Until we wise up, we tend to go to someone outside ourselves for help when the answers to most of our problems are within. You know that feeling that comes to you when you know something isn't right? That's a sign that you're always guided to do what's best for you, even though you don't always listen.
Even when you don't listen, that's okay, because when you choose not to listen, your guidance will always show up again when you're in a similar need for guidance. Here's an example of not listening and then finally listening.
Do you like to shop for spring clothes at Ross Dress for Less? Do you make the same mistake I make, if I'm not careful?
The other day I had a half hour to kill, so I decided I’d go to Ross and just browse. I’m sure this isn’t right, but I do it often, especially at Ross; I buy something not because I really love it, but because its original price is horrifyingly high and the mark down is too good to pass up.
The first item I put into my shopping cart was a good example. It was pajamas by Ellen Tracy (she’s expensive) originally $70.00 for $21.99! How could I pass up a savings of $48? Never mind the designer brand sleepwear was in a leopard print in purple and lime green and just about the ugliest pajamas I’ve ever seen. (Sorry Ellen.) But in my mind, the $48 savings canceled out the obnoxious look of them. Besides pajamas are worn in the dark and I did love the luxurious feel of the fabric.
The next item that went in the cart was a bath lotion I swear smelled just like a cinnamon roll. I think I was especially attracted to it because I was hungry and I hadn't had a cinnamon roll in years (and won’t in the future because my husband Terry and I are low-carbing it these days).
I didn’t stop to ask myself why it’d be cool to smell like a treat, but I’ve noticed recently that many toxic-free health care products often smell like some kind of food like lime, caramel, cloves, chocolate, apples or pumpkin pie.
With my hideous nightwear destined to soon smell like the Cinnabon, I rolled into the purse section. I hate my purse! It's truly an old lady purse and I know it. (I probably bought it at Ross ten years ago because it originally cost $200 and I got it for $20.) I found a darling purse I really loved, but the mark down was only 25% off the original price. No deal. There was also a Louis Vuitton knock off by Huey Vuitton that just didn’t make the mark, so I left bags hanging and headed for shoes. To my delight there was a clearance rack! I love to see what’s on clearance at Ross, because that’s where the price slashings are the best. To my surprise I found some high heels marked down 80% AND they’d go perfectly with my pajamas! How could I pass them up?
I tend to believe that anything we think we want, whether it’s a new car, a baked potato or a body lotion that makes us smell like the Kardashians, we want it because we think it’ll make us feel better. It was clear that my selections made me feel better because of price, but that’s all the further the pleasure went. As I headed to the housewares department, I looked at my time. I had about ten minutes to check out the linens and cookware shelves before paying and heading to chorus.
I love butterflies!
It was while holding a plate with butterflies on it that I realized I had a problem and Nelly my inner child was in charge. (She loves butterflies and dishes.) I was able to tell her to put the plate down because we don’t need any more dishes and it was then that she had a few words to say back to me.
“Shoot, I thought I was going to get those pajamas and high heels to match? And I thought maybe smearing that lotion all over yourself would help replace the fact that you won't let us have cinnamon rolls since you've cut out all my goodies because of your stupid low-carb lifestyle. Anyway if you got that lotion and started smelling like a cinnamon roll, I think I'd talk you into baking some and you couldn’t stop me!”
Nelly provided a real wake-up call for me. I hung the P.J.s back up, put the lotion and heels back on their shelves and walked out of Ross about $60 richer than I would have AND I won’t be smelling like a cinnamon roll.
If you'd like to learn more about living with your inner child, I have a the five-part video series. Tap on the blue bird to see the last video plus links to the other four. They're helping a lot of people discover the light side or the inner child.
If you like my writing, I hope you'll get my books written with my inner child in mind.
"The Joy of Being Disorganized" will help you get organized just enough to please you and it has a streamlined version of the SHE home organization, 3x5 card file system in it.
Love,
