If you could list just 2 things you’d like to change about yourself, what would those two things be? Make them simple, like overcoming failed efforts at capturing something for posterity sake. Or the easy-peasy kind of thing that you’ve lost control of. I’m talking about FREE things, nothing that costs a lot of money.
Go ahead, make your mini-list, what would you change?
In a reflective state, I look at myself in the mirror and wonder, “WTH were you thinking?” I reflect on areas I’d like to change about myself, not cosmetically, that costs money, but free things I can do all on my own.
My mini reflection list includes 2 simple things.
One I don’t give a damn about and the other I will feel accomplished and free when I do accomplish:
#1 – I’ve realized I’m doomed to ever be able to take a proper selfie. Even on a “good hair day” no matter what I do, it turns out ‘so-so’. Narcissism is not my gift, I go more for awkward. It works for me.
#2 – I’m also doomed to ever be free of paper clutter.
I’m frankly good with my lack of selfie-taking ability, because, I’m over the documenting my stages of going gray.
The silly dream of becoming wild and famous for helping others go through the journey has been replaced with discovering how to avoid the camera. But, I must say, I have mastered the wild and crazy hair look. So, I’ve got that going for me.
As a recent convert (20 months post stopping the dye), I feel for those thinking about going gray, or those transitioning to gray. My heart aches for them when they say, “Going gray, don’t care.” It isn’t about ‘not caring’, it is about caring for ourselves and being free from chemicals and the longing to be our own unique selves. With a rainbow of grays on our heads. That part I love, it does make me smile, knowing I’m free to be all natural me.
Yeah, I’m over that stage. I’ve got better things to do with my time now. It’s just plain nice to not have to go to the hairdresser every 5 weeks. I can get back to being a normal female in her 50’s and all that kind of stuff. I’m no different from other females, I have good hair days and bad hair days, days where I wonder if I should I cut it, or should I have bangs, or should I keep growing it, or should I shave it off and start all over?
Instead of stressing about my hair, I’m focusing on other things, like, empty nesting and staring at the boxes of papers that have consumed the corner of my office since I remodeled it a year and a half ago.
It’s depressing to know they remain there because of me, not because they serve a valuable purpose in my life. I simply have chosen not to take the time to deal with them. Disposing of papers, by shredding them first, is TIME-CONSUMING.
But, poor Copper…look at him, he’d probably enjoy having the corner all to himself.
Instead, he resorts to laying awkwardly in the middle of the room.
Paper clutter happens when you’re the historian of the family.
I’m reluctant to part with papers that contain history I don’t want to forget. The whole idea of paper organization and documentation is important. I remember when the kids were young, I was the keeper, organizer, scheduler, book-keeper, and by the time I got done with all that, I was the filer. In many an exhausted state, I found that if the papers fit the box, that’s where they ended up. Wahlah contained! But, I could still find anything. It was ‘organized’.
Now, when I look at these boxes, it’s been so long, I’d be hard-pressed to remember what’s even in them? But before I can get rid of the boxes, I MUST GO THROUGH THEM…(a self-imposed MUST). I MUST BE MY OWN BOSS!
There’s nothing wrong with having a collection, but it becomes a problem when it overwhelms your space. When you’re not displaying it properly, you’re not enjoying it and it turns into clutter. – Niecy Nash
I took a personality test once and results said I’d be a good librarian. Hmm. A poor excuse, I should just be my own boss and be ruthless.
A couple of days before my daughter moved, she asked me if she could use my scanner. She didn’t want to take all the physical papers with her that she still wanted to keep.
There is an explosion of information happening, yet people demand quick access to relevant content that cuts through the clutter. – Anne M. Mulcahy
She brought her neat pile (1/16 or less of the size of my boxes of stuff) to my office, set the pile out and scanned each piece individually, labeled each file as they scanned rapidly through the scanner, shredded each sheet as she completed the process, and BOOM. DONE. GONE. No more papers! She made them all disappear. All were saved for posterity sake on a flash drive and file on her computer.
She didn’t learn that from me…as I reflect, maybe I should learn from her…
Second attempt! As a Buddhist Stoic I think you know what my answer would be?
Yes, I know…you’re starting to break my dubious minimalist tendencies…don’t give up, you may succeed one of these days! 🙂
But that’s a Chronos view, I only have Kairos😂🍷
Good morning Shelley! Your daughter had a good idea there, scanning everything but…what happens when the power goes out, or information on the hard drive gets deleted, or some other major technological catastrophe happens and the paper trail would be the only thing to save grace?
Good morning to you, too! I know…I think that all the time! That’s another reason the boxes are still sitting there. I also wonder, what the heck the IRS will do when the person being audited says, “It was on my hard-drive, I swear it was…!”
The tax thing never even crossed my mind but that is a sound point you make! Yes, technology is good to save files, but I’m always one to think you should save the hardcopy, just in case. I can’t imagine if a library was ever all digital!
It’s the sorting through all the irrelevant stuff that I find challenging…everything has potential! You’re right, the library all digital – how sad that would be!
One thing I keep in mind when going through old things in boxes that I haven’t touched in years is, it’s like rediscovering your memories all over again!
So true!! Slows my process every time! 🙂
I think you look good with gray hair. I understand there are women who don’t like it, but really it’s a natural thing. Mary colored her hair for a while, then decided it was silly and stopped doing it. When all the dye washed away, people started saying “your hair looks really nice! What did you do?” Likewise with makeup: she stopped wearing it and started putting Lubriderm on every day, and she started getting compliments on her complexion, which she had never gotten. She looks great and isn’t doing a damn thing.
Evernote is fantastic for ridding yourself of paper. I scan everything I need to keep and shred the paper, and it can stay there forever. I pay for premium, which the last time I looked was $79 a year, and it’s worth every penny. An important email comes in, I forward it to Evernote (even better, I can clip it directly from Gmail). All my tax documents get scanned immediately and put in there. when I pay a bill, the confirmation goes in Evernote, then when Mary asks if I paid a bill, I can go there and pull out the payment confirmation, wherever I am. It’s worth it.
Thank you, John, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on gray hair, how Mary has embraced it successfully and tips on her skin care too! I’m going to have to check out Evernote, too! Sounds like a perfect fix for paper!! You’re awesome for sharing tips about that as well!! 🙂
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Aw, thank you for the nomination and supportive words of encouragement! Much appreciated!
Selfies stress me out. Some people just have a natural knack for it. Me, no one. I felt so weird practicing a good angle for selfies. I kept looking around to make sure my family didn’t see me. I felt so silly and vain.
I totally understand the paper clutter…it burdens me to think of hours I need to spend shredding.
Aw, thank you for sharing your thoughts on selfies and confessions on papers!! I appreciate your support. PS – your beautiful smile is a treasure when you do let the camera capture it! 🙂 Keep smiling!
‘Paper clutter happens when you’re the historian of the family.’
You said it! Baby drawings, letters, cards, handwritten recipes… I have a pile of what I call memories on most days, clutter on some.
Some day I’m going to clear it up, scan and shred. Some day.
Yes, yes, yes, that’s what I’ll do too…someday! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!! Happy paper pushing to you!
Shelley, thanks! And thanks for sharing your great posts every week!