5 things I'm not doing in 2016

Thanks for weighing in on the deodorant situation.

Gosh, the things we blog about!

While you're thinking about deo, tell me what is most effective at not leaving the white residue on clothes....

Last year you all seemed to like my post, 7 things I want to do less of in 2015, so let's do the 2016 version. I was reminded of the idea at Modern Mrs Darcy.

1. Finishing books I don't enjoy

I had this same one on my 2015 list and.... I didn't finish two books. Yay me! That is big for me. Already I've abandoned one book for the year so I'm doing well.

I'm a big finisher and especially with book goals, I keep thinking about the opportunity cost of having partially read the terrible book....

2. Holding onto things that don't spark joy

I made really good headway from August last year when I read the Konmari book. Apparently I liked the idea of the book so much I wrote 16 posts. A bit excessive but you know me - when I like something, I really like something.

I've got really good at not thinking too much as I put things in the donate pile even when they're perfectly good. They just don't spark joy.

3. Torturing myself by going to sales

I went into a shop (H & M) for a sale in Cape Town and then I said to D, "now see, this is why I don't go to sales". I really hate crowds, people attacking sale racks of clothes, etc.

Everything about the experience is unpleasant.

My "mantra" now is ... if I need it, I can afford to buy it at full price. This is usually true and I'm going to resist the marketing psychology.

Of course, if I do need/ want something and it happens to be on sale, HAPPY DAYS!



4. Having loose boundaries

I love the topic of boundaries and I've spoken before about the Boundaries book. I read the book many years ago and listened to the audio book last year.

Life-changing.

Read it if you feel like yours could use a tune-up. I used to buy this book for my coaching clients, it's that good.

Small example - I used to flip my lid on Saturdays when I'd clean the kitchen and D would return with the shopping, pack the fridge stuff away and then leave 3/4 full bags all over the table and floor, and disappear.

Then there's me, huffing and puffing. Don't pretend this stuff doesn't go on at your place.

And then I thought about it. The thing that drives me mad is my nice kitchen "messed up" and no space to walk around. So now I calmly take all those bags to the laundry area where I don't have to look at them.

When family members ask where this or that is, I say calmly, I don't know, check the shopping bags in the laundry.



Back to this year's boundaries - I already tried to befriend someone at the school, apparently not interested, so I've moved on. Such progress, I'm amazed at myself. I still like the person so if she picks up her end of the stick, I'll pick up mine. Otherwise, we'll be friendly acquaintances :)

Same story with work stuff. I used to stress out about people not doing their bits (I am overall managing this thing but these people don't report to me, you know?) and this year, I sent out my email, and then calmly but objectively stated facts in the meeting. "There has been very poor participation" being a favourite phrase at the moment. But it's on their side of the fence - I can't force people to do their work.

I have some issues with Spanish too. I will need to be very strong in this area. I have loose boundaries because I enjoy the dancing but there are a few other issues I need to deal with.

5. Making excuses

I realise more and more over the years that even though I'm an upholder, I'm someone who needs accountability to eat properly. End of story. Therefore, I better get ready to pay Weigh-Less forever....I happily handed over my R320 and here we go again.

I threw away about 5 Weigh-Less filos (those files) last year in the big Konmari declutter...

I said to Robyn when we had lunch late last year, I tell myself things like "I don't have time to go to Weigh-Less and gym on a Saturday morning". NONSENSE. Of course I have time. I may as well face facts that I'm just plain lazy to get out of bed.

One Saturday down, many many more to go.


There we go.

Over to you - what are a few things you're not doing in 2016?

PS you all need to pray with me for a new job/ reporting line for our "assistant" at work. I thought about my word JOY in the shower before I started work this year and one thing that seriously steals my joy is her lack of work ethic, etc. There are two options because current manager is too scared to deal with it (all of us have complained): she has to get a new reporting line or find a new job. Deal?