Not only did I find new dishes over the weekend at Marshall’s, but in other errand-running matters, I had to go to The Mall. The prices at the mall are a little different than Marshall’s. So I had to exercise some willpower and restraint.
I went to the mall to return the facial cleansers I bought at MAC. I just wasn’t loving them and I felt like they were irritating my skin and making me break out a bit, so I returned them.
I exercised restraint and didn’t buy a single new item of MAC!
I probably don’t “need” any, though.
And I exercised some willpower by walking right past the multi-story Pottery Barn
And Nike
I didn’t want to be a total “tourist” and keep on snapping pictures of storefronts. I still didn’t bring my DSLR out in public. I took all these storefront and mall pictures with my point and shoot. But suffice to say, Anthropologie, True Religion, Betsey Johnson, Godiva, James Perse, Barney’s, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, just to name a few, were calling my name. It took some willpower and restraint to not even walk into them.
I did walk into Bath & Body Works
I picked up this B&BW body spray called Secret Wonderland as an exchange/swap-out for a scent I had previously accidentally bought two of.
As a footnote, I love the new Carried Away scent I mentioned here.
After all that retail restraint, I came home and ate chocolate.
Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
From my last post on Dressing for Winter Workouts, it was great to hear what you wear and some of your favorite gear picks. I love hearing what everyone else wears and your go-to items.
Dessert: Special K Bars
Chocolate, nut butter, sweet, gooey and chewy, dense, thick. They have all the elements of a perfect food for me.
I could easily eat these until I get sick. I cut myself off at two per day. I try to use some restraint with these.
Questions:
1. Anything special or exciting going on for you this week?
Nothing special for me. Work, parenting, running a household, and a few appointments throw in to create extra driving around for me to keep my on my toes, but nothing special or too exciting.
2. Do you consider yourself to have willpower and restraint?
As it pertains to food choices, I really don’t like to talk about food in terms of willpower and restraint. I believe it implies that a choice is “bad” when in reality, it’s just a choice. Life, including food, is a big series of choices. And that’s the beauty of eating, you get to make new choices every three hours or so with your next meal/snack. See Item 3 in this post for more info. So I do sort of cringe when I hear people say, “Oh it takes willpower to avoid Xyz Food.” Yes, but really it’s just food. Unless it’s a pan of Special K Bars. Then maybe a little “willpower” isn’t such a bad thing.
As it pertains to spending money at the mall, shopping, or online ordering, I do love to spend money but I can exercise restraint and willpower like nobody’s business. Sure, I would like to buy things, but I really want to pay off my credit card debt more than I want a new sweater. And since I am so close to paying it off, it’s easy for me to walk in, walk out, and not buy a thing. I can flip a switch and not think twice. But look out, when I flip that switch ‘on’, I single handedly am an economic stimulus package all unto myself.
How are you with willpower and restraint? Any thing you wish you had more willpower or restraint with? Or less?
I have almost ZERO willpower or restraint, which is why when asked to go shopping, I usually say no. If I don’t want to spend money it’s best to stay away. Same with desserts… if it’s not a good day to be eating desserts – it’s best to not be around them. I’m getting better at this, but nothing to brag about.
hahaha i’m pretty disciplined but when it’s TTOTM i have zero with chocolate+almond butter. nom. shopping wise, i’m pretty good, i thrift a lot and every now and then hit up anthro :)
I can never resist Anthropologie. Its my fav.
I know girl…it’s a great store!
That mall looks amazingggg – where is it?! It kind of looks like a mall I go to when I visit San Diego – such great shopping :) Neiman Marcus is my favvvv
It’s the only mall in San Diego with a Neimans. It’s the one and only Fashion Valley Mall. Look me up next time you’re in San Diego!!!!!!
NO WAYYYY!! I knew it looked familiar – such a small world :)
Nothing exciting going on over here… now that the wedding is done and Mexico is over, I am back to normal life of school and exams… must plan something fun soon!! :)
I’m glad I don’t live near any of those stores, they look DANGEROUS!! haha :) Oh the joys of living in a small town!!
Hope you are great Averie!!
Take care,
Jessica
congrats on your marriage, again, sweetie!! :)
I think I have a lot of willpower when it comes to going to the gym every morning and buying clothes, but it takes a lot around chocolate and impulse purchases at the grocery store (grape leaves and chocolate almond butter, I’m looking at you!).
u go girl with the willpower! I think I drooled over each store you mentioned ; p
I love secret wonderland, its my latest fave from there!!!
This week Im going home to PA tomorrow to do wedding stuff and then off to florida for a dance workshop for the wknd ; ) busy busy!
Love ya! Hope you had a great day! xoxo
Awesome job on will power, I usually have to remind myself my house is full enough as is and I only have to much time to enjoy all my loot. You can never go wrong with chia seed pudding, I’ve been enjoying chocolate vanilla lately.
1. Not really, surviving and running lots with my half coming up quick.
2. Yes, especially at the stores you snapped because of the prices – I can’t logically buy a purse that’s worth more than my car! Sometimes I lack will power when it comes to new tech toys though.
I wish I had more restraint with sweets!
That mall looks so airy and sunny!!
Chocolate and nut butters are the absolute deadliest combo for my willpower! Love it. Peanut Butter & Co. makes a delicious concoction called Dark Chocolate Dreams…and White Chocolate Wonderful is the best thing ever created. Mm. Good thing I already ate or I’d be on a rampage.
too funny…just today i got some dark choc dreams PB & Co and can’t wait to try it!
Oh man…you were definitely exercising great restraint at the mall!!! We have a really sucky mall, so it isn’t hard for me to restrain myself, but if I had a mall like that…woo! It’d be quite the struggle!
i used to be the worst shopping restrainer ever! BUT since being poor and a student and paying for school and my car and making barely any money i have no option but restraint haha. but i do know when to say yes to a great deal :)
i’ve always hated bath & body works but lately they’ve been coming out with some pretttty good scents! i like the new dark kiss one!
girl i love dark kiss! i wear it all the time!
I’m way too good with willpower and restraint. I will go somewhere with every intention of buying one thing and talk myself out of it unless it is an absolute NEED by the time I get to the checkout counter.
You should see the mall here. No need for restraint. The lack of any good stores accomplishes that.
amen to that. when i lived in NC/SC and Jc Penney was the anchor store at the mall, I didnt need to use much restraint either :)
and i too talk myself out of TONS of purchases. To a fault sometimes!
My mom and I take shopping trips all the time. If we didn’t practice restraint, we’d be in deep doo-doo.
By the way, your special K bars made my tongue hang out.
It’s weird..but I think I should have more willpower when it comes to certain areas and others I need to just let go a little bit. (like my fashion…I could spend some money on making mama not look like a hobo…but not when there’s dishes to buy and kids to keep clothed…lol)
I know, some things i need to relax with my own willpower and just be a little more…reckless. I totally know what you mean!