Today is a look back on who I used to be versus the woman I am today. Of course there should be changes, but sometimes it makes me think I’m a completely different person. I go back to my old journals and think that I was absolutely nuts back in the day. Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore and today I do a lot more thoughtfulness and attempting to see if I could have solved a situation more appropriately or an area that I could have used time for effectively. I’m not listing these in any particular order, but these are the areas that stuck out the most:
- Money: There was a time in my life that I didn’t mind not only spending money, but spending money on myself. Most of the money I spend now is on the house or the kids. I don’t even mind splurging on gifts for hubby or others, but I struggle with spending money on myself. I’m doing a little better with making sure that I’m not completely letting myself get into the rut of my appearance not mattering, but I do like workout clothes more than normal clothes. However, being a creative and needing to take pictures makes this very difficult so I’m in the process of making sure that I’m able to appropriately put forth an image I could be proud of.
- Cleanliness: When I was younger, I hated cleaning and as I got older I only would clean when the mess started getting in the way. I used to wait until the weekend and just spend a few hours putting everything away and in its place. Now, I do some form of cleaning daily. Having things out of order and huge messes = chaos. I cannot do anything involving writing or being creative if my space is cluttered. I typically will forsake everything else to clean if it is at that point. Since I’m aware of this, I do my best not to allow my spaces to get over cluttered.
-Using Time Wisely: I wasted a ton of time in years past! I don’t think I can ever stress that enough. While I refuse to live in regret, I do see so many moments that I didn’t take advantage of what was in front of me. Now, I have to tone it down and try not to do too much. I don’t want to miss my moments nor feel as if I’m not getting things accomplished. I recognize that I can’t do everything, but I’m willing to tire myself out trying to be everything I’ve dreamed of. I research and then get to work versus staying in the cycle of learning and never applying. I also use down time as moments of learning, personal development, worship, etc. I try to avoid allowing myself to not be filled with something that will help me become a better me.
-Television: Back in the day I had shows that I watched religiously. I planned my days around making sure that I was free during that time. That doesn’t really happen anymore. Yes we have Hulu and I can go back and watch things I’ve missed, but outside of sports there aren’t many things that command my attention that much. One of things I’ve noticed the most is now that I don’t watch tv as much, I’m not doing as much sitting and being idle. If you’ve read my previous posts about what I do during tv time, you’ll know I like to make it productive. I may fold clothes while standing up or walking in place, but I’m trying to make that time be worth it. I can admit that my couch is like a black hole to me so I try my best not to get stuck there for too long.
-Loud Noises: Back in the day I used to turn it all the way up. I listened to music loud, the tv needed to be way up, and I talked loud when with friends. Now, it’s just too much for me. My family often asks can I even hear that tv because it’s not turned up enough for them or when I’m in the van and listening to something they insist that they can never hear it. I have no idea when it happened, but I became the lady that wants you to turn it down. I’ll never ask someone to turn down their music in a car I’m not even in, but I cringe and think they are going to be hard of hearing...LOL (I know). We finally just purchased a sound bar and subwoofer and while it does make a difference in our viewing experience, most of the time it is just way too much sound for my preference so I’ll have it pretty low. One benefit of listening at a lower volume is I can hear things things that most can’t because my hearing is more sensitive.
-Skincare: Washing my face with bar soap was fine and Jergens was the moisturizer of choice. After I became a teen, my mom gave me some of her Oil of Olay. That was it for a very long time. I eventually did move to a cleanser (Nutrogena or Clearasil), but that was the only addition. This is a space that I will definitely spend money in! I recognize the error of my ways and have changed for the better. Cleanser, micro exfoliant, toner, vitamin C, serum, acid, moisturizer, and sunscreen are apart of my weekly routine. Since baby #3, my skin has completely changed but I am doing everything in my power to ensure that on a daily basis I treat my skin as essential and important. I want to age gracefully and I understand that alongside health, skincare is a component to aid in that.
- Water: I used to think it was a punishment. The only time I really wanted water was during those summers when we were outside running around like crazy. I got slack, but I’m getting back on track with drinking a ton of water daily. Water is a non-negotiable for me now and I prefer it over soda. I still want my coffee, but outside of a few other things I drink water mostly. I will add in a packet of something when I want to switch it up, but I’d be foolish to know the benefits of water and not take advantage of them.
-Reading: This is by far the one thing that has stayed the same. As a child, I had a reading light and would stay on until the wee hours as I found adventure within the pages of a book. While I no longer purchase tactile books often, I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription and attempt to not waste one penny. I haven’t done much reading as of late, but I still read about 5-6 books a month. At one point, it was roughly 20-30. That was of course before the blog and focusing on consistency, but I’d like to at least get it up to at least 15. I’m also glad that this is something that has caught on with my girls. I sometimes walk into the bathroom and find my oldest in the tub with a book. I have to warn her that she’s going to ruin the book if it falls in the tub, but it makes me smile knowing that she finds the same pleasure in getting “lost in a book”. Outside of Jesus, this is something I stress to my children as important and essential. I encourage them to read daily, but since that doesn’t always happen to read at least several times weekly so they don’t lose the skills they’ve acquired.
What’s some of your areas of growth that you recognize? Let’s chat!!