The Christmas Bah-humbugs: Fake It Till You Make It

Christmas, next to my birthday, is my favorite holiday. (You knew my birthday was a national holiday...Right?)

Well, this year, I've lost my jingle.

Don't get me wrong. I've had some true, Big God Blessings this year. I remember making my New Years prayer last year and saying, "Lord, just let me be a mom. If being a mom isn't what you want for me, then take this pain away." And look where I am? The most amazing baby in the world is working SO hard every day to say, "Mommy." (David says it's gas, but WE know the truth, don't we?)

 

But I just can't get in the spirit this year.

We knew grad school was going to be hard on our family, and we knew adoption brought challenges as well. We've weathered at least one devastating blow every year that we have been married, so we knew we'd come out on top. We've lost family members, all our possessions, jobs, and we've lost some naïveté as well. This year, I think we underestimated the stress of prolonged, well, stress and financial strain.

Even with that, I will tell you a secret. The secret of one of the nicest compliments anyone has ever given me, and let me tell you, I think back on it a lot during times like these.

About one week after I started working at Masco Bath, our house burned. We lost two beloved pets and damn near everything we owned. Shortly thereafter, the house was robbed of 95% of the salvageable goods, which ain't saying a lot. One of my new co-workers, Mike, was standing at my desk making small talk, asking me how I was doing. He looked me in the eye and said, "Laura, I don't know how you do it. You're here, and you're still smiling and positive. You have a great attitude."

That really touched me. You know why? Because an attitude is one of the few things you have complete control over. You can 100% choose to have a good attitude, or you can be ambivalent. His compliment meant that I, just me, had successfully wrestled my outward negativitity, which is one step closer to beating your inward negativity.

So why am I telling you this? Do I have some great secret of positivity to bestow?

Kinda.

It's called....Wait for it.... "Fake it until you make it."

That's right. Did I really feel positive when we lost everything? No way. I felt miserable, but have you ever noticed that you can sometimes force yourself into a better mood? Well, you can. Try this experiment: When you're grumpily braving the Christmas crowds at Walmart, smile at AT LEAST ten people.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

 

 

 

 

How'd that feel?

Little better, huh?

So that's what I'm doing. I'm choosing my attitude this Christmas. I'm going to be purposefully jolly. Don't get me wrong now. It's an on-going process, but I'm inviting you to choose with me.

Here's How:

-Say nice things to people. Not just, "Hey, nice Uggs/shorts combo there, Susie." Real affirmations. "Thank you for your sense of humor. I needed it."

-Be kind to yourself. Does making that sixteen story gingerbread house every year make you stressed? Don't. Just don't. What will happen if you choose not to? Will your family hate you? Doubtful. Will YOU be a nicer, less grumpy person? Probable.

-Celebrate in ways that make you happy. Christmas claymation movie marathon, anyone?

-Smile freely and frequently. Not just to the hot dude at the bank. To the homeless man on the corner as well.

-Donate to causes you support. Whether it's a handful of change to Salvation Army bell ringers or a bag of clothes to Goodwill, I guarantee you'll feel lighter. (See what I did there?)

 

 

Merry Christmas, y'all.

 

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DIY: Fixing your purse strap for less than $10!

In my last post, I talked a little about my purse collection and how I acquire most of my bags via eBay. Most them are new, but I also like to score a great deal on gently used bags. Sometimes, all they need is a little TLC.

Today, I'm going to share a super easy tip for repairing the peeling edges of your purse strap.

 

I recently began using this New with Tags purchase from eBay, and I was super bummed to note that the sealant was coming off the strap edge in a couple places after a few days of use.

 

But never fear! Totally easy AND cheap fix.

 

eBay, people, eBay.

I get a lot of questions about where I get my handbags, and I'm going to tell you my dirty little secret.

So get some popcorn! We're about to deplete your slush funds.

My latest find, purchased at less than half the retail value. Courtesy photo: eBay.com

 

I've been collecting handbags for years, and when I say collecting...I mean researching popular styles by designers I like, coveted bags from specific lines, limited edition colors/features... It's just my thing.

Pretty early on in my collection, I realized that it's far more economical to shop online. Though I love buying a bag in a store for instant gratification, I much prefer saving money through coupons or being able to find a pre-loved bag. Consequently, I'd say that over 80% of my collection now has been purchased online at a discount.

Here are my tips for buying on auction sites:

• Don't just search for the obvious. Some of my best bag finds are by searching with a misspelled or generalized search term. For instance, if you're looking for a bag from Coach's Legacy line in Ultraviolet, try