Being in the deep freeze of winter here in my neck of the woods means home is the best place to be.

And, being home a lot usually means frugality is winning.

Lots of cooking and making at home, hunkering down with exercise, and chipping away at my art practice…this is how I have been spending my time. 

And of course, the No-Buy Zone of my year continues all the way up to June.

Having one less distraction in life- of being tempted by shiny objects all around me- is giving me mental space to think what I truly want out of my year…and maybe my life?

Where should I focus on my art and business, and how to make time to go deeper- these questions are on top of my head.

Navigating the parenthood of the teenage years of my son with grace and love- that too is front and center. 

Coming out with love and respect through the thick of life with my husband…so we get to spend our sunset years together in peace and love- that is always a work in progress.

And always, good health and nutrition are the stuff of life for me.

With all these bigger things to think about, I am not sure shopping and spending money for short time rewards has any space on my agenda of life. 

Having convinced myself that I do not need to buy anything for myself that is not of utmost importance, seeing the big picture and long term goals is certainly clearer. The clear image of what I want my life to look like as I get older helps me design my life of today. And that involves a whole lot less stuff, more experiences, more family and friends time, more creativity, more calm and self-connection, good health, and lots of reading 🙂 

No spending zone does not apply to planning experiences- traveling, shows, museums, hikes. It only applies to personal physical stuff that I can easily buy on a whim when I don’t have the brakes applied with intention.

Because, I still want a rich life. A life lived through enjoying arts and culture. A life lived with connection to nature, and my community. 

A life well-lived, in other words.

And frugality is certainly helping me get there- both with mental space to think about things, and by saving me money in some areas, so I can live more expansively in areas that truly matter to me.

And for all of these gifts of thinking about life and saving me some moolah, I am thankful to winter…