Simple Self Improvement

I love browsing in this type of shop                                     Image by free Photos from Pixabay Hi there. Well it's nearly a week since I started my personal shopping ban challenge. And I am surviving. As I have mentioned in some of my posts, I like a bit of retail therapy. I enjoy going somewhere different and looking at the shops there. This inevitably leads to a purchase or two. I am not in debt over these unnecessary purchases so what's the harm in it?  As an associate said, it helps the economy.  The trouble is it's rather like mindless snacking where I find myself eating, not because I am hungry but because, well because I can, or perhaps I am a bit upset or think I deserve a treat. With mindless shopping I sometimes end up buying things I don't use much or at all.  It has become a habit to buy something when I walk into an op shop and that o...

It can be tempting to buy things one doesn't need.                                  Image:Marie Vonow I recently came across a book called The Year Of Less, how I stopped shopping, gave away my belongings, and discovered life is worth more than anything you can buy in a store. It was written by Cait Flanders. Image:Marie Vonow The title of this book intrigued me. After reading it, I didn't immediately think, 'Wow. I'm going to stop shopping for a year too!' A couple of weeks passed. I started thinking about how often I buy things I don't need and, I am embarrassed to admit, by the time I get them home, sometimes don't even want. Many people shop for the sake of shopping a lot more than I do but I certainly buy stuff I don't need. I may buy something because it's pretty, sparkly, because I've earned it, I deserve it, I need a treat or it's great value. I ...

Clay tiles Whitmore Square Adelaide                       Image:Marie Vonow Having moved house at the start of 2019 and having decluttered (again!) before moving, I thought I had this decluttering thing worked out. However, for me it is an ongoing process. A different house means I no longer use some things I previously did and it means I have found it necessary to acquire a few things I didn't need in my previous house. What should I do with items I am not using now? Now, what should I do about the things I don't currently need? Could I possibly need them in the future? Perhaps and perhaps not. Should I hold onto them or set them free? Mostly, I have decided to donate what I no longer need to op shops or give away through Gumtree. I have sold a couple of items too. Thinking before I buy I am thinking carefully before making any new purchas...

Part of mural inside Chocolatree cafe 25 O'Connell Street North Adelaide                        Image:Marie Vonow I enjoy spending time with friends but sometimes I enjoy going off and exploring somewhere on my own. Recently I caught the train and then a bus to North Adelaide and spent a morning wandering around the shops on O'Connell Street. I had a fun time and came home feeling full of energy, ideas and enthusiasm. Talking to a stranger Soon after I got off the bus a stranger who was sitting on a bench smiled at me. She said I looked like her friend Sophie. We fell into conversation about 'doppelgangers' . After a few minutes I went on my way. Had I been in company I doubt the woman would have spoken to me for fear of intruding.  Some street art I love street art, the way it pops up in unexpected places and is there for everyone to view whenever they want. It's free to v...

                                                                                                    Image:Marie Vonow These days we are provided with much information and many opinions on the topic of how to live a happier life. Hey, the topic of this blog is simple ways to live a happier life. Some of the ideas I read or hear about are ones I basically agree with or support most of the time, but not all the time. An example of this is the concept of living in the moment or being mindful. ...

A garden can bring much joy                             Image:Marie Vonow I enjoy spending time in the garden but to be honest I can’t be bothered with any plants that need to be fussed over. There are so many types which are easy to grow that I can’t see the point in actually stressing over plants when I want to enjoy my time in the garden. Some people do enjoy the challenge of getting a delicate or fussy plant to grow but that's not my style, I prefer things that are simple. When it comes to veggies and herbs, I plant easy to grow stuff like loose leaf lettuce, rocket, spring onions, chives, basil, parsley, rosemary, silver beet and tomatoes. I grow some things in containers and others directly in the garden.              Rosemary bush    ...

Dolls House                   Image by Marie Vonow I moved house earlier this year. As I have moved house several times over the years, had made plenty of lists and thought I was pretty organised I didn't expect this to cause me too much stress. However, even though nothing major went wrong it has been more stressful than I expected. I have come to the conclusion, no matter how organised I think I am, moving house is a stressful life event. That's a fact I have to accept. I think when moving house, the degree of stress an individual experiences depends on various factors including - personality attitude to the move whether it is your decision to move length of time spent in the place one is moving from how attached you are to the place you are moving from how you feel about the dwelling you are moving to how you feel about the location you are moving to distance moving whether ...