aside an hour one day a week to catch up on forums and send messages to friends, but otherwise I want to be relaxing in real life and spending quality time with family and friends, trying out new activities.

5- And I'm hopefully changing careers this year! I haven't quite figured out quite what I'll be doing as yet, but I have a few avenues I'm exploring. I want to be excited about going to work again- something I haven't felt in years!

What about you?

 

[Twinkle485]

I’ve decided to seriously loose weight. I have 3 stone to go. Have just purchased resistance bands to start toning.

I’m going to have a Huge clear out and live with the bare essentials

I’ve also purchased a Nikon so want to learn how to use it

Anddd I’ve decided to start a skin care routine because I’m pushing 30 and I don’t have wrinkles just yet but thought it’s wise to stay on top of it.

 

[Orange Creme]

As above, I'm losing weight, already doing well! Also going to enjoy my kids more and get outdoors more.

 

[LLJ]

Some of mine:
Less social media
Say no more/stop saying yes just to please others
Read more book/do more puzzles!
Wash make up brushes more regularly haha
Save save save!
Overcome my lift phobia (never going to happen )

 

[elloelloello]

I'm hoping to get pregnant soon. Have been trying since about June and it is very disheartening when my period comes every month, but I already have a beautiful daughter so I am very grateful for that, hopefully it happens for me soon!

I am saving HARD to buy a house and I hope to have one, or atleast a full, healthy deposit for a house in the outskirts of London by the end of the year.

I really want to quit drinking, of course being pregnant I would not drink, but I really think I just want to be sober. I only drink on weekends but I can put the wine away and this is something i'm very concious of!

Less social media as above!

Go out and do more things/make new friends. I have already started this by joining a Zumba class once a week and I am loving it so far, yet to make mates though - (why am I so god dam awkward!)

I would love to do an online course and get a proper career in motion but I am torn with what direction I'd like to go in.

Basically I just want to be a new person... (jk)

 

[petitspois]

Drink less alcohol
Stick to a skincare regime
Save more
That's me done...

 

[LaurieLaurie]

I’m saving more - so far so good.

 

[coconochanel]

Less wastage so that includes food, money clothes etc.

 

[2xblended]

Ooh I'm loving these! I hope we get more responses! Best of luck to each of you on your plans!

I would love to do an online course and get a proper career in motion but I am torn with what direction I'd like to go in.

Have you heard of EdX? They're like the Open University. Proper online courses given by professors from accredited Universities from around the world (some are from Harvard and MIT even). You can do the majority of the courses at your own pace, although a couple have set schedules.
But where the Open University has fees for the modules, with EdX you can do the courses completely for free. You also can opt to pay for a certificate (usually $49)- that fee gives you a certificate to prove you've completed the course and passed, so that you can use that as a credential on your resume.

The reason I bring it up is, you could always look through the site, try out a course or two in areas you might be interested in and see if that helps you figure out your ideal career, without spending any money at all. It's what I'm doing now as I'm trying to switch careers but am undecided about what I want to do.

I've done courses on Ethics, Maths, Addiction, Psychology...lots of random interesting topics. I do them for fun and some general knowledge, but I'm also trying to see if a specific topic gets me really hooked so I can then switch my career over.
And if you don't like the course you started, you can just drop it and try another.
I highly recommend it.

I've also heard of these business masterclasses you can subscribe to (not sure of the cost), where a different business leader talks about their path to success and gives lessons. I think it's a different speaker every month of the year. I've heard about it but haven't got the name (I'll post it here if I find it). It sounds like a really cool way to learn some insider info on how to turn your passions into your career.

 

[Greed-Futures]

I'm really interested in OP's low buy idea!

The ones I've settled on are:

* no drinking or smoking (things I only did socially anyway in the past)
* less screen time -- specifically as regards social media (I'm using an app to help with this)
* get down to pre-baby weight or just find confidence in my body (I just have to give birth first!). I've had a complicated pregnancy and I feel like my body has really failed me in many respects because I've had so many ailments. I can't wait to feel like I'm back in charge of my body and how it functions.

 

[2xblended]

I'm really interested in OP's low buy idea!

