A few months back I splurged on a small $18 bottle of my favorite conditioner at the grocery store. I wanted to treat myself. Since that day I've been thinking a lot about priorities. I spend the majority of my money on hair products, my dog, camera/computer gear, organic food, rent (you pay a price to live alone) and socializing (food/drinks.) Almost all of my clothes are thrifted or hand-me-downs. My car is the same car my mom bought me when I got my learners permit at age 15. All of my furniture is from Craigslist, thrift stores, or found free on the side of the road. The irony in all of it is that I actually have really expensive taste. I just have priorities.
A friend of mine has to do the New York times crossword puzzle every day. He HAS to. Another friend of mine eats very cheap food so that he can afford going to the coffee shop once or twice a day for quality coffee, two shots of espresso, and a dose of sanity away from his heavy workload. My girlfriend in Oklahoma told me this past weekend that she wants to get her life belongings down to a minimum so that if there were a house fire, she'd have no regrets, no tangible possessions to cry over. That's admirable. She's also the only person I know (besides myself) who still drives the same car from sophomore year of high school. However, I bet she'd drop a pretty penny at Whole Foods, and on books, music, or entertainment.
I realized this morning though that more often than I'd like to admit I am not on that list of priorities. Yes, me, myself...Hailey. One of my biggest non monetary priorities is to make others happy, to be a good friend, and to satisfy my own social needs by having connections with people, big or small. I do this so much though that I often don't put myself first. Lately more than ever I do things on the time schedule of other people, whether it be how I fit into their life at that moment, or that month. So, this is me making a written reminder to myself to put my name on the top of the list and to say no a little more often.
What are your priorities?
self portrait.
April 2012 - Missoula, MT.
