Closing Remarks

Only two more days I am locked into the oath I took a year ago; I would not buy anything new that I could not make or buy used. I readily admit that I have not stuck to this oath religiously; I confess to a new collar for my cat, flip flops, earrings, and a host of other miscellaneous new purchases. But before you dismiss me as a fraud, I have spent a year paying careful attention to each purchase I made and examining the immediacy of each need I felt. I sincerely considered many different ways to satisfy these inherent “needs;” I grew my own food, made my own soap, crafted my own cheese, and sewed my own clothes. I wore donated shoes, painted my eyeglasses, watched my debt disappear, and went without shaving. Ah, the good times.

So now what? Do I continue or do I go on a buying spree like a kid in a candy store? The answer is no, I will not continue the Nothing New Project. And no, I will not go on a shopping spree. It has been a fantastic exercise in discipline and mindfulness, which I always need. But I have a new appreciation for well designed, high quality, socially responsible “new” things. I look forward to buying a new pair of shoes that will make my feet feel good and last me a long time. Happily I will exchange my hard earned money for an item I agree with. I look forward to financially supporting individuals, companies, and services that align with my own beliefs.

I come away from this project having truly learned one very important lesson. BE PATIENT. If I want or need something, all I need to do is ask for it and then watch and wait for it to show up. It’s best not to feed the instant gratification monster as it will only make him stronger. Just calm down. Wait.

I don’t know if it’s my over-achiever tendencies or maybe my Catholic upbringing that urges me to put myself in these absolutist situations (I do it all the time outside of this project), but I think I’m going to give up vows for a while. Putting myself in rigid, extremist positions doesn’t allow much wiggle room for change. I think I’m just going to be. Slow way down and be.

Thank you to everyone in my “real” (not digital) life who encouraged me, challenged me, discussed with me, listened to me, and perhaps was inspired by me during the execution of this project. Thank you, thank you.

Looking forward to new shoes,

Elle