I have had the same pair of sandals since 1999. My mom bought them for me when our family went on a cruise. They were nothing fancy but they worked. And they worked great for about eight years. Then they broke. I fired back with Gorilla Glue and kept them alive for another eight years! After sixteen years, they had pretty much had it. The soles were almost completely coming off. Every time I took a step, the sole would not come along with me. So I threw them out then, right? Wrong. I continued to wear these sandals every night until June 14th 2017. You heard me right. Eighteen years with the same sandals! Two of those years with completely broken soles. See, I believed that I couldn't afford new sandals. I couldn't spring the $20 because it was not important enough. But the real message I was sending myself was I AM NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH!
Not good.
I've done this with so many things in my life over the years. I would leave a light bulb that burned out in a lamp for months or years and just deal with the darkness. I would let the bushes in my yard get way overgrown to where my patio had completely disappeared. I would sit in broken chairs all day (the chair that I am sitting in right now is still broken. It's on my list to fix). All this in the name of being frugal? What I think was really going on is I felt like I was not worthy of good things. Man, that sounds messed up to say that out loud. I don't know where or when that message was planted in my brain, but it's been there a long time. And my feet have suffered enough!
It's important to be smart with money. Make a budget, track your expenses, save money for purchases. Yes do all of that first. But then, for the love of God, spend some of that money! Get yourself a pair of new sandals. You are so worth it! You are a creation of God. You are a walking miracle! Do you realize that? You are a king (or queen) and you deserve nothing but the best. If you are telling yourself anything short of that, you are lying to yourself.
I deserve good things.
My new sandals!
It feels great to say that out loud. I am going to take better care of myself. First things first, I got some brand new sandals! They are so great and the soles stay in place! I now have a list of all the other things in my house and in my life that I am going to fix. I have another list of all the things I am going to buy. One by one, I will do all the things on those lists because I deserve it. Now, I have to go. I have things to do and sandals to do them in.
Finally.
Chris Swan
Founder and CEO
P.S. How are you going to treat yo self sometime soon? Leave a comment below and let me know!
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