I make smoothies every day with a 6-year-old magic bullet from Costco.
OK, it’s my second one in 6 years. A year into buying the first one I overfilled the blender and the juice got into the motor and toasted it, so I returned it for a new one.
Unethical? Maybe a little. But an old drinking buddy of mine once returned a 6 pack of broken wine glasses for store credit so I feel OK about my choice. Costco’s return policy is pretty lax, though they really don’t like having to look up your purchase without a receipt. They will – you just end up with store credit AND attitude.
So I got a new magic bullet and have been blending up a storm pretty consistently for the past year or so. Lot’s of Hawaiian Spirulina, blueberries, and bananas get consumed in liquid form on my watch. It’s not the most graceful process as the device has its limitations.
For instance, I have to cup the spout with my hand to keep the juice from spewing out on occasion. The blender container is nothing close to the size you get with a $500 ninja (I think that’s what the fancy ones are called?) but it does the job for a writer who has passed up writing for clients to go all in on creating my own online self-care offerings (sign up for my newsletter here to stay in the loop on what’s rolling out.)
I have a nice little budget to adhere to these days because of my choice which means that unnecessary stuff, like pricey blenders, isn’t on the docket at present.
But I still make time to look after me because self-care is about doing what you can within time and financial budgets.
I have options. For example, I could go out and buy a new blender and juicer on my line of credit right now. Or, I could keep blending smoothies and straining my celery juice every morning via a $45 magic bullet from Costco because even though it’s not glamorous, it works.
I could say fuck it when I get that creeping desire to try to look like I’m rolling in dollar bills instead of being honest: quitting all your part-time gigs so you can go all in on your dreams comes with a budget. A tight one.
I could keep my eye on the prize via gratitude for the moments when I have to cup the spout of an overzealous blender that can only be pulsed for 6 seconds at a time or the motor will blow because it feels better that way.
Or if I’m really stuck in the “need bigger, better, blender – now” thought process, I can remind myself how silly it is to throw away something that works – that still serves a purpose – all because I don’t look as well off as the 10-year-old in me thinks I need to look right now.
I could stop trying to do things the way everyone else thinks I need to do things.
The idea of doing that sounds like freedom.
I might not have everything tied up in a neat little bow; I might not have things perfectly laid out and organized; I might not have all the things and stuff I’ve always wanted, or be living up to societal and familial standards of success.
But I’m doing what I love and I’m going after my dream.
And I’m helping other people and healing myself in the process.
I don’t need a $500 blender to do that. 😳
xo
A
The thought you put into this decision is great – it’s so easy to just toss and replace. Not only does that burden our landfill sites, but there is some belief that if we have ‘better and bigger’ (or more expensive) things, we’ll somehow elevate our happiness. You’re right, Andrea – you don’t need a $500.00 blender to help other people, your heartfelt writing is already doing that! <3
Pam, Thank you thank you thank you, for your reliably supportive, motivating and insightful responses. I would have responded sooner had my email not put you in the spam folder. WTH right? Anyhow, thanks again. I am grateful. 🙂