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?
Hi,
Enjoyed reading your article. Wow! that chocolte bar would have been hard to resist. If I buy something I like much, like raisins and almonds I do not have willpower to just eat a little each day. When I buy it I tell myself that I will have only a little each day and it should last one week but it never lasts more than two days. But I have willpower not to buy it and as I know I will eat almost all at once I most often don’t buy it.
Kristin
i looooooove special k bars! i can’t make them anymore because my husband has willpower to only eat one per day, but i have none when it comes to these! i’m a gumaholic. i know it’s terrible but i’m a one pack per day gum chewer. i wish there was a quit gum patch or something…i can only chew a piece for a couple minutes though and have to spit it out. total wierdness i know. my last lack of willpower confession…j.crew (swoon). love all their clothes!
oh gosh.. i have great willpower but when it comes to shopping.. ZERO restraint!! I always think to myself ‘well its now or never.. this is your chance to get it!” and then i usually do ahah…I AM VERY impressed with you!
Nothing exciting or special over here..but surprisingly still alot on the agenda. I think I have pretty good will power and restraint actually. It took practice though ;)
I would never be able to leave MAC empty handed!!!
I definitely splurge on all of my healthified foods!! Sometimes protein powder, flax seed, wheat germ, and of course wine can add up when you are a college student! Hehe! But I think it is totally worth it! :) I loved this post!
Being broke is an excellent way to practice willpower and restraint, lol! :D
Since I’m still in “save for a car” mode I’m SERIOUSLY frugal. But I “splurged” and bought myself some protein powder last night :) 17 dollars, it almost killed me ;)
OMG, I want your mall!! Your mall has EVERYTHING! Ours, 20 miles away, has… Macy’s and Target. :shock: Big whoop lol :roll:
I’m disciplined when I want to be, but I hardly ever want to be!! LOL :P
I have willpower, but little restraint. Especially with spending. If I see it, want it, and can “afford” it – i.e, the money is in my account, I can very easily rationalize buying it. I think this comes from my mother – not to cop out and blame her…she admits it herself. I got the good traits and the, well, more colorful traits as well! I am impressed with your willpower and restraint. It is evident from your physique that you exercise both on a daily basis!
I don’t use the terms “willpower” and “restraint” very often, if ever either.
If I want something I eat it … but then again I have never had the urge to binge, or anything like that, so I suppose I am lucky.
I used to have little self restraint but since 2 years (when we began our paying-debt-off-journey) we have gotten tons better. Having a goal (of being debt free) definitely provided lots of motivation.
I like your comments on not having certain foods “bad” — that it is just a choice.
wow do you have a lot of MAC goodies! i wish there was a b+bw near here, i love their stuff.