Saving with Style

[#1]

If you’re a mom, you know exactly what I’m talking about. All day every day we run around, always doing for everyone else. But the older I get, the more I’m realizing that I need to take a step back and just breath every once in a while.

Sometimes, that means locking myself in the bathroom for an hour with a good book and a cheap bottle of wine. Other times, it means blatantly ignoring everyone, and focusing entirely on knitting. When I’m really lucky, I’ll escape to the basement to my “workroom,” where my sewing machine and all my happy crafting stuff is; I’ll create for hours before anyone even finds me.

The point is this. You deserve to treat yourself. If you don’t keep yourself happy, it will show in the way you do everything else; from working to home to spouse to kids.

And, if you partner gives you grief, tell them it’s either a few hours of you time every week for free, or $300 a week in therapy. I’m guessing that they’ll choose the free option, but if they tell you to go to therapy, pocket the cash and go to a spa instead.

Easy ways to treat yourself.

Find a new author you love. Maybe it’s Oprah’s pick, maybe it’s not. But a good book that you’re enthralled with let’s your mind escape for a few hours. Read something serious one month, read something sleazy and easy the next.

Give yourself the gift of a magazine subscription. My husband often says that magazines are the perfect answer for those who like to read, but are short on time. With articles that are much shorter, you can get through an entire story over one cup of tea.

Send yourself flowers. Okay, I know this sounds completely cheesy, but really think about it. You pick what you love and have it delivered to your door. Plus, as an added bonus, when your partner sees them he’s going to ask where you got them. When you tell him that you sent them to yourself, he’ll never let it happen again - guaranteed.

Write a friend a letter. Remember the days before technology took over the world? I used to love nothing more than getting a letter from a friend. In fact, at one point, I had pen pals in 5 different countries (um, yeah, I was a little bit nerdy); but I loved getting a little handwritten note. Today, we’re so wrapped up in social networking, email, and text messages, that the art of composing a simple letter has been lost. So buy some fabulous stationary (or get crafty and make your own) and write that letter. You’ll be surprised at how much you have to say, and how relaxed you are when it’s finished.

I know these aren’t “style related,” but I am a firm believer that a relaxed and refreshed you, means a more radiant and confident you. And whether you know it or not, 95% of being stylish is how you carry yourself.