You think it’s time to put some of your items Out to Pasture, but you’re just not sure, you’re hesitating. Let me first say it is so normal that you’re struggling! Think about it, Out to Pasture items usually falls into 2 categories:

1. They used to be your go-to, your favourite, your old faithful, but they’ve been overworked. They are tattered, faded, and showing their age. 
2. They were never used. Either you bought them for your aspirational self or they were a mistake from the beginning. 

Both of these categories have emotions attached. You either have LOTS of memories with this item OR you realize your life is different in reality than in your imagination. This is when it’s helpful to come back to the goal: we want to be in love with all the items in our closet. Let’s get rid of the ho-hum items so we can focus on the YES items. 

Out to Pasture items are cluttering up your space, distracting from your workhorses and show ponies, and overwhelming your decision-making. Without further ado, below I share some strategies for getting off the fence and onto making clear decisions about these items.

The Victory Lap

This method is to help you use and celebrate and enjoy this item one more time. Think of it as when you know you’re going to break up with someone so you savour one last date or the last drink before ending the night. It’s bittersweet, but it helps. The point of this is to consciously enjoy this item one last time. Perhaps you wear the outfit one last time and cook one last meal. This strategy comes with a warning because it can be dangerous, you can convince yourself you love the item and cannot possibly part with it. I like to think of it as a final way to honour the item. Take it on one last victory lap and then put it in the declutter bin. 

Time Will Tell Bin

I had been using this strategy for years, but Dawn, from the Minimal Mom has such a great name for it that I borrowed it. If I start to notice that I’m not reaching for an item, but I may not be ready to say goodbye, I put it in my Time Will Tell Bin. Here comes the beauty of the Time Will Tell Bin, it serves 2 purposes:

1. It gives me separation from this item so I am not as attached when I go to declutter. I find a little space from this item helps to create clarity and decreases my attachment to it.
2. It gives me confidence that I can go without this item. 

I regularly go through my Time Will Tell Bin at least every 3 months, and it’s amazing how much more confident and detached I am when I declutter. 

Force yourself to wear it

If you want to keep it, you have to wear it. I’m serious, set an intention of when you’re going to wear it and don’t let yourself talk yourself out of it. If you can’t wear it in the next 2 weeks, why are you keeping it? Often when we wear an item we realize why we don’t reach for it. It pulls, it’s uncomfortable, it’s not our style. Wear it, learn from it, then make a decision. This strategy is great when you’re starting to have doubts that you should keep the item.

After you’ve done these strategies, if you’re still struggling try asking yourself some helpful decluttering questions. 

Do you have any strategies to make decluttering easier? What has worked for you in the past?

Biking is my main mode of transport and I love it. I call it a joy and it has taught me many lessons. Today I want to share about my choice to sell my car and commit to biking. Now, before I do, here is my warning: the choice of going car-free is not for everyone. I live in an urban setting with great transit and bike lanes. I used to live in the suburbs, and being car-free would never have been possible. Without further ado: My choice to go car-free!

In 2019 I realized my car was costing me way too much money each month. At this point, I was living in a city and already in the habit of biking to work when the thought of selling my car crossed my mind.  I decided to give myself a trial run. To do this, I took the insurance off my car for 3 months and parked it.  I chose to do this in the summer – this was not a trial in suffering, I wanted to see if I could get around via bike and transit only.

After 3 months I didn’t miss my car at all and actually, my life felt better because of it.  When my husband and I got together he didn’t have a car either and we both found the lifestyle fit us really well. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way:

PROS of not having a car

🚴‍♀️I save money

🚴‍♀️I never have to worry about parking and always park right in front of the store (heck yeah bike racks)!

🚴‍♀️I don’t feel rushed – for some reason when I drove I always cut it close. Now, with transit and biking, I build in lots of margin.

🚌 More time to read and listen to podcasts – I get so much reading done while taking transit, it’s a fantastic way to build reading into my everyday life.

🚴‍♀️It simplified my life. Now, when I think of going across town to go shopping I think twice. Not having the convenience of a car has simplified where I go and what I do. All of my necessities are in my neighbourhood, if it’s not nearby, there’s a good chance I don’t build it into my routine.

🚴‍♀️My stress is so much less! At the end of a work day, when I dismount my bike I feel more relaxed than I ever did driving home

🚌I never have to worry about drinking and driving – seriously, whenever my husband and I go out for dinner we transit home. It’s so nice to never have to think about it.

🚴‍♀️I am more active- I’m generally way more active by not having a car. Even just walking to the bus stop really adds up. 

