Change, it is the ever present condition in our lives. The weather changes (right now I hear thunder-odd, I didn't see a cloud a moment ago) time changes, our bodies go through changes-our skin has a new outside every six weeks! The best change in our lives though, and this is my personal experience, is the change that happens to ourselves, our character. To change and improve has to be one of the most exciting things about this life! I do love a good paradigm shift! So lately I realized that I have gone through one. It was most likely taught to me through a studious example-my mother.
I remember back in the middle school phase of life-a phase that I try not to look back on too often-and I see my five foot frame (things have not changed too much-I know)wanting to wear name brand clothes and turn myself into the most hip walking billboard around! I mentally told myself that certain clothes brought certain happiness-and I wished that I could afford all the happiness my pre-working early teen self could afford. Then came the tough lessons of gratitude and money conservation as my mother took me to stores like wal-mart, shop-ko or worst the DI (desert industries). I gleamed so much during those hard years, which the young women program aided me as I completed values like divine nature and individual worth. My mother, with her costume designing experience also taught me what type of clothes were made for my body type, skin type and personality type. So I learned that one could look great-even without the high price.
But I am a cloth snob no more. It seems so funny to look back and see how silly and shallow my thought process was. MY friends would laugh at such a contrasting comparison. For I have found a new love in which I have turned into its advocate. There is a store here called Savers that I adore and purchase all my clothes at! You see, each Monday they have a 99 cent day, plus each week there is a color tag that is 50% of the already cheap price! I get great quality clothes (ones that the previous owner paid 100s for) for 5 dollars!-where can you get that! Now you may say-wow you much have a ton of cloths pack in your closet at these prices...the answer is no. We have a Romriell rule where if you buy something new then you need to give something old away in an exchange. Which works out great because Savors gives you a 20% discount coupon on clothes you donate! Yes this feeds my addiction to this store even further-they are so clever like that! You must follow rules that fit your body, skin and personality type!! That is key to thrift shopping! IF you need help I have sites, books or pointers! Another blessing that comes as a bi-product of cheap prices, is how often we can get new clothes. This works out perfectly as we continue to choose a more healthy lifestyle. The better and more constant we are the tighter we get and the more lose the clothes become-resulting in a shopping trip. There are many shades in this thrift addiction: garage sales, online classifieds, home fabrics, winco, Ross, farmers market and the lists go on! I suggest baby steps, compare prices and quality and then see how you feel. But if you are into quality clothes for fractions of the cost-head to your nearest thrift store(I am a walking billboard-things don't change too much)-you might start an addiction yourself! I just had to pass on this part of my life-becaue of the joy it brings to others!
