No, No, No – November

Zoom …  did you see it?  That was the first ten months of this year whizzing past at break-neck speed. And now it’s November which doesn’t mean much in SoCal whether wise despite my brief celebration of a short-lived dip in temps a few weeks ago. But that’s not the topic for this post. As I typed the title I’d decided on, I wondered … if a double negative makes a positive, what happens when you throw in a third? And before anyone starts to think that this post is about to reveal bad news regarding breast cancer, rest assured that is not the case. All is good in that arena.

No negativity intended in this post, either. It’s not three No’s said in quick succession with a waggle of a finger as one might do while admonishing a young child. Instead, you could say it like Ho Ho Ho, in a singsongy like fashion of the Green Giant tagline.  Or in Hoyt Axton’s  No No Song.  Have I piqued your curiosity?

Before I get down to the nitty-gritty, let me explain about the repeat outfit from yesterday’s Distressed – Magnificent 8 Collaboration. The reason is twofold. First, I like the outfit and this set of photos is with a different background. And secondly, I haven’t had time to take other photos and I really wanted to get this post out on schedule.

I’ve shared in previous posts that it feels like I’m in the midst of a transition. Well, it’s not just a feeling. Sure, some of the changes are on the inside and not outwardly visible. However, there are real, structural changes in the works as well. I can’t spill all of the details just yet but let me just say that a new horizon is dawning.

Now then, what’s with the No, No, No? It started with one no, No Shop November, by which I mean no buying.  I’m aware that the holiday season is approaching and the hype is starting already about Black Friday sales.  There was a time I really liked shopping (and buying) in November, but it’s not like it use to be.  I stopped shopping on Black Friday or even Black Friday Eve a few years ago (see Take Back Friday).

It may seem like an odd time to go on a buying hiatus but in all truth, I have way too many clothes as it is. Doing a large scale closet purge has been needed for a long time and I shan’t buy anything new for myself until it is done. Besides hanging onto items that fit me ten years ago when I was two or three sizes smaller, I have a terrible habit of buying things that don’t quite fit yet on the premise that I’ll lose weight. On top of that, I’ll need to do it for the not-yet-revealed upcoming change.

Perhaps No Shop November is already a thing, I don’t know. I liked how it sounded as a mantra for me to chant to myself if I found myself tempted.   The pledge is with regard to clothing, footwear, accessories, and even makeup (I’m a sucker for eyeshadow palettes) unless an item absolutely needs to be replaced.  Gifts, household items, and the like are still in play.

At the beginning of 2017, I successfully made it nearly six weeks without buying for myself (well past my initial goal of three weeks).  The Husband is taking a lot of delight in this particular goal although it seems that he doesn’t quite get the nuance of what’s on my no-buy list.  For an example, last night we spent a couple of hours cruising through that well-known Danish home goods store.  As we were heading inside, he kindly offered to do the actual purchasing if I saw something that I wanted to buy.   Alas, we walked out empty handed.

I’d been in such a really good frame of mind when I decided on No Shopping that I was motivated to build on it. I don’t have many vices but one can always strive for self-improvement. One of my discarded ideas was no sugar in consideration of all that was being consumed with the approaching of Halloween. Would that include fruit? What about ice cream? Nah, not going there.

In coming up with number two, I turned to a more inward and settled on No Self-Doubt. One of the key “rewire and inspire” takeaways that I knocked me upside the head at the Fierce Con 2018 weekend was to believe in myself. Whether it be fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of being wrong, I should never doubt in my ability to succeed, to be accepted, and to continue to learn.

Which leads me to the last of the No’s, “no time like the present”. Another one of my takeaways from the Fierce Con weekend was the powerful effect that meditation could have on me. The first activity on Saturday had been about a 20 minute meditation session led by davidji which was followed by moderator-led discussion/Q&A. Of all of the points he made, the one that could really connect to was how unproductive and unhealthy hitting the snooze button could be. Better to wake up and meditate in order to set one’s thoughts toward positive outcomes for the day.

Fairly consistently since that weekend, I’ve made it a point to meditate in the morning. I use the alarm feature of the fitness tracker and set two alarms twenty minutes apart. At the first one, I wake up and position myself in bed with a pillow under my knees.  No getting dressed and dashing out the door to get to the gym.   I start out with several deep, slow breaths and a mental scan of my body.  The rest of time is spent in the moment, reminding myself of what is important to me and setting my intentions for the day.   I’ve been doing the same at night before going to sleep. 

It boils down to “what am I waiting for?” How often have I put off starting a project or a plan thinking that I have plenty of time? I’ve come to the realization that amount of time one has is not as important as the use of that time. Time spent shopping could be better spent going to the gym. Time spent dwelling in self-doubt could be better spent in having confidence in myself. Time spent stuck in the past or worrying about the future could be better spent on enjoying today.

No shopping, No self-doubt, No time like the present. What’s your No, No, No?

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