Day 96

100 days and counting

I choose to start my process of shifting toward a happier, healthier and more interesting life with a New Moon Fast. The theory is that one begins the fast with the first 24 hours of the New Moon, taking in only water and fruit juice. Fasting during the syzygies of the moon allows the lunar gravitational pull to assist in the detoxification process, jumpstarting the removal of toxins from the body.  This worked well as my time began on Saturday and I had been up the night before working. I enjoyed my morning yogurt and lunch then took a nap for the mid-day. When I woke I wasn’t hungry; this not my normal meal time. Thankfully, come the morning I was ready to enjoy my water and juice. The afternoon would bring lunch soon enough.

My big excitement for this time was to begin harvest of my potatoes. I have all those buckets I planted in hopes of feeding my world. I turned the first bucket to dump only a small cluster of Yukon Gold. Few. Not at all what I was expecting. The potatoes that grew had done so in the soil rather than continuing into the straw, which was to be my clean harvest. Next bucket, same find. I continued through four, total and then decided the others could wait until later in August. I replanted the tubers with buds back in an empty bucket and filled it with straw and soil. Second chances all around.

After soaking and washing my harvest, I sliced the Yukon Gold with onions, fresh garlic and green peppers and placed them to cook in the crock pot for the morning. The Red Kennebec I cooked and made potato salad. Both dishes are incredibly excellent. Whatever distress I felt about the size of the harvest has dissipated with the finished product. Next year we will just clean the soil from the crop and go for a full bucket.

I am rethinking my finances. For the most part, I have to give up shopping as a hobby. And I shop for a hobby – just for fun. I think everything I buy is terribly important and that’s the issue.  I was restocking the bathroom tissue and noticed I am down to my last eight rolls. Singles – I have no multi-pack left. Actual physical panic arose. I began to make a list of the supplies that are running low when I remembered that I am committed to spending less. If I want to leave my job on the decided date, no matter what, I will have to let go of my compulsion to keep my home stocked to the hilt.

Then while I was resting before work, reading, feeling amazed by the writing and the story, I rolled over and saw a note on my phone.  “Buy me this!” I leave these notes for myself so I can remember to buy things when I get home. Sometimes I find a deal that I don’t have time to purchase at work so I use a piece of colored tape as a cue. I jumped out of bed, went directly to my computer and began working on the order. I edited the cart a few times. As I was ready to pay I remembered that I didn’t need yet another whatcamacallit.  Good grief! I closed the browser, left the room and returned to my book. See, it’s an issue.

This is not about saving. It’s about not spending. I made a healthcare choice outside of my budget and now have to pay for it (credit card). I thought I had a decent handle on my finances and my debt, but with my last bill I see I was living in a bit of delusion. Nothing left to do but crawl out of this hole. I will use the money I am not spending as steps into the light.

Living debt free means I can mange my life on $12K a year. The rest is gravy. Getting there is my goal. The figure means absolutely ZERO DEBT. There will be no minimum payments. I will step up to the plate of delayed gratification, some more. I imagine I can find work to bring in that level of earnings and more. This next journey is toward finding what feeds my soul while maintaining my physical well-being. Until then, I have some feelings to move through – feelings around having enough, managing with what I already have and noticing that more will always come.

Each day, with its new opportunities, brings deeper joy and clear vision toward a purposeful life.