3 Things to Get, and 3 Things to Give
I wish I could say I live an intentional and sustainable life, but I get as many Amazon boxes as everyone else on my doorstep. Maybe even more so because I live a bit off the beaten path where delivery is easier than a stop at the store. I have been trying to shift from a life of quantity to quality. I am succeeding more with substantial purchases, and less so where it is a matter of convenience.
I am always trying to mentally solve for the problem convenience has created: it is SO much easier to acquire things than to donate or dispose of them. You see the lists of things to buy all the time, but we need some balance. I have this notion to share a monthly post of things I am enjoying/suggest - from products to services to apps to practices, and ALSO share things to get rid of or let go of.
What better time to kick this series off than the week of US Thanksgiving, and the insanity around Black Friday and Cyber Monday?!?
3 Things to Get
Aesthetic Entertainment: If you are looking for a TV that blends into your decor, Samsung Frame TV is it. I am slowly replacing every TV with these gorgeous streamlined works of art. The TV itself is awesome, the smart features and menu are simple and intuitive, the flush mount installation is a dream, and the art looks like real art. They are ranging from 6-33% off right now depending on size and frame combinations! https://amzn.to/3Vj5AxD
2. Enhanced Practice: Invest in a good yoga mat, and stop buying multiple cheap ones that are only going to make your practice harder, potentially hurt your body, and end up in a landfill. I like to think of mats sort of the way you think of cast iron cookware - you want to season it! The more you use it, the better it gets. Sweat, hard work, good energy, maybe even some rain - let it all soak in! I suggest one of these:
Liforme https://us.liforme.com/ rare 40% off sale! I love the regular mat. I have 2 of them, one of them I’ve had for 5 years and it is still fantastic. I have a travel mat I use when I go to studios with softer flooring, because it is thinner and helps me avoid too much cushion on my wrists.
ZenCore https://zencoreyoga.com/en-us/products/grip-mat-black I was gifted one of these mats when it was still Vayumudra, and it is heavenly sticky grippy and just the righPurposeful bookt weight. Use promo code trunzo15 for 15% off, plus the Black Sale going on: spend $100 and get $50 gift card and a free pair of leggings!
3. Intentional Time: As we are coming up on some really busy times with holidays, traveling, and the end of 2022, maybe now is the time to start getting more thoughtful about your time. I use this Time Timer for everything, from helping me not get absorbed in a task when I have a meeting coming up, for glancing at while teaching yoga to know how much time is left in class, for time boxing an activity I don’t feel like doing… https://amzn.to/3EtSRBg
3 Things to Give
1. Beddings, Towels, Blankets, Coats: If you live somewhere it is already cold or getting cold, now is the perfect time to clean out those closets. People in shelters, on the streets, and trying to keep their homes and family warm for Winter could really use that blanket you never pick up. Find a local charity if you don’t already have a favorite. Many of them will even pickup! I like to donate to women’s shelters and causes that help women get set up in their own places. And, btw, don’t just replace everything you get rid of. Really consider - how many coats do you need?
2. Purpose & Growth Reading: Psychological Secrets for Emotional Success by Dr. Kelly Rabenstein https://amzn.to/3TX3vWZ Give people something they aren’t going to stick in a closet for their next donation cleanup! There are tons of studies proving what we all know to be true - the last few years have been really hard on us all, psychically, mentally, emotionally, socially. This book is fun and practical at the same time.
3. More thanks: For the big stuff, yea sure. But for the small stuff. Say thanks to the service worker who had a cheerful attitude and made you smile, say thanks to the coworker how always shows up to collaborate, say thanks to your partner for making the coffee every morning. Even thank you quietly in your head to the author of a book you are loving, to the mentor you still think of who isn’t with you anymore, to the person who put up the lights on that really wacky decorated house.
If you try any of these suggestions, let me know what you think!!!
