Giving up who I thought I was...

[MamaM]

Today, I donated 5 pairs of hi heels, 1 suit and 2 dresses, a HUGE bag of jewelry- all for the gal I THOUGHT I was...the fantasy me. Ms. Corporate America is going away. I have some nice items for work but they are in line with who I am, right now. This is HUGE for me, as I slowly dentangle from a tree I never intended to climb and become ME. I have hung onto this fantasy self for so long, with a closet of not me, feeling like an imposter. Even hubby said to me that I buy stuff and never wear it or wear it once. That was eye opening. :0!

[fidgiegirl]

Awesome, MamaM. I am enjoying your posts a lot, including this one.

I have to be on guard about this with projects - keeping them around when I'm really not into them. And slowly I have been letting go of some of my past volunteer passions as well . . . little by little.

Congrats!

[MamaM]

Thanks!!! I am REALLY motivated to get on with it..I have 2 weeks off...so I am getting busy!!!! :)

[CathyA]

Good for you MamaM!
I was the same way for a long time. ....Not with professional clothes, etc., but with clothes that were about 5 sizes too small for me. It was really hard letting go of that dream of ever being that small again..........but once I got rid of them, I enjoyed the empty spaces I had!
I'm glad you have 2 weeks off. For me, if I can stay with something, uninterrupted, I can get soooo much done. Go MamaM Go!

[MamaM]

THANKS!!!! I love having this time. It's been very beneficial all around. I have a few more projects up my sleeves for y'all. :)

[Valley]

Sometimes giving up who we thought we were going to be is the most freeing thing we can do for ourselves. Good for you...I too am enjoying your posts!

[MamaM]

OK--add another 12 items to that pile--these were the can't decide right now ones. :)

[razz]

Just a thought to consider. Have you ever done the Artist's Way? The writer was where you are right now and took off for a while to find herself and developed the approach which she has been teaching to great success for about 20 years. I did the course with some others right here and found it wonderful in showing me what was going on in my thoughts and hopes.

http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?5517-The-Artist-Way-group-course&highlight=Artist%27s

[MamaM]

THANK YOU!!!!

[Rosemary]

I've always enjoyed major closet/household purges when I've spent the time to focus on them. My first was in-between jobs, when I had one week off with nothing else planned. Wow! What a difference it made. Now I make a point of cleaning out every closet or cabinet at least every January.

I had a major closet purge a few years after DD was born and we moved to MN from AZ. I used to work in a casual office and it was hot all year, so I had a lot of really cute dresses. I wore dresses or skirts nearly every day, with tights in what passes for winter there. And slowly I realized that no, I wasn't going to wear those even in the summer here... because I am in a different phase and age now and I like to be able to move more easily. My summer uniform is now a fitted tee and capris, and it is really rare that I wear a skirt. I hope someone found those skirts at Goodwill and is enjoying them now.

[citrine]

I still remember the day that I donated all the heels and corporate clothes! That was a FANTASTIC day :) Way to go MamaM :)

[Float On]

I remember my big donation day as well.
And I haven't worn heels or pantyhose since Oct 1992, the day I quit being a bank manager/loan officer.

[MamaM]

Thanks for the encouragment. It's making feel a WHOLE lot better. Not to nix any man's opinion but coming from other former "business" women, it helps. I feel a little less guilty. :)

[puglogic]

I kept mine for SOOO long after I left corporate life. Then I bought MY kind of business clothes -- good jeans, white v-neck t-shirts, a pretty set of jewelry and a blazer for dress-up, and boots. I have a few variations on that, and it's soooo comfortable. If clients don't think that's professional enough, then they're not my kind of client anyway. It was empowering to be Me.

More power to ya, MamaM.