Posted on January 3, 2020 by dragonspitapothecary
How many times have we found ourselves holding off on something because we didn’t think it was the right time or we were short on cash to get it? How many times have we hesitated on something that seemed beautiful, right, perfect and just what we needed? What stopped you in those moments?
Was it the price tag?Was it uncertainty that you would enjoy or use it as much as you thought?Was it not what you thought it would be when you thought you wanted it?Was it you really couldn’t afford it just right now?
These questions seem to come up all the time but especially after the major holidays we just went through and our budget funds are already running low. It seems in January we all tend to hold back on more purchasing that may be more “want” than “need” where we can. Sometimes I think that makes sense, especially if you’ve used a lot of credit cards over Christmas, but sometimes I think it prevents us from taking advantage of good opportunity at the perfect time.
What I have learned over time is that if something is really needed or wanted, we will usually find a way to make it happen financially. Sometimes that car just isn’t going to make it anymore and the cost of repairs is continually eating up the budget. There just comes a time when we make those big purchase decisions because it’s time and we can’t avoid it anymore. Sometimes we do it because it is an emergency and we really don’t have a choice. Hopefully in both those situations we have enough saved up ready for those big purchases but truth be told it’s scary to hand over those large sums even when you have it in reserve.
We bought a new living set of furniture this past Fall. Our furniture was 20 years old and had been through a couple moves. It was still “good” but starting to show the wear of having a boy, dogs and just normal use. When I bought it 20 years ago I loved it. It was custom ordered and someone never picked it up so I bought it at a “discount” but it was still expensive. It was designer and high quality and for more than 20 years it was a place of naps, laughs, tears, anger, loss, quiet moments and play. It was where I sat holding our son when he first came home to us. It was where I cried when my sweet dog Rosa passed away. That furniture was a quiet part of our lives but the scene of several pictures and memories.
A store near us was going out of business and they had high quality furniture so we went to look. We came out with a new living room set. I love it and it fits our growing family. It too will be where we nap, share laughs, quiet moments and feelings from things that happen in our life. Even though it was a good purchase at the right time and I think we got a “good deal” on it, there is still a hesitation when you have to hand over a credit card or cash to pay for it. For me anytime I have to pay for something that is more than a couple hundred dollars this feeling happens. Call me cheap but that feeling of a hot flash goes through my chest when the price tag is in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Even when it’s needed. Even when I can afford it.
We could have passed on the furniture and made due with what we had. We could have bought less expensive furniture. We could have not spent that money and used it for something else. There is always something else in life all the time that will come up. But this time we didn’t. We picked out what we liked, we paid for it and brought it home. We love it and it’s comfortable. Sometimes you need to just do it and realize it will be okay. Like most things in life it is usually worth investing in better quality so you can count on the benefits, value and durability. Contrary to how it feels too, that hot flash hesitation moment passes and that’s when you know you make a good decision.
When I bought my first few bottles of essential oils I thought this may be a fun “little experiment.” Those were my exact words. I wanted to try them. I had no expectation of if they worked or how I’d like them. It wasn’t that much so I purchased a few with a diffuser to give this whole natural health thing a try. Little did I know how much that first purchase to experiment would dramatically change our home and lives. Yeah I know it’s just essential oils in little bottles and it sounds dramatic to say I have some Earth level movement but seriously it has changed our home and lives here’s how:
We spend way less on store bought cleaners and personal care items than we used to
We reduced how many times and what we were spending going to the doctor and pharmacy for common illnesses and prescriptions
We found some ways to support my husband’s PTSD that didn’t result in these weird mind altering drugs that just make him sleep all the time or feel bad
We reduced our chemical and plastic waste that goes to the environment, landfills and the oceans
We think about things differently in terms of how we can do it ourselves
What if I hesitated though and passed on buying those few oils and diffuser? Oh yes life would have gone on for sure but to what quality?
See sometimes when we hesitate because of the price tag and we opt for something later that isn’t as nice or well made we end up with that buyer’s remorse or we think it was a waste of money so good thing we didn’t buy the more expensive stuff. That right there though is why sometimes we need to take that leap and really consider what we’re not getting when we hesitate.
Are essential oil a need in my life? Definitely yes at this point. We use them daily for multiple purposes. Every purchase I make of them I know it will be used and it delivers benefit and value to my family. At first though, I admit I didn’t know that would happen. It took time to use them, try them, see for myself. You know I could have bought less expensive oils, those are a dime a dozen these days, but I took that leap and bought “the good stuff.” I went with something of quality. Turns out though they did work.
As you sort through what this year will look like for you and how your budget will support major and small purchasing needs I encourage you to consider what makes you hesitate and why. What’s going on in your body and mind when that happens? What holds you back and do you need to rethink some of that to not miss opportunities that your life would be improved from both financially and physically?
In the case of living more naturally and simply that does require a shift in how we do things, including what and how we purchase things we use every day for our health and well-being. That means investing in quality and knowing you’re getting your money worth with maximum value and benefit. It also means realizing savings and value that weren’t there before. How do you want to do things differently this year? Is this the year you stop hesitating so much and find out what’s really on the other side?
Start easy with completing a Lifestyle & Wellness Questionnaire. This will give you an in-depth look at where we can focus and how to do it in your budget. (it’s free) and there’s a spot to put in there that you get those purchasing hot flashes too! Click here: dragonspitapothecary.com/lifestyle-and-wellness
Over on our Member Forum we are talking about how we transition our lives to be more simple and natural while honoring our family budget. Join the conversation here: dragonspitapothecary.com/members-forum
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