Just....APPRECIATE

We had the most amazing last week of the school holidays, getting away to a beautiful area in Western Australia’s South West region.  The best thing about going away in winter time is that it’s better value for money, and there aren’t so many crowds to contend with.  And winter is our family’s favourite time to visit the South West region, savouring the crisp, country air and gorgeous green landscape against the mint green and aqua hues of the glorious coast.

It was great to have down time, and to really just be in the moment.  We didn’t plan a hectic schedule – we barely planned anything at all.  We rose in the morning when it felt right, ate leisurely meals or missed them if we were engrossed in activities and didn’t worry too much about keeping up a regular routine.  We spent some time at the beach, clambering over rocks.  Some time at local attractions, climbing up and down steps of the local caves.  It was just an awesome time.  And we all felt so appreciative.

We appreciated the time we could spend together.  We appreciated the beauty of the environment and landscape, and amazing sunsets.  We appreciated the quality of the local produce we ate and drank, and the people that brought it to us.  We appreciated the place where we stayed and the owners’ ability to cater for all our needs. 

And on hearing of the most terrible act affecting Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 on the 18^th July 2014…. all those lives lost – many children, all of them innocent; the unimaginable pain of their grieving families and friends….. it just brought home the importance to appreciate what we have here and now. 

I really like the following quotes on the topic of being appreciative, and I hope you do too:

“I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.”
― Elbert Hubbard

“I wake up in the morning and I see that flower, with the dew on its petals, and at the way it's folding out, and it makes me happy, she said. It's important to focus on the things in the here and now, I think. In a month, the flower will be shrivelled and you will miss its beauty if you don't make the effort to do it now. Your life, eventually, is the same way.”
― Dan Buettner, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way

“Be happy with who you are and what you do, and you can do anything you want.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough”
― Oprah Winfrey

Do you ensure that you appreciate the goodness in your life?  Have you felt the benefit of acknowledging that appreciation?  I’d love to hear your thoughts, so post a comment below or send me an email to livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .

Buyer's Remorse

The day after can be cruel – oh, so cruel!

This week I experienced buyer’s remorse and it was not a pleasant experience at all.  The only positive I can draw from it is that it’s something I definitely don’t want to experience again!  And I’ve promised myself (and my husband, too) that I won’t ever put myself in that situation in future.

I was at a dinner fund-raiser, which followed a half days’ golfing with some colleagues and customers.  It had been a sensational day – the weather could not have been better, and everyone was feeling thankful for the sunshine following the dismal weather we’d had in the lead up to the day.   After 18 holes of golf, we were looking forward to a hearty, hot meal and so the dinner was very much welcomed.

And then, between dinner and dessert, came the auction!

There were about 20 items up for auction, and to be honest I wasn’t really interested in any of them.  The items had been donated by various companies willing to contribute their wares or services to the charity, and most items were snapped up at a fraction of the listed value.  By the end of the auction, I was thinking that maybe…. maybe… I could have a go at this.  After all the items on the list were exhausted there came a couple of bonus items – one which I thought would make a sensational gift for a family member for Christmas.  And I could afford it, after all my disciplined saving.  So when the item was offered, I put up my hand.  Was I dreaming, or really doing this?  It’s so uncharacteristic of me.  Then another bidder put up their hand to offer a bid.  Why, oh why didn’t I just let it go there?!  I have no idea what I was thinking, I put up my hand for another bid and not only did I get this bid, but the auctioneer doubled the value, so that I actually ended up bidding for a much higher amount than I intended.  Goodness, what a novice….. no, what an idiot! 

I chastised myself on the drive home.  I chastised myself as I told my husband about it when I got home (and earned the scorn he delivered, rightly pointing out that I don’t let him spend that kind of money without discussing it first.  Yes, you’re 100% right, dear).  I chastised myself as I went to bed, and then again in the morning when I woke up.

And I woke up feeling an enormous dose of BUYER’S REMORSE.  Wikipedia’s definition:  “It is frequently associated with the purchase of an expensive item such as a car or house. It may stem from fear of making the wrong choice, guilt over extravagance, or a suspicion of having been overly influenced by the seller.”  I can’t blame anyone else for this except myself.  I am usually such a careful shopper that I very rarely experience this feeling.

So, what to do about it.  It’s not a question of not being able to afford it, because I can.  But should I have?  Heck, no!  I have a few options from here:

-          I can cop it on the chin and just move on. 

-          I can try to sell the item on Gumtree or Ebay to get back part of the money spent (I’m sure I won’t get the entire value back).

-          I can keep the item and try to work out how I can make up for the value of the item. 

I have decided that I’ll do the latter.  I have been holding on to some outgrown baby and kids clothes and clothes given to me by a friend that I’ve been meaning to sell on Ebay.  Tomorrow I’m going to get off my butt and do just that. 

I’ll be killing two birds with one stone really, as I’m sure the decluttering will help to free my mind of this task I have long been putting off, as well as free my mind from regret of the purchase.  And then I can only hope that the recipient appreciates the gift at the end of the year.