🚴‍♀️ I experience the weather – there is something about biking and taking transit that gets you in touch with the weather. When someone says ‘it’s been a dry Fall.’ I know exactly what they mean, I know exactly how many times I have put on my rain gear. I get to daily interact with the outside world, leaves changing, and changes in my neighbourhood, I notice it all and feel way more connected.

CONS of not having a car:

🚗 It’s hard to get out of town for an adventure – my husband and I enjoy hiking and it’s hard to get out of town. I often tag along with friends but realize this is very limited by not having a car.

🚗 Weekend trips don’t happen – we have to be way more planned if we want to go away. We borrow a family member’s car or book the bus. We are still able to get away but it takes much more planning.

🚗Seeing far-off friends is challenging – I have friends who live a one-hour drive outside of my city and it definitely means I see them less. We try and meet in the middle, but I won’t lie in saying it doesn’t affect who I see.

Some questions that came up:

Do you bike all year round?

Yes, I bike all year round. I live in Vancouver which has more rain than snow. I started to bike to work when I was a nurse, due to the early and inflexible start time I found biking the most convenient. I have since switched to hospital administration and still bike most days. The best part is I know exactly how long it will take me to get to work. There is never traffic, parking issues or transit delays.

Is Vancouver hilly?

Yes I bike hills both ways to work. I am lucky to have bike lanes and it is a very bike friendly city.

Do you take transit/rent a car?

I have a bus pass and use Evo, a car share network in my city. Again, this is not a trial in suffering, I enjoy taking transit, but when in a pinch or late at night I take an Evo. Overall with all these different methods I save SO much money.

If you want to try living without a car here are my recommendations:

• Trial it, take the insurance off your car and see what happens.

• Be prepared. I invested in rain gear, bike lights, and paniers. Even when I’m taking the bus I dress for the weather. Good walking shoes and an umbrella are almost always indicated.

• Take note of how your life improves
• Wear your best. I’m always surprised by how easy it is to wear my second-best workout gear

How do you get around? Have you ever thought of selling your car or changing how you get around?

Out to Pasture items are not always obvious. These are the items you no longer reach for and you have an inkling, little voice in your head saying ‘why do I have this if I never seem to reach for it?’ Out to Pasture items usually fall into 2 categories:

1. They were a workhorse and you’ve worn them out. You no longer reach for them because they’re worn out, tired, or ruined in some way. Often these items need to go to the garbage, be made into rags, or be demoted.
2. They were show ponies that did not work. Whatever the reason you never could overcome it to use it and enjoy it. It’s time to give them to a home that will. These items can often be donated, sold, or given to a friend.

However, whenever you go to declutter these items our brain gives us all the reasons we could use them or all the possible events we may need them for.

Today I am giving you new questions to ask when you are decluttering

How long have I had this and how long do I expect to have this? 

Think of when you bought it, seriously, figure out the month and the year you first got the item. Do the math, how long have you owned it? Now ask yourself, ‘what would be a reasonable amount of time to have this item?’ 

I have a sweater from nursing school and realized it had become a tired workhorse. When I thought about decluttering it I thought ‘I can’t get rid of that, it’s from nursing school, it’s sentimental!’ Then I realized I had had that sweater for 8 years, I had loved it for 8 years, and I had worn it for 8 years. I have gotten lots of use out of this sweater. 

Then I thought If I didn’t declutter it now when would be a reasonable time to declutter it?  Do I expect to have it for 8 more years?  I realized there is no right, perfect, or good time to declutter it, I simply get to make the choice. 8 years was long enough, I have loved this sweater. It’s OK to let it go. Realizing how long I have had an item and that there’s no reasonable time to get rid of it, helps me with the process. 

What else have I bought in this category since this item?

I find this question really helpful! Often when we hold up an item and think about getting rid of it we remember how we felt when we first bought it. That euphoric, joyful feeling comes over us and we think ‘I can’t possibly get rid of this!’ Even if you haven’t reached for it in over a year. Instead, when I ask ‘what other items have I bought in this category since?’ This helps me recognize that I have new workhorses and that maybe I don’t need these items as much as I once did. 

Back to my nursing sweater, it was my go-to sweater for a long time, the one I reached for walks, campfires, and chill nights on the couch. Now, I have a ¼ zip pullover that I adore! I wear it all the time, it’s my go-to! I have a new workhorse that I love and it has replaced the nursing sweater. If I only focused on the sweater at hand I would never realize I have something that I love even more.

