It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Routines in life are security blankets that keep us from straying off the path we have set out for ourselves in life. They also help create the right mindset for the activity I happen to be doing: a hike in the hills or a long walk along Mission Creek to clear my mind, an Americano at one of my favourite coffee places to relax, or watching the same series on Netflix to get me in the mood to workout. What is comfortable can be boring, however, and every now and then, I feel the urge to do something different.
Seeking out change can happen in many ways, but generally I find changes that are comparable to my previous favourite things (same general feeling, same price range, same scents.) This past year, I have been pushing the boundaries of what I find comfortable to find what excites me again. That process of discovery has happened in a few areas of my life, most of which I have talked about before. The path of mindfulness is something I have spent a lot of words writing about and sharing countless articles on social media. Pushing myself fitness-wise is something I have touched on a bit, but is a topic that is everywhere these days. In short, I feel much better, can do much more than before, and the clothes are starting to feel looser.
The one area I have hinted at, but have not fully delved into, is upgrading my daily life. That is a broad category, and I have certainly been making changes in all aspects of my life in this regard. It hasn’t always been easy to explore different products to use, especially with skincare, because I am never quite sure what effect the lotions may have on my skin. This journey has been going on for a few years now, slowly, but is building up steam now to upgrade a lot of different areas in quick succession.
Like most morning routines in the world, the first change was coffee. This is something I have written quite a bit about. I first subscribed to Tonx Coffee back in late 2012, and have been going strong with them even when they switched to Blue Bottle Coffee. It’s helped me discover a true love for good coffee, which also meant discovering that a lot of the coffee I considered to be good, was crap.
Next was my shaving routine. Gone were the expensive blades and products, replaced with Harrys, a high quality subscription shaving service for men. I can’t say enough good things about the company. The blades are affordable, the shaving cream feels nice, and their aftershave balms are quite soothing to the skin. The scents are mild and not overwhelming too.
The other most obvious area to change was my wardrobe. I started the process of cleaning out items I rarely wore or that were too faded to be appreciated. Instead of going through the thrift stores to find decent items cheaply, I started browsing the retail stores to find things that were on sale and slowly build up the collection. New jeans, new long-sleeve shirts, new workout gear, etc. After wearing the same spring/fall jacket for over ten years, I decided to finally upgrade to this Bench jacket. Between the small weight loss and finding new clothes, picking out clothes to wear each day has been a much more enjoyable experience.
Purchasing the jacket happened at the same time I was developing my thoughts on money. I began to feel different when looking at things that I normally wouldn’t purchase, and decided to just go for it instead of debating the purchase. After discovering Bespoke Post*, the subscription service for men, these upgrades became easier to make. The first one was a new canvas bag for my MacBook (after using the old one for nearly ten years). Next were my new lambskin gloves for frosty weather, a new dopp kit with new bathroom toiletries, and, finally new Turkish cotton bath towels.
The final process I have been going through recently is exploring whiskey. This is a bit slower, a little more enjoyable, and far easier to explore thanks to the new whiskey tumblers with ice ball makers I received for Christmas. I have been exploring the distilleries to see what kind of flavours I enjoy. George Dickel, Jack Daniels, and Alberta Premium are the ones I have tasted in the past few months. The latest one to come into my possession is After Dark, a gluten-free whiskey from India. It’s quite delicious and strongly recommended.
After going through this process, I’m discovering a joy in finding and purchasing something new. I live a rather simple life and have few possessions I hold a lot of value for, but that is changing now. The items I’m finding hold their value in the little surprises they share with me. New scents, new tastes, new ways to organize and shape my life. Items that keep on giving.
The toughest part in all this has been letting go of the monetary value of the objects and focusing on the inherit value they hold. These little surprises and the joy I find mean more to me than the dollars spent. It’s a message that I find myself repeating every time I question whether I need to make a purchase now.
The key to upgrading my life has been that mantra: I have permission to spend, because the enjoyment will outlast the money spent.
If you are interested in learning more, I wrote a more extensive review of Bespoke Post.
