If there’s one thing that gets me motivated, it’s random challenges. Some previous challenges I’ve completed were No new clothes in 2011, Whole30, Home Baked Only October (HoBOO), No supermarkets for a month, No Facebook for a month, Screen free week etc. Most of them were a little bit difficult, but I don’t think I’ve given up on one yet.
These kind of challenges work for me because they force my creativity. I can’t go back to my default; I can’t get caught in bad habits; I can’t just move mindlessly through life. I have to think about things, even ordinary things, and find new ways to get things done.
At the end of last year, I started to get fed up with my ‘uniforms’ – I was wearing the same things over and over, wearing my (super rad) black jeans way too often, and leaving half my wardrobe unworn. About the same time, I heard about Dressember (dresses only for all of December). Ever a sucker for a catchy name, I decided to give it a go.
I started off great guns – wearing the dresses that sit at the back of the wardrobe, never worn; designing creative outfits; making sure I didn’t repeat items. But as the month went on, it got harder. I started to add skirts in, and there were a few repetitions. And then on the 20th of Dressember, I went in for a minor surgical procedure (hospital gown counts as a dress right)? During the recovery, I really struggled. I ended up alternating between two maxi dresses for most of the rest of the month. But still I stuck to it.
And at the end of the month, I was really happy that I did. I even learned a few things:
- A dress always feels a little dressy. And feeling a little dressy can really cheer you up.
- I have a LOT of clothes. And I really need to get culling before we move overseas.
- The engineer is super patient, and a pretty good photographer.
- I like photo editing, and like to make the pictures from my $1000 camera look like they were taken by a toy camera. I also realise that this is a little bit ridiculous.
- Being sick makes it really difficult to be creative. Challenges help.
I can hardly call it life-changing, but Dressember was a lot of fun. And I’m definitely keen to give it another go in 2013. Hopefully without the surgery!
Hi there. I am coming to Brunei in a few weeks for just 3 months. As a fellow writer, publisher, blah blah, I’d be keen to meet up. I am about a hundred years older than you, but still, there aren’t many expats in Brunei, right? Warmly Jo
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I’d love to. Not quite there yet – you might beat me there. But I’ll stay in touch. Jenn.
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