Each morning as I open my closet to get dressed for the day, I am immediately knocked down a few notches by the clothing that hangs there before me. The clothes I've outgrown or bought with the full knowledge of them being too small but loved them so much that I thought I'd use them as "inspiration" to lose weight silently taunt me from their hangers. It is a daily reminder that I have not accomplished my goal - and not just lately but from many days (and, gulp - years) past. Inspirational backfire.
Then there's the other set of clothing that I bought piecemeal; assuming I possessed the skill to put together some discernible outfit with so many disparate pieces. Hah! In this regard I have overestimated myself as it is like trying to piece together separate puzzle pieces into one cohesive picture. And rib knits of any kind? I don't think so. I have failed so miserably in this regard that I've become an outspoken advocate of Garranimals for adults. With the help of Stacy and Clinton from TLC's "What Not to Wear" I have finally learned to shop for the outfit and not the separates.
Yesterday I finally reached my limit as I was hanging up some new Lane Bryant purchases in my closet of shame. My motto for new clothing purchases has become "one new thing in, one old thing out" as I have limited closet space. But yesterday I was a woman possessed. I took massive amounts of the bad stuff out. All the fashion faux pas and "inspirational" pieces went in the charity pile. I hate to admit that some stuff still had the tags on but out it went. And when it was all done I was surprised to find myself feeling great as I has finally released myself from all my past clothing mistakes. I felt as if I had a clean slate in front of me - which is a much better jumping off place than coming face-to-face with all of my failures first thing every morning. I don't keep job rejection letters or photos of old boyfriends around so why would I want a constant reminder of other lifestyle "don'ts" hanging about? Who could thrive in that kind of atmosphere? It was such a simple solution that I wondered why I hadn't thought of it sooner.
While I have never been a contender for the Good Housekeeping seal of approval, my house has always been mostly clean but a little chaotic. I have found that as I organize other things around the house that my mind is less cluttered and I'm more relaxed and thinking more positively. I didn't think something outside the realm of food and exercise could impact my weight loss program like this has but there it is. I have found a happy place I didn't know existed. Have any of you found other methods like this that have helped you get yourself to a better place?
3 comments:
I try to take stuff (at least most of it) out of the closet that I can't wear either. Because nothing makes me want to crawl back into bed more than having nothing to wear that fits (and I never hang it back up, so it becomes this big burial mound of too small clothing taking over my closet).
But I have tons of stuff in the attic in moving boxes--those kind with the hanging bar--of the clothes I wore fairly consistently for about 6 years, which is now um. . .gulp.. . 4 years ago.
I also have several "boxes of shame" in my closet. I only hang up what I can wear and the mere fact there's hardly anything there is a good reminder to me to stay on track. I'm hoping that opening those skinny boxes will be like shopping for a new wardrobe again :)
Organization is KEY for me. I know that I feel totally out of control when my house gets piles of clutter. I feel much happier and settled when things are neat and "in their place." I'm also a big proponent of no new things unless old things are taken out.
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