Are you a tried and true or a try something new?
Are you brand loyal? Always buy the same brand of shoes, car, jeans, purses? Do you stick with what works? Or do you step out?
I went out shopping for myself, something
I do not do nearly often enough. I really needed some new things for
the cooler days we're having. I'm a shopping disordered person - either
I'm anorexic shopper, where I walk around checking prices and feeling
fabrics and calculating totals and really want to purchase, but
deny myself for reasons I don't even totally understand, but seem
important to hold to (and I'm usually proud of the restraint I showed),
or I'm a bulimic shopper, where I tell myself I'm going to indulge, and I do, and then I'm filled with regret and return it all.
Yeah, it's an issue. I'm working on becoming a healthy shopper.
Anyway, on
this particular day I was wandering around and I hit on one of my main
problems. I don't want to be stuck in a rut. I don't want to buy a newer
version of something I already have. But I also get very skeptical when it comes to new styles. What if it looks terrible? Do I look too young? Too old?
Which
would make me happier? Sticking with what I know, or branching out?
Neither is the right choice, neither is wrong, but I can't figure out
where I fit.
Lets start with clothes. Since
embarking on this stay-at-home/write-at-home/homeschool mom phase of my
life, I feel that my fall and winter outfits consist of jeans, yoga
pants, long sleeve tees and sweaters. That's pretty much it. This year I
am really trying to step up my game. I've tried StitchFix, and I
actually bought some leggings this year, but honestly, they're still
pretty out of my comfort zone. Here, I'm a tried and true.
Food
ruts drive me nuts, and with two little girls, it's very easy to fall
into the trap of making what I know they'll eat and deviating very
little. It's still good food, and we all eat together, but we fall into
the same things - breaded chicken, meatballs and gravy, shrimp and
grits, mac and cheese, crockpot stews. Adam and I usually save our
adventures for when we go out (albeit to the same restaurant almost
every time, but hey, they have specials). I've been a little more
successful branching out in this regard though - we did a pasta bar, a
salad bar, and a taco bar, and the girls loved all three!
Is it worth sticking with what works? Should we force ourselves out of our comfort zones more?