Would someone else love it more? Could this be someone else’s workhorse?

These questions are gold when you are decluttering a show pony! Sure, it’s beautiful and precious and lovely, however, are you loving it and using it to its full potential? If you gave it away would someone actually use it and enjoy it? I often think about when I find a gem at the thrift store that immediately becomes a workhorse. Remember, your Out to Pasture could be someone’s workhorse!

Is it an absolute yes? If not, it’s a no

This question serves me well both when decluttering and shopping. I am filling my closet with workhorses and hell yeses! If it’s a meh, maybe, or OK, it doesn’t belong in my closet. When your brain starts to argue about all the ways it’s OK, or alright, remind yourself – if it’s not an absolute yes, it’s a noooooo.

What’s the problem?

Asking this question can solve the dilemma of why you aren’t reaching for this item. Does it pull? Do you hate the material? Is it hard to get on? Do you need to figure out how to wash it?

If you know the solution, do it!

If you can’t fix it, make a note. I have learned SO much from the items I have decluttered so that I don’t make that same mistake again.

I won’t give you a certain number of items you should have in your closet, that’s up to you. For me, I want to wear my favourite items all the time. I want to feel good in all my clothes and honour them by wearing them. To do this, I have a smaller selection so I can wear more of my favourites more often. This works for me. My goal in removing items that no longer serve me is to focus more on the items I love. I want to remove distractions and wear my workhorses.

What questions do you find helpful to ask while decluttering? What items in your closet need to be moved Out to Pasture?

Why do we buy items we never end up using? Perhaps you bought it for a life that hasn’t become a reality. Perhaps you bought it and thought you’d love it, only to be disappointed. Perhaps you bought it thinking it would motivate you to lose weight, make more money, or ask for more from life. Sadly, more often than not, these items do not follow through, someday when never comes, and we are left disappointed, and dripping with guilt and shame. When we buy items, we are often purchasing a promise. Today I want to talk about the final entry of the Show Pony Summer Series (it’s October after all, time to wrap it up) #14, Leave Guilt and Shame in the Closet.

One of the big things that can hold us back from using our special items is the guilt we feel over them. I can’t reverse your decision to buy it, but I can give you permission to use it. You have two choices, start using your item or get rid of it. Yup, it’s really true.

Sure, you can hold onto your item, hoping that someday you will have the kind of life where you host immaculate dinner parties with flowing champagne, or you can start drinking your orange juice out of the champagne flute. 

I wish I could give you the kind of job where you floated around in a power blazer or swirly dresses. Your job isn’t changing tomorrow, but your choice to start wearing those blazers for school pickup can.

I wish you had immaculate penmanship and incredible ideas to fill your beautiful journals with swirling calligraphy. Or, you can start using those beautiful journals for lists, to-dos, and random thoughts. 

We ruminate on previous decisions, criticizing ourselves in our heads and using these items as measuring sticks for all the ways we’re not enough. Guilt and shame over past decisions and disappointment in ourselves does no good in helping us use our things.  I can promise that what does work is making an intention to use your stuff, and shifting your mindset away from scarcity ‘will I have enough?’ to abundance ‘I have everything I need.’

I know it’s made a massive difference in my life to use everything I own and see myself as worthy and enough to do so. Join me in the place of permission to use and enjoy your stuff, guilt and shame are not invited here. 

Do you struggle with negative thoughts about previous decisions? What will it take for you to give yourself permission to use your stuff?

What is the biggest thing holding us back from using our stuff?
It’s not what other people will think
It’s not your bank account and worrying you can’t replace it
It’s not overwhelm at the number of choices

It’s your thoughts. 

I know, it sounds too simple, but I’ll try my best to show you. Picture your special item (fancy dress, heels, bag, champagne, fabric, good china, candle). Now, picture waking up tomorrow and using it. Seriously, go through the scene in your head. 

Now, hear that soundtrack? Those are your thoughts, questioning your decision. I don’t have to read your mind to know what they sound like:

Really? Today?
Who do you think you are?
For a random Tuesday?
What if you ruin it?
What if you spill?
What will people think?
Psht if you use this now you’ll have no motivation to __________ (lose the weight, make partner, raise good kids, save money).

If this scene sounds familiar then you need Show Pony Summer Series #13 Talk Back to Your Brain.

Boy, are these thoughts convincing, constant, and critical! But, we’re stuck with them! So, if you can’t live without them, you need to learn how to work with them. Now, it’s very tempting to get really loud and tell them to all shut up, but sadly, they don’t go away when you yell at them, instead they come up later, all sneaky and ‘I told you so.’ The secret to quieting them down is compassion. It’s not sexy, or mighty, but it works. 