The ones I've settled on are:

* no drinking or smoking (things I only did socially anyway in the past)
* less screen time -- specifically as regards social media (I'm using an app to help with this)
* get down to pre-baby weight or just find confidence in my body (I just have to give birth first!). I've had a complicated pregnancy and I feel like my body has really failed me in many respects because I've had so many ailments. I can't wait to feel like I'm back in charge of my body and how it functions.

Do you have any specific questions about low-buy that you'd like to ask? I'm happy to discuss.

Also, I feel you on your body not behaving as you had expected. I've had an accident and a lot of surgeries/complications afterwards.
I literally went from super athletic and strong to feeble and frail. I cannot trust my body at all and there were days after the accident that I cried from frustration because my body couldn't function at even a basic level, so I was always on edge about the next time I may collapse or the next complication I would need surgery to correct. It's hard and frustrating.
I am working on regaining my strength and slowly learning to trust my body again. I think I'm learning, above all, that whilst the complications I suffered were rare and I hated my body for failing me, my body has actually proven really resilient. I am here, in spite of the complications, so perhaps my body hasn't failed me after all. Does that make sense?

I hope you have a safe delivery. And of course your baby will bring you boundless joy that will make it worthwhile. Just give yourself and your body some time after baby, allow yourself some grace, and trust that you will get to feel like yourself again in due course.

 

[coconochanel]

Do you have any specific questions about low-buy that you'd like to ask? I'm happy to discuss.

Also, I feel you on your body not behaving as you had expected. I've had an accident and a lot of surgeries/complications afterwards.
I literally went from super athletic and strong to feeble and frail. I cannot trust my body at all and there were days after the accident that I cried from frustration because my body couldn't function at even a basic level, so I was always on edge about the next time I may collapse or the next complication I would need surgery to correct. It's hard and frustrating.
I am working on regaining my strength and slowly learning to trust my body again. I think I'm learning, above all, that whilst the complications I suffered were rare and I hated my body for failing me, my body has actually proven really resilient. I am here, in spite of the complications, so perhaps my body hasn't failed me after all. Does that make sense?

I hope you have a safe delivery. And of course your baby will bring you boundless joy that will make it worthwhile. Just give yourself and your body some time after baby, allow yourself some grace, and trust that you will get to feel like yourself again in due course.

What are your rules for Your low buy? regarding makeup etc?

 

[Mrswhale]

Buy less and use up what I have.
Cut out alcohol.
Finish college and try to get myself a proper career.
Most importantly get over my anxiety and learn to be happy with who I am again as a person. Xx

 

[Sparks]

Cook more at home and less takeaway, also coming up with new dishes and not always cooking the same old stuff.

 

[Lyds26]

Using up makeup. All those lipsticks I’ve bought and never used, or foundation where I’ve bought it because it was on offer and I now have a years supply in storage. Get through all the body wash and moisturiser gift sets I get bought for Christmas.

 

[Babyjane123]

I’m starting therapy again to deal with my anxiety.
Need to lose weight - I lost 2 stone but then my mum died so have unfortunately gained it all back!!
Also me and the hubby are saving for Florida and are hopefully going in 2021 fingers crossed!!

 

[2xblended]

What are your rules for Your low buy? regarding makeup etc?

I started this journey when a coworker turned her bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe, with a mattress on the floor in the corner rather than a bed, because she'd rather have space for her shopping hauls than her own bed.
While that sounds like a dream to many, it made me feel uneasy. I got sick of consumerism and saw IRL what the fast-fashion shopping hauls could do if left unchecked. I wanted out of it; though I was never deep in it, but I certainly owned more stuff than I needed. I didn't grow up with a lot and was perfectly happy; I wanted to return to that simpler place.

My only two rules are to be flexible with it and to approach everything from a place of contentment.

I have seen a lot of people on youtube talking about strict no-buys or 'low buy rules' in the past year, but that system wouldn't work for me. If you don't spend any money for a full year and stick to it rigidly, you may binge shop the next year when you have the freedom to do so. I didn't want to set myself up for failure that way. It's unrealistic to me because we operate in a world where we will have to spend some money eventually. I preferred to learn to choose carefully what I spend money on, rather than just not spend at all (which wouldn't be sustainable in the long term).
I also didn't want to feel like I was punishing myself. I didn't want these complicated rules for every eventuality that these YT channels are advocating. I wanted it to be my choice not to consume in excess and to be content with what I have, knowing that even if I miss out on something now, there will always be something else I like down the road. I never found it hard because I didn't make it a chore, I made it a choice.
I'm actually glad I did this before it became a trend. If I had seen and followed the advice now being spouted, I would have failed miserably.

