Things I Learned in 2015

I LOVE reading “year in review” posts.

And I HATE writing them.

I immediately get performance anxiety. How can I wrap up a year’s worth of growth (hopefully, there was growth)? What if I forget something? If I can’t do it perfectly I can’t do it.

UGH.

Forget that. I don’t want to live an unexamined life. So, I am going to write not one but a few “year in review” posts over the next few days.

Here goes.  Some of the things I learned were somewhat (to me) profound, others decidedly not, but still made my everyday life better.

Things I Learned In 2015

“Low maintenance” is code for “I’m not worth it”. 

I have a post bouncing around in my head about this (update: here it is: the truth about low maintenance). I’ve always been a “low maintenance” kinda gal. It took me 39 years to figure out what that really means. For me at least, and I suspect for many women, it means I’m not worth spending money on. I’m not worth the trouble.

I decided to make some changes. Screw you, low maintenance.

I dabbled in monthly beauty subscription boxes. (Not so much my thang, but it was fun while it lasted.) I gave myself a monthly books budget. I stopped buying the cheapest household tools (that I use everyday, several times a day – why do we do this to ourselves!?) and instead bought decent stuff.

I re-started my Stitch Fix subscription (because I want to look smart but despise shopping) and love it. The shipments are getting better and better as I give my stylist more feedback. The last box I had to send back because everything was too big (not a bad problem), but all the other boxes had items I loved.

I learned that it’s really, really hard to say out loud that you’re depressed. 

Really hard. Really, really hard.

If you say it, someone may accuse you of being ungrateful.  Or they may take it personally and think it’s their fault. Depression isn’t logical, however. It doesn’t follow neat little lines of demarcation.

Oddly, as soon as you’re able to say it out loud, and say it often, it starts to lift.

I learned about the Curly Girl method

My hair loves when I: wash it at night every several days with the tiniest amount of shampoo (no ‘poo does NOT work for my hair type), then gobs of conditioner. I rinse it out, then apply a tad more, along with a styling creme and then I don’t touch my hair. It dries naturally overnight and when I wake up it’s perfect. Curly Girl, for the win.

Ordering online rocks my socks

I get household stuff (everything from baby onesies to a/c filters), food items, the occasional book (ha!) and more from Amazon. Cleaning supplies, diapers, wipes and skin care come from ePantry. (If you read this post, an update: I no longer order from Honest Co.) My clothes come from Stitch Fix.

I find shopping to be excruciatingly tiring and stressful. My Amazon Prime and VIP ePantry memberships are worth every cent.

The things that don’t kill you

They don’t make you stronger, they just make you different. This year has been the hardest of my life. I’m not gon’ lie. I’m not a better person for it. I’m a different person from it.

Reducing decision fatigue

It’s a must in my life. I continue to look for ways to systematize and routinize so my brain can relax and focus on the more important things.

What truths did you learn this year?

(Next up: things I’m proud of accomplishing in 2015)