Lesson #4 Mistakes will be made

        So for my long awaited first spring break of my first year of teaching, I visited my two old friends in Portland, Oregon and one in Olympia, Washington. It was a blast and I packed my suitcase (and packed to go home) faster than I ever have before. I truly believe this is because I had a fixed set of clothing items in my closet and I knew those were my only options to pack.
       That being said, I did have a clothing relapse. My tale of woe begins as many others do: with a hopeful heart and a trip to Costco. I was milling through Costco with my friends Stefani and Jackie when my eyes landed on the clothing section. Let this be known: I had never bought ANY clothing from Costco prior to trip. Suddenly I was sifting through brands like Lucky and Columbia simultaneously thinking, "When did they start selling such great brands at Costco?" and "How can I fit the things I'll buy in my tiny suitcase?"
        I cracked and bought some new clothes approximately one month into my year of no new clothes. Do I regret it? Like 99% of the choices I make in life, hell no! The reasons I don't regret this lapse in my commitment and clothing judgement are simple.

1. I was in the state of Oregon (not in my home state of CO) when I made the clothing purchases so technically it's okay to buy clothes out of state (especially since I rarely travel out of state).
2. I am now set for shorts this summer with 3 new pairs that are a) actually long enough so my butt doesn't hang out b) are solid colors and incredibly versatile and lastly c) water repellant, how cool is that?
3. Expecting myself to go cold turkey on something that is challenging for me (hence the CHALLENGE part of the year with no clothes challenge) is a great way to set yourself up for disappointment. Mistakes will be made, clothes will be guiltily purchased, and that's okay. In fact, that's life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   So, I relapsed on my journey of self improvement without material objects. That's life, you make mistakes, shudder at your Costco receipt, and re-commit yourself to the cause! I am determined now more than ever to make this year without clothes happen, I have seen the grass on the other side and trust me, it's not greener.