When you hear: Who do you think you are?
You respond: 
Thank you for trying to protect me, I have this beautiful blazer hanging in my closet and I thought I’d wear it, not because I think I’m a boss lady, but because I think clothes are worth wearing.
Crickets!

When you hear: The good china? What if you crack it! What if it breaks! This is against the rules!
You respond:
Thank you for warning me about the preciousness of this china, but I believe my items are meant to be used. Just because I’m using it tonight and not saving it for Christmas dinner doesn’t mean I’m being reckless. I want to enjoy these dishes and using them is part of that. 

Now, if talking back to your thoughts seems awkward or lame, a good warm-up is a mantra. These can be a quick and practiced way to respond when you hear your critical voices starting up, simply insert your mantra. You can borrow some from me if you can’t think of your own.

Don’t let your candle melt in the closet – this is a reminder of what can happen when we save things for someday when

Nothing is precious – this is a good reminder that items aren’t precious, people are.

Spend out – this is borrowed from author, Gretchen Rubin and is her call to action for herself to not save things, but use them.

I’m enjoying my life as I live it – this is a reminder that we’re not saving things for someday, we are using things now.

Do you have a mantra? How do you talk back to the negative and critical voices that try and convince you not to use your stuff? 

We save our items for ‘someday when’ but have you ever stopped to ask ‘what exactly is the perfect scenario in my mind when I can use this item?’ Today we will be examining those perfect scenarios and rules we have made up in our mind for Show Pony Summer Series Method #12 Examine the Rules

I’ll give you an example of my own. I have a pair of crepe pants that I had made all sorts of rules for. These pants were for a day at the office, no possibility of spills and had to be worn in a formal scenario. Then, I ran into my coworker at the grocery store with her toddler, on the way to a picnic.  She was wearing none other than the same crepe pants that I have. 

What?! This wasn’t allowed! She was going to go sit on grass, with a toddler, in the fancy pants! This is when I realized the rules I had made up about these pants were all just that, made up. These pants didn’t deserve an office, they deserve to be worn and enjoyed! 

Let’s say it’s your quilting project. You have quilting supplies bursting to be used, but you’re waiting for a grand baby on the way, when you have an entire weekend free when you have decided on the perfect pattern, when you’re an expert quilter. 

Examine the rules: Sorry, when is this scenario happening? When was the last time you had an entire weekend free? Are you anywhere close to being a grandparent? How much time are you spending practicing those skills instead of fawning over your beautiful material? Instead of waiting to use ALL your quilting supplies on a huge project why not start something small? Instead of waiting for the perfect pattern, could you try a pattern to see what you like and don’t like? (Insert watercolours, knitting, crochet, calligraphy supplies, camera, any arts/crafts supplies you are waiting for the perfect scenario to use).

How about that fancy bottle of champagne you received as a gift 2 Christmases ago? You’ve decided you will drink it when you get the promotion, or when you host a fancy dinner party, or when you get engaged. 

Examine the rules: What if you didn’t wait for the perfect occasion, but chose an occasion and made it perfect by drinking the champagne? You don’t need fancy glasses or a fancy occasion, all you need is something to celebrate. Your girlfriends coming over this weekend is reason enough!

Alright, what about that fancy loose-leaf tea you never seem to drink? What scenario has your brain painted for when it would be appropriate? It’s 5 pm, the sun is setting and it’s golden hour, Christmas music is playing from the speakers, snow is lightly falling, the fire is crackling, ahhh, you think, the perfect time to sink into my novel with a delicious cup of tea.

Examine the rules: I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but this perfect scene isn’t coming. If you wait for the perfect time to drink your tea, you never will.

It’s been a crazy day, the kids were screaming, the emails wouldn’t stop coming, you have stepped on a lego for the third time today. By some miracle the kids are in front of Cocomelon and you have 20 minutes of silence. You think ‘I could have a nice cup of tea’ and this is quickly followed by ‘what?! On this random Tuesday afternoon when I haven’t showered in 3 days and I smell like spit up? Uhuh, that is for when my life is calm, relaxed, under control.’

What you are saying to yourself is ‘you’re not worthy of that nice cup of tea until your life on the outside matches the Christmas miracle in your mind.’ Thinking this way feels like crap! Your worthiness is not up for debate and it’s definitely worth more than a cup of nice tea. That tea is not better than you. What if instead, you thought ‘mmmm a cup of special tea is exactly what I need, to remember I’m doing my best, sometimes it’s messy, but the taste of that cream of earl grey will remind me it will all be OK.’

