8 Things: Excess

I've read several posts about Lent, and what people are giving up for Lent, if they are. I don't observe Lent, but an interesting post on MagpieGirl got me thinking: For a girl who would like to live a cleaner, more meaningful life, I have a lot of crap, and giving up something would not be a particularly bad idea. She does mention that the first step is to become mindful of the excess, and that is definitely something I need to do. I find myself just going along day to day, understanding that I'm stressed and feel frazzled and full of brain-trash, but not sure as to why. Perhaps taking a look at the "too much" in my life will help me clear out that trash.

1. Shopping. I was thinking the other day that I don't go shopping nearly as often as I used to, and in part that is true. I don't spend hours at Target or Michael's, but I do stop at the grocery way more often than I need to, which makes for excess: excess food in the freezer and pantry, excess spending of money I don't need to spend, excess time spent at the grocery store. This morning I stopped on my way to work to pick up salad for lunch. I got salad, and yogurt, and 400 other things I didn't need. I should have just packed a pb&j.

2. Paper clutter. The desk I got for Christmas, that was to be used for bill paying and homework, is covered in paper clutter that I need to actually go through, file, pay, look at...This was the clutter I got that desk to avoid.

3. Body clutter (a much more pleasant term, as coined by Flylady, than fat). This, of course, is ongoing issue, and I am tackling it.

4. Reusable shopping bags. A very odd thing to have too much of, but I get them and forget about them. Need to just keep them stashed in the car, and write myself a note. On my forehead. In Sharpie.

5. T-shirts. Another odd one, but I have them for every charity event I've participated in, concert I've gone to, schools, activities, blank workout tees, sleeping tees...honestly, I have more than a drawer's worth. I hate throwing away the commemorative ones, and I like using the blank ones to exercize. And I'm a big girl, so the shirts take up a lot of room.

6. Craft supplies. I do have too much, I know it. It's a disease. That said, I haven't bought anything new since...January? That's a start, right?

7. Volunteer stuff. This is also something I'm working on. I've done away with one of my volunteer activities, and another will be over as soon as the school year is done. That will leave me with Girl Scouts...and the myriad little things that pop up from time to time. How do you say no when you can't do stuff at school during the day, and nobody else seems to be helping? Another disease. One too many of us tend to suffer from, I think.

8. Excuses. I'm too tired, I forgot, I'm not smart enough, not enough time, too much to do, they'd never hire me, blah blah blah. Enough.

I guess I'll start with the first two - giving up the excessive shopping and paper clutter for Lent. I'm too tired to deal with the rest for now (grin.)