Savor/ Save

These are the words I have chosen to inspire, propel and guide me through this year, 2023. 

To take the moments to savor, enjoy and appreciate my life and to earnestly save in all capacities. 

Save financially- I have some fairly lofty, but achievable, financial goals this year- if I can be consistent and disciplined.  I want to make it work- I want to relish the freedom it affords to know certain things are not hanging over me, to know there's rainy day money, and future proofing. I also know I am capable of being disciplined enough - I have already achieved goals that, for me, were pretty huge; giving up alcohol entirely, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise regimen. 

I also want to be mindful of wastage- I'm generally pretty good at using what food and fresh produce we have - but I can definitely be more frugal, and more mindful. I'd like to grow more in terms of herbs and other vegetables we can enjoy from the garden. In the past I've been guilty of both successfully growing plenty of what we wont eat, or enthusiastically planting seedlings to pretty much abandon them and leave them to fend for them selves. My Grandfather- an exceptional green fingered gentleman, would not be impressed. 

I'm looking forward to introducing a new regular routine of seeking out the local Farmers Markets on a Saturday, or walking up to the Village to enjoy a coffee and bringing home the newspaper and some fresh croissants from the exceptional Bakery. Supporting local. And I believe if I've invested my time and money in seeking these higher quality items, I will use them differently, give them greater regard than something I shopped online for from a vast grocery store chain, (possiblyincluding produce from Zimbabwe, Australia, Holland)- which was then delivered to my porch. That I didn't even choose myself from the selection in front of me.  

Needs must of course, and I became proficient and a frequent user of on line grocery ordering when I was working full time and didn't want my precious weekend taken up with a busy, stressful, supermarket trip: and then from necessity during the pandemic and lockdowns. It most definitely has its place. But I'm more than ready for it to take a less prominent one now. As long as I don't over buy because it looks so inviting and romantic or evocative of a rural existence- I must only purchase what we'll use/ need- and enjoy and SAVOR observing what else is on offer and displayed. 

Wastage with consumerism too- being mindful of buying things on a whim, clothing that's just on special but I don't really have space or need for. Another candle. Something that catches my eye at the grocery store,  an item someone has that I impulsively decide I'd like too. 

I would like to work on moderation and PATIENCE; saving for something and anticipating it, rather than more often than not, my burning desire to have it then and there. And how often does the sparkle and lure of that thing- whatever it was that we HAD to have, dull very quickly, and we don't desire it as much? In fact, it invariably becomes clutter or in a donation pile, It wasn't carefully considered and thought though. It was impulsive. I really need to work on that. Really. Ask my Husband.

I took a lovely walk with a friend and colleague this week,  and we discussed the merits of waiting and not paying full price. If you have some patience and foresight, if you can keep a little record of what you need for upcoming seasons with regards to your wardrobe in particular, what needs replacing, where there's a gap, you can be fairly savvy when it comes to buying on sale and waiting until items are reduced - or making big purchases during big sale discount weekend like Black Friday or Boxing Day sales. It so happened that my friend and I had both purchased the same beautiful, high quality, wool coat- in different colour's, (in a classic trench style, therefore seemingly a wise investments as it's timeless) and within two to three months it was reduced by a whopping 60%!! On a big ticket item that's a huge saving. And would have been well worth the wait. 

I am consciously being more mindful with my time and savoring precious moments. So often we don't realize how precious they are until they're gone.  This may simply be a quite moment enjoying coffee and watching a kingfisher on his branch from your deck,  taking deep breaths of fresh air, listening to the rain fall as you cozily read in bed, or watching your child tear open their Christmas stocking, the magic of Christmas twinkling around them, knowing one day, they'll be part of that magic in a different way. They'll grow up.