Liberate Yourself!

How many pairs of jeans do you have in your closet? Come on, be honest, there are more than you could possibly need and certainly a few pairs that you will never wear again. Up 5 lbs., down 10 lbs., it doesn’t matter. I’d be willing to wager there are jeans that are worn out, too small or big, or simply too off-trend to wear in today’s jeans-can-go-anywhere-and-everywhere era that we’re so lucky to live in.

I ask this question because, for me, there were way too many. There were pre-baby jeans, even pre-hubby jeans! And so I pitched them. And it was liberating! I implore you to do the same.

Once I got started, I tackled the “Corporate Jill” wardrobe. For more than a decade, I was a Banana Republic-clad editor working in an office that didn’t allow jeans. Not even on Friday, not ever! So I tackled those items, too, passing the perfect pairs to a dear friend that still has to dress the part and collecting the others for charity. And it was liberating!

Losing the Weight, Sort Of
Whether you’re neat and tidy (like me, typically) or somewhat sloppy or just overwhelmed by the stuff all of us tend to collect, getting rid of the excess is so mentally healthy. Too many things around us – magazines, knickknacks or jeans, it doesn’t matter – weighs us down.

When I purged all of those clothes from my closet, I fell in love all over again with the items in there that make sense in my life right now: cute tops, designer jeans that were a total splurge, and even the workout pants that perpetually fall to the bottom of the pile while the favorites get worn out.

Without the extra “weight,” I was motivated to wear those running pants, and even more motivated to get back into the pre-baby designer jeans. The number on the scale hasn’t budged, but I feel lighter, happier, more motivated.

And, I feel I can justify a few new things, too. Even when we’re not perfectly satisfied with our bodies, it feels so good to treat ourselves to something fresh, something new. Ever buy new workout gear and not feel motivated to throw it on and get moving? I feel that way when I add new tunes to my running playlist, and that only costs me a few bucks!

So spend a few minutes in your closet, or in your gym bag or with your iPod. Or even in your pantry! Purge the things that are weighing you down, and you’ll feel great – you’ll be liberated!

Feeling lighter and better dressed,

Jill