Why Save The Good Stuff For Later?

Historically, I have been a saver. When I was about 11, I was given a small, decorative candle, and I never burned it! Eventually, we stopped burning candles and I gave it away during a room clean. Isn't that sad?! It's one thing to save something for a purpose but I tend to save things for a nebulous "someday" that never comes.

The other thing I tend to do is to dream about "someday" how I can do this or have that. I will withhold things from myself because the time isn't right. A silly example is that years ago, I was coming up with a list of fun and unique date ideas (I had a purpose for this list) and I was thinking, "I would love to do these myself one day!" Well, eventually I got wise and realized that there was no reason I couldn't do most of them by myself or with friends! Silly Sarah :)

It's been a long and slow process to start using things or allowing myself to bring the future into now, but this idea of "why save the good stuff for later?" has really helped! I heard it in a movie and I've seen a shift in myself. I'll give you a few examples.

The first is a hand towel that I won in a gift basket. It's very lake house in style, with a Michigan theme and is totally something I'd have in my own home. While we don't "use" it, per se, it's hanging on our oven now. It gets dirty and could get destroyed, but it's being seen and used now, rather than sitting a box for a "someday" that may never come.

Another thing is some perfume that a friend brought back for me from Amsterdam. The Old Sarah would have saved it forever for "special occasions". But I'm using it now. I wear it most Sundays, so it's still going to last awhile and isn't for everyday use, but I'm enjoying it.

One of the ones I struggled the most about was my great-grandmother's guest book. After she died, I took her guest book home. She'd only used one page, front and back, and I loved the idea of using her book in my home one day. Then my parents' guest book that they got when they got married was getting to the end. They were going to need a new one and it didn't make sense to buy one when we had one just sitting there. Of all the things I have saved to use in my own home one day, this one seemed the most like giving up on that dream but I decided that it needed to be used and while it's not "my" home, I still live here too!

All of these examples have been of things that could be saved. But what about the things that are dreams? I was in Grand Haven last year, walking in and out of shops. I found a wall hanging that I loved and thought "I would totally love that in my home one day". Upstairs in the same shop, I found a magnet set that was exactly like it! But I don't have anything to display magnets, so I again thought "one day" and left the store. However, I could not stop thinking about it. I didn't want to buy it just to store it, so I texted my mom to see if she liked it too and wouldn't mind it being on our fridge. It now is something that I get to enjoy every time I see it (which is a lot). I could have missed out on that if I had thought I had to wait until I had my own home and fridge to get it.

It's a hard balance. And there is nothing wrong with dreaming or saving stuff for the future, but I know for me, I have not done it well. My mindset has been that of scarcity and fear or a thought that I was not allowed to have or do something unless I met certain requirements. No, I can't redecorate my parents' house, but I can put magnets on the fridge.

Maybe this sounds silly to you. Maybe you find it super obvious and are wondering why this is such a big deal to me. But maybe you can relate? Maybe you are on this journey too? Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

The magnet set on our fridge!