If It's Not Broke, Don't Fix It

Our society encourages consumer spending- especially in the beauty and fashion industries. Let’s face it. There’s a new fragrance, make up or skin care line launched and touted what seems like every other day! And I am guilty of buying into it just as much as the next woman. But on my path as a daily connoisseur, I am starting to look at the world a little differently.

Have you ever taken FOREVER to get dressed in the morning? Trying on several outfit combinations before coming out with what you’re going to wear? I do this all the time! It inevitably goes like this: I try on an old favorite (black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt from Vince or C&C California, for example), and then take it off thinking that it is boring and I wear it too much. I then proceed to try on a number of different clothing combinations from that dress I bought last season that just doesn’t quite have the right neckline (but I will make it work!) to the more stuffy option of a high-waisted skirt with a blouson top tucked in (Let’s face it, I will never wear this choice). A half hour later and a lot of clothes strewn about my bedroom, I go back to my number one choice. My skinny jeans and t-shirt. I feel comfortable in this. I feel chic in this. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

The same holds true for my favorite nail polish, Essie Mademoiselle. I love this color. It looks amazing on my nails but without fail, when I visit my manicurist twice a month, I always think “How boring to wear the same shade all of the time”, and I pick out a different color that ends up having too much beige or pink in it. And without fail, I wish I had stayed with my Mademoiselle. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Now I’m not saying that I'm never going to try anything new. Mais no! But what I am suggesting is that sometimes our egos are not satisfied with what we have (especially mine). We want more. We want better. There is a Kanye West song with the lyrics, “I only like it if it’s brand new”. I think a lot of us, including myself, feel this way. I must remember, before I go out and buy that outrageous fashion item or start to feel restless with a certain beauty regime, if what I already have is working for me- why stray?

Spiritual Practice: Practice gratitude and appreciation for what I have and what works for me.