When I was a little girl, I was really good at evaluating the worth of stuff, you know? Like if someone offered to swap me two gobstoppers for a sherbet dip (totally worth it), or open negotiations on swapping their David Cassidy single plus two posters of Donny Osmond for my Bay City Rollers limited edition blue 45 (not a chance) I’d very carefully weigh up my options and either seal the deal, or tell them where to get off. The words nah, not worth it accompanied by a determined shake of the head made a regular appearance in my vocabulary back in the day.
Somewhere along the line I seem to have stalled, maybe because swapsies are something you sort of grow out of when you leave your childhood behind. Having said that, tipping out the contents of my head on a regular basis so we can all pick through the chaos and put it back together in some semblance of order seems to be giving the concept of worth something of a renaissance in my mind.
As I continue on this journey to Skinny Town I’m going to make a real effort to ask myself the question is it worth it? on a far more regular basis than I have done up to press. It can’t hurt, and I suspect that it will flush out more than a few scenarios where answering my own question with NO! will open up some better options you know? And not just where the diet is concerned.
I can think of loads of examples. Let’s imagine I’m twenty minutes in to the new detective drama that everyone’s raving about, and I’m bored out of my skull. Is it worth investing another forty minutes of my time to find out whodunnit? I’m thinking no. Yet nine times out of ten I’d probably stick it out in the hope that it might get better. And most of the time, it won’t. My time is precious, so it’s not worth it.
Eating something that doesn’t live up to expectations..? Not worth it. I should keep the points in the bank and spend them on something that is. Some item of clothing that’s meh, you know I bought it because it fit, not because I loved it? Now I’m down three sizes, my options in terms of where I can shop are opening up a bit. It needs to go on the bye bye pile…it’s not worth the wardrobe space.
I’ve talked before about spending – or bending – my food budget and I’m getting used to making those decisions. They’re still work in progress you know? I’m ravenous now, because way way back in this day, eating two mini Crunchies seemed a fair trade for today’s remaining points. Now, a few hours later with my insides gurgling like a blocked up sink I realise they probably weren’t worth it because I could literally eat a scabby donkey and I’ve got no points left to spend.
Bugger. It can’t be more than a few days since I did exactly the same thing, and that didn’t end well either. This makes me an idiot. But practice makes perfect, right? Or not. But I’ll keep plugging away. And maybe I’ll stop buying Crunchies.
It was the post about having a good wardrobe clear out, and of course the thoughts that y’all chipped in afterwards that made me think about this some more. So I’ve decided, whilst I’m at it, I should spring clean everything. I should surround myself only with things that are worth it. Cut loose all the things that don’t make me happy. Stop wasting time on things I don’t enjoy. Well, within reason…I don’t enjoy the hurt machine, but that’s definitely worth it. I’m up to twenty minutes, twice a day so that bitch in the bathroom better show me some respect next time I step on.
And yes, I know, it’s not always easy to cut loose all the crap. But getting rid of some of it is a good place to start. I’m on it 🙂
