A Paradigm Shift

Have you figured out yet that I have a master's degree in a liberal arts field? I can't help but write like an art historian. One of my favorite things about my adventures in blogging is the ability to just write. To jot my thoughts down and share them with anyone who cares to read them. Also, after a long day at work with too many cooks in the kitchen, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy being my own editor.

Speaking of work and advanced degrees in liberal arts, it took me a few years in my career to make "good" money. I finished graduate school in 2010 with a master's and bachelor's degree in art history. Those were not super helpful degrees to land well paying jobs in what could easily be argued as the height of the recession. At my first job I made $11.50 an hour, and I had a sizeable amount of student loan debt. I wasn't buying Prada or really thinking about where my clothes came from. I barely had enough money to exist in the Boston area.

I got in the habit of running into Target or Forever 21 and picking up a few items every couple months. I felt fine about treating myself to some new things for my wardrobe because the prices were so affordable. I quickly realized that everything literally began falling apart after a couple of months. I got in the habit of putting old clothes into a garbage bag to give to my younger cousins as hand me downs or donate to Goodwill. These items were often so badly damaged that I couldn't even give them away. Putting textiles in the trash doesn't feel good, nor does thinking about the working conditions necessary to make a profit off of a $4 shirt. The more I thought about this situation, the ickier I felt.

Jobs came and went, skills were acquired, connections made, and I worked for two well respected higher education institutions and established myself as a competent and eager fundraiser. This meant I was fortunate enough to make more money, and that I had the luxury, privlege, and responsibility of being more discerning about where and how I spent my money.

The first thing I worked on was cutting down on impulse purchases. I try my hardest to think on every decision to buy a new item. I'm a firm believer in sleeping on it. Even then, I sometimes wait weeks or even months to make sure I really, truly want whatever it is I was lusting after.

Next, I adopted the mantra of quality over quantity. Yes, seven gray t shirts are great, but one really, really, really comfortable and perfect gray t shirt is even better, and often times, the same amount (or less!) money.

Shifting my thinking about consumption of goods is a process. As much as I'd like to be, I'm not a minimalist. I was raised in a family of consumers, and buying things just because you want them is very normal to me.

I took a lot of courses during my second master's degree (in management, much more practical than art history!) about judgment and decision making. Learning about heuristics and biases made me realize how important it is to SLOW DOWN. Out of necessity, our brains make shortcuts for us, and our assumptions can win out over logic. With our tendency to exist on autopilot, it's important to take the time to be mindful.

I try to be thoughful about the things I buy. As my ethics, judgments, and beliefs evolve, so do my shopping habits. Like I said, it's a process.

I'm really glad to have you along for the ride.