For the Ladies....

I hope you are enjoying the posts so far and have been challenged, just as I have to look at life with a more simplistic lens, and practically have started to purge some of your excess as well.

For today I thought I would address that drawer that men wonder about and women fear.....the BRA drawer. You know you all have one. And I bet you that there are bras in there that you haven't worn in YEARS! You know the ones you buy thinking "oh it's so cute" or "I am sure I can squeeze my ta-tas in here one day because it’s such a good deal”. We've all been there. 

So I decided that since I had so much success tackling my sock drawer previously that I would also tackle my bra drawer.

I have found a really decent bra that I love. I mean absolutely HANDS DOWN LOVE>LOVE>LOVE. It’s available in the states and so my last few purchases have been from that store so I thought- no biggie, I probably don’t have much of anything to deal with in the bra drawer…..boy was I wrong.

My biggest embarrassment of this drawer was the boustier that I bought to wear under my wedding dress….drumroll please…..10 YEARS AGO!!!! Have I worn it since then? Nope. Have I thought about it since then? Nope. Have I hauled it around for more than 6 household moves. Yup! = embarrassing! So that definitely had to go.

I also had a bra that I used to wear pretty much every day but that hasn’t been worn in at least 4 years. That had to go too. Am I the only one that holds onto old favorites? This is definitely a habit that has to go!

Then came 2 Calvin Klein bras. Both in excellent shape, and both only worn likely a combined total of 6 times. These, although they are really cute, had to go!

I was also holding on to a sport’s bra I’ve had for 14 years- that is torn and barely holding on. Time for a new one likely there too.

So in total I started with 12 bras. An assortment of really old and never worn more than once, pretty but not practical, my old favorite, and some that I still wear today. I was able to rid myself of 6 of those bras and keep the other 6 that are still of use to me. I am left with- 4 practical ones in neutral colors so that I'm never left in a panic if one is in the wash, a practical sports bra for running, and one not so practical but fun colored one that hey I use so it had to stay! 

Now when I look in my bra drawer I know exactly what’s in there and everything in there is what I love and use on a regular basis. No “extras” hanging around taking up space. And with the extra space I was able to share the drawer with my belts and a jewellery box- bonus! Amazing what a little decluttering can do for available space. Just when I thought I had none....

So let's go ladies- when's the last time you cleaned out your bra drawer? 

I am not that into sharing my unmentionables with the world so a weird colored quasi photo will have to suffice for this post. 

The Finish Line

So I am a little late on my post for this week. My apologies. I was actually out running "the big race" on Sunday. Yup, I made it through the finish line of my first 1/2 marathon. Que streamers, music, and dancing here.

It's been a weird couple of days letting it all sink in. I worked hard for this race, 9 months of training, special diets, etc. I think I thought that the world would maybe look different after I finished. In a few ways I was a little disappointed. Experiencing disappointment wasn't part of my training schedule.....so why was this happening? It got me thinking about the simplicity of the race.

I was all reved up to have this life changing moment the second I crossed the finish line on Sunday. I even planned the dance I would do once I had "reached my goal". What I didn't realize was that my life changing moment happened over the course of time. It wasn't the race that made me a half marathoner, it was all the hard work and preparation that I had put in over the course of the last 9 months that changed me. I was moulded and shaped by every Km I ran through wind, snow, ice, fatigue, joy, anger, and pain.

When I started the race on Sunday I was already a 1/2 marathoner, the race didn't suddenly define who I was, it was the product of who I had become. I've pushed through when the going was tough. I've bought and stunk up the running gear. I've headed out to run when the rest of the world was wrapped up in blankets with a cup of coffee to stay warm. I've beaten the voices in my head that told me I could never make 14Km let a lone 21Km. I've learned how to balance my protein and carbohydrate intake to maximize my performance. I've had bad weeks where I didn't run at all but got back on the band wagon the following week.

In looking back on my disappointment and reflecting- I thought I was going to be a different person once that finishers medal was draped around my neck but in reality I never realized the simple fact that  I was already a different person when I started the race. In fact- the whoop I let out as I started the race was bigger than the joy I had when I finished. At the start line I was already changed. I held within myself the discipline, determination, and preparation required to cross the finish line and it felt awesome!!!

This week I've learned: It's not always about the finish line but rather it's about the preparation to exuberantly know you can confidently stand at the starting line. Getting to the starting line is sometimes the hardest part. 

What are your goals? What's going to get you to your starting line? I hope that at the beginning of your "race" you can let out the same enthusiastic "whoop!" that I did- knowing you have prepared for your moment and have the ability to finish.