Longing for simple.... While fighting the "I Want it NOW Beast"

There, I've said it - I want it and I want it NOW!

I'm impulsive - very, very, very - IMPULSIVE.  I don't want to wait, I want it NOW....  Do you feel an Oompa Loompa song coming on??  Yes, I'm feeling very Varuka Salt these days.  Who am I kidding, always - I've always been a spoiled rotten little brat.

The only difference between your average spoiled brat & me, is that I don't rely on someone else to get me what I want.  I do it myself!
My hubby, whom I rely on to reel me in is no better.
We both like "stuff."

I've got quite a bit of that STUFF!  Too much actually.  I recently switched over my wardrobe from summer to fall/winter.  This was the first of my shocking realities.  My point of, "Oh my gosh!  What have I become?"

In pulling out the bins, one outfit after another I noted that some items had never been worn & the sales tags were still on.  Sadly, I don't even like some of the outfits.  I don't even know why I made the purchase.  Oh yeah, impulse buy.  That's it.

As I went through my items, one by one I started to bag them - by size, by season for those who have nothing.

Then I tackled the girls' rooms.  Again, excess.  I swear my girls each have about 8-10 pairs of shoes each.  No you may not look in my closet.

This was not always my life.  We struggled growing up.  I know we had very little.  This was blaringly obvious to me, because some of my friends had so much more than we did and I was often embarrassed.  I didn't want to be there again, ever!

At this point in my life -
I know that I am, indeed, very lucky. Incredibly and abundantly blessed that in an economy such as we are in today, we not only have everything we need, but excess.  It makes me feel ashamed on some level that we just keep on buying more & more stuff.

We have taken a step back.  All of us.  Through church and school, there have been many opportunities to give back to those who have very little - or nothing at all.  To those, I will donate the clothes that will help someone.

This is the easy part, truly.

The not so easy part and perfect example; Our camper was just totaled by the insurance company.
A damn shame really, because it was beautiful & in great shape - but a little water got in somewhere & the floors rotted out and well, the insurance company wasn't prepared to shell out the $14 grand it would cost to repair it.

They took it away and days later, we ran right out to buy another.

As the momma, main caretaker of children & one responsible to pack the unit prior to all trips - I know what we "need" in an RV.
We went to the RV Show to look around and lo & behold, there she was!  Exactly what we "need."
A separate room for the kids with a door,  everything done with just a touch of a button for hubby's benefit, lots of storage & just squirting wonder & adventure. 
All to the tune of about $30K.  We sat down, filled out the paperwork & left beaming from ear to ear - delighting in the new toy we just bought.

Then it hit me - this is not simplifying.  A new RV is not a "need."  We don't even have a proper vehicle to pull the new toy.  That would have been a separate purchase.  What the heck?

The following Monday, we cancelled the deal.

The I want it an I want it now beast is not an easy one to tame.  The line is so incredibly fine between could and should.  Yes, we could get this beautiful new toy. Yes, we would have a great time & make many more memories, but should we?

Ugh!

Don't I get any brownie points at all for not booking a trip to Fiji? Because I really want that too!

Have you taken a step back & looked at this type of thing?  From the outside looking in?  From the mentality of someone who is struggling?  I'm not sure I want to know what that looks like.  How spoiled I must look.

For now, we are working on dealing with the stuff we need to focus on.  The actual "needs."

We are working to simplify & be happy with what we've got.  To take care of that "stuff" & teach our kids the same.

To be thankful that we are NOT struggling.  We have more than we need and that we should be thankful and gracious every single day.

Not just Wanting it & Wanting it NOW... Varuka!

Have an amazing & wonderful day!!

~Jenn