4 years on, I now have a wish list and a shopped list in my journal that's always in my bag.
When I see something that I really like, I put it on the wish list. I just leave it there for a few days, don't really think about it, and then review and see if I still want it. More often than not, on a second look I will decide I don't want it or realise I have something already that will do the same job.
If I find I still want it days/weeks later, then I will buy it. The point is not whether or not I buy, but rather, thinking through the desire and making an intentional purchase (I don't have something similar, I still want it after several weeks, I can use it on different occasions).
My 'shopped' list is simply a list of what I have bought. I just made it so I could look back at the end of the year and see if I made any bad choices that I needed to learn from. Turns out, every year I've only made 5-6 purchases. 1 year it was all new clothing for work (replacements for worn out items), the next year it was pots and pans! It was lovely to see how little I needed to add to my life. I never felt deprived and the process has made me enjoy what I already have a lot more.

This approach encompasses all of my life now- clothing, jewelry, shoes, kitchen utensils, bookshelves, shampoos. I fully utilize what I own and only buy replacements when something has run out. If there's a sale, I don't bother going in because I am content with what I have. I have un-subbed from all those email from the retailers that send you promo codes or previews of new collections. I don't even get tempted to do any online shopping because I'm not being prompted to check out various websites.

With regards to makeup, sorry, I have never used a stitch of it!
However, I have seen people on YT talk about 'Project Pan' in their low-buys. Essentially, use up the entire palette you already own, exposing the pan at the bottom, before buying a new one. Or fully use up one lipstick before you get another to replace it.
Most people have multiples that will last them years, but makeup goes off and grows bacteria so all those multiples get thrown away in the end.
I know people worry about getting bored, but I think using one thing consistently actually gives you a signature look. It comes across as someone who has worked out their unique style and is rocking it, not needing to constantly experiment.

Ok, that was longer than expected, and I even had to edit out a whole paragraph on how I took inventory of what I owned and created a capsule wardrobe just to shorten my reply!

Hope that helps a little.

TL;DR- No strict rules as that may set you up for failure, rather be flexible with it. Focus on appreciating and being content with what you already own. If you like something, stick it on a wish list to review later. If you still want it weeks later, allow yourself to have it. More often than not, you will find you already have something similar so you can remove it from the wish list without feeling like you missed out. Don't feel guilty if you buy something, just make sure you buy things that you love and have thought through.

 

[OhhBacon]

I love the post just above mine... Didn't quote it because it's so long.

The word that stands out to me is Contentment.
It''s is a really underrated emotion. We are told we should always be pushing and striving for more.

I'm not quite where you are at in my buying habits but am working on it. I find that not going to the shops helps, then I can't see what I could buy.

I am happier in my garden or reading a book than shopping but so much of society is set up to get us shopping,

I really appreciate your advice.

 

[2xblended]

I love the post just above mine... Didn't quote it because it's so long.

I'm sooo sorry! *blushing profusely*
I didn't expect to write such a long response either lolol!
So glad you found it helpful

I'm loving everyone's replies. Isn't it amazing how many similarities we can see (no alcohol, fewer possessions, etc.)?

 

[coconochanel]

I'm sooo sorry! *blushing profusely*
I didn't expect to write such a long response either lolol!
So glad you found it helpful

I'm loving everyone's replies. Isn't it amazing how many similarities we can see (no alcohol, fewer possessions, etc.)?

Thanks for explaining it through its a really good idea. I agree about the not buying anything could end up splurging the next year. I go for the Do I need it? Can I afford it? Will I use it? approach when thinking of buying something and that usually helps. I also write a wish list throughout the year and then if I still want it I put them on my Christmas list ( depending on the price) if someone is stuck what to buy me.

At the end of last year I checked through my wardrobe and realised I didn't need to buy any clothes or shoes as I had quite a lot still with tags on so I will be wearing those this year.

I think food can be a big waste if you don't meal plan and check what you have in the cupboards before you go shopping. Most of the time you will find you have things already in that you can make meals from.

Ive also stopped buying my weekly fashion mag and just read it online that's saved me £10 a month. As for books I use the library.