Can we change the goal from perfection to enjoyment? Can you use your things to celebrate, enjoy, and relax in the life you have right now? When you examine the rules you realize they were never rules after all.

What rules do you have for your stuff?

Somehow it’s September and with it comes a fresh start! Author Gretchen Rubin says ‘September is the other January—a clean slate, a fresh start, a chance to use new pencils, fresh notebooks, and begin again.” 

So much of what holds us back from using our stuff is the thought ‘I will use it someday when.’ A fresh start gives you a cue that this is the best time to start. A fresh start ushers in novelty, you’re already embracing something new, so why not tack on something you’ve been wanting to use or start, with it? 

I love anything that can be called a fresh start and I believe seeing something as a fresh start can be a great way to jump start using your things. This September I’m ushering in Show Pony Summer Series Method # 11 Fresh Start.  

Now, September can often mean back to school, back to routine, or trying new habits, but there can be other reasons for a fresh start. 

• A change in personal relationships such as marriage, divorce, a new baby, a new puppy, a break-up, a new friend, a death. 
• A change in surroundings, such as a new apartment, a new city, perhaps rearranged furniture or a recently decluttered space.
• Or perhaps it’s a new life change including a new job, a new school, a new routine, a new club, a new habit, or an upcoming trip.

Whatever the change in your life, if you view it as a fresh start it can be a great excuse to wear and use your things. 

For instance, this summer I started a new office job and before my first day, I decided I wanted to be someone who wears dresses at this job. To make this happen, I made sure I wore a dress in my first week. After wearing a dress the first time and realizing they worked well, it became a regular staple in my work attire. 

The reason I am emphasizing the fresh start is that I know what it looks like to miss this opportunity. You see, I had a previous office job, but I didn’t start wearing dresses at the beginning. This meant that when I decided to mix things up and wear dresses I received comments and attention for it. I didn’t like the attention and therefore would avoid my dresses and continued wearing my regular outfits. I had missed the opportunity of the fresh start!

This method is great if you are someone who doesn’t like to draw attention to yourself and often worries ‘what will people think?’ When you change what you wear with a fresh start you avoid this, you see, this new office space doesn’t know who I am, they don’t know that Gill doesn’t usually wear dresses. When I show up in a dress in the first week they believe this is just who I am. 

Now, for me it was dresses, I really wanted to use this fresh start to wear my dresses more regularly.

• Perhaps you’re really good at wearing your clothes, but you struggle with makeup, fancy beauty products, self-care, and lighting candles. This method can be adjusted for all of these. 
• Perhaps you have a new apartment and want to make baths a part of your routine. What if you started taking baths once a week? Put it on your calendar, put out the fuzzy robe and pulled out the bubble bath?
• Perhaps you’re starting school and want to use all of your special pens, pencils and stationery. You bring them on the first day, write on the first page, and open the package.
• Perhaps you have a new baby and want to make lighting a candle a part of feeding or nap time. You put out the candle, make sure you have matches nearby and breathe in the smell of your new routine.
• Perhaps you start a new series on Netflix and decide to always wear your super cozy, super soft PJs?

The fresh start does not have to be monumental, it is just a way to tell yourself ‘we’re doing things differently now, this is new territory with new rules and routines.’

How can you use a fresh start as a way to use your stuff?

When I started using my good stuff I started with a category that felt both manageable and held a lot of special items: my jewelry. Instead of trying to wear all the good stuff, I decided to only focus on prioritizing and actually wearing all of my jewelry. I would love to tell you that all you have to do is decide to use your stuff and tomorrow you can throw open your closet and wear it all. What I have found is that it takes intentional, small steps, to learn how to use your stuff. This brings me to Show Pony Summer Series Method # 10 Start Small. 

One day I realized I had lots of show ponies hiding in my jewelry box. I looked at my bursting jewelry box and decided I would start wearing it. When I went to get dressed, I didn’t know where to begin. Earrings? Necklace? Bracelets? It was overwhelming! Then I remembered, start small.

I decided I would start with just earrings and I made the commitment to wear earrings every day. So, the next day I put on my smallest pair of stud earrings. Sure, I still wasn’t wearing ALL of my jewelry, but the journey had begun. I got comfortable wearing my stud earrings and got in the habit of feeling like an outfit wasn’t complete until I was wearing earrings. After that habit was cemented I started to experiment with my dangly earrings, and after practicing with them I became more confident to wear my bold earrings. 

Once I had my earrings on lock I started the process over with my necklaces. I wore my simplest, most dainty necklaces, the ones I was confident how to pair. Once those became second nature, I moved on to the bolder ones, the ones I usually only pulled out for special occasions or to wear with dresses. Finally, I started wearing statement necklaces, playing around with necklines and really enjoying myself.

After doing the same with earrings and necklaces, incorporating bracelets felt easy. Immediately I could play around with multiple colours, wearing multiple at once, and being more daring. By starting small I had given myself time to get used to being someone who wears jewelry, the time to mix, match, and play. If I had started off day one wearing earrings, a necklace and bracelets and choosing my boldest ones I would have felt uncomfortable and not continued. Starting small allowed me to slowly get used to:

• Being someone who wears jewelry
• Pairing jewelry with my outfit
• Having the confidence to wear the bold, statement pieces
• To break ‘the rules’ by mixing and matching metals.

You may be thinking ‘come on Gill, you’re making this seem like such a big process, I’m just going to throw on a necklace and wear it out of the house.’

If that works for you, go for it! What we don’t realize is that by choosing to use and wear our stuff we are fighting some long-held beliefs. Beliefs that ‘later is better,’ that we aren’t allowed to wear our good stuff, fears that we will wreck it, or thoughts of ‘what will people think?’

When those doubts rise up, whisper to yourself ‘start small.’ It’s still a rebellion if you wear just 1 thing you don’t normally wear.

How can you start small tomorrow? 

It has been a WEEK! Within 24 hours:

• My second niece was born (YAY)
• My Dad fell while rollerblading and needed surgery (NAY)
• My husband successfully defended his Ph.D. (YAY)
• My sister moved to Montreal (NAY)
• My backpacking trip was cancelled to stay close to home (NAY)

Babies, bones, doctors and departures

Not to be a downer, but with great happiness and joy comes sorrow and loss. Celebration and crisis. Freedom and failure. Death and delight. I went from popping champagne on the back porch, to the trauma bay of the emergency department. I went from waving goodbye to a sister to waving hello to a niece.

Under normal circumstances, life does not offer this juxtaposition. Normally life hides celebration from crisis and death from delight. Author Susan David likes to say ‘Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.’ 

It’s a cliche. Life isn’t guaranteed. Things can change in an instant. This is both a warning and a promise. With this information, people behave in different ways.

• Book the flight
• Open the savings account
• Buy the sports car
• Buy the insurance
• Take a leap of faith
• Look both ways

Do you pull back or go all in?

My nature is to pull back. I love a plan, I love a guarantee, I love safety. But I know that holding back the bad also holds back the good. So I practice. I practice by going all in, in the little moments.

• I buy the real champagne for the celebration
• I say I love you often
• I get dressed up to go to the hospital
• I use the good soap just because
• I wear something as soon as I buy it
• I get to the bottom of the bottle
• I love my people
• I write down what I’m grateful for
• I know nothing is guaranteed

This week was a reality check. It was a check-in, am I living my life the way I want to be living it? 

I think so. My takeaway is that nothing can protect you from accidents, surprises, and changes in plans. However, when things are normal, when things are going well, you can lean in fully. That’s what I’m practicing, leaning in for the little things.

Sometimes just picking what you want to use can be the hardest part. You look at all the items you never give yourself permission to use and get overwhelmed. 

• Too many hair products
• Exploding jewellery box
• Blazers galore

To combat the overwhelm of choosing where to start I bring you Show Pony Summer Series Method #9 Let someone else choose. This method is easy, have someone else pick which show pony for you to use or wear. Kids, a spouse, a partner, a virtual friend. Hold up the items or category you want to focus on and let them choose. Alone? Do a round of eenie, meenie, miny, mo and put on or use whatever you land on. Don’t let overwhelm or analysis paralysis stop you from getting started. 

I had 3 summer dresses I hadn’t worn in a long time and decided to put on a dress. I really wanted to wear my white embroidered dress but was talking myself out of it, so I enlisted the help of my husband. I held up the three dresses and without skipping a beat he said ‘the embroidered one.’ Just like that he gave me permission to wear the one I wanted to wear most and wouldn’t give myself permission to do so. It really is that easy!

If you can’t decide, don’t. Have someone else do it for you, or close your eyes and point. The practice is in using your things, not choosing the right thing to start using. There is no right answer, but having a method or another person choose can make it all easier.

How do you choose what to start using? What’s your method?