My Year without Shopping

So I've been trying to cut back on my shopping, and while I've succeeded, I've still be drawn to thrift stores and am still spending a bit when I shouldn't be. I'm pulled in so many directions during the day and have no ME time. At work, I'm Debbie the engineer (yes, my real name is Debbie) and clients and co-workers are always wanting something from me; at school, I'm Debbie the Student and teachers are wanting my attention and my homework and my best effort; I walk in the door and I'm Mommy, and I have a kid on each leg wanting my attention and Husby is wanting adult conversation. I have no time where I can just be Debbie. Except for the times when I can steal away for 15 -20 minutes and look around at pretty things in a store and just be me and be with my thoughts.

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I need to find this in another venue. Husby's unemployment is about to run out and while he struggles to get his own business off the ground, the extra financial burden of his student loans is coming to me. I've known this was coming, and that's why I started scaling back the shopping in the first place. But now that I know the source behind my shopping addiction, I'm going to work on channelling my energy into something more positive for my family. I'm going to try to focus on getting healthier. And that is why my last purchase will be today and it will be a pedometer. When I am stressed at work, I will walk. When I am overwhelmed at home, I'll strap the kids into the stroller and take them for a walk. I'll park farther away from campus and walk to class to help myself decompress between work and school. And maybe I'll lose some weight in the process. I need to break the stressed then shop, shop then eat, eat then stress about what I ate cycle and be healthier and save some more money. Let's see how this year long shopping hiatus will affect my style as I try to make the most of what I've already got and try to look better in what I own. Man, if I could get addicted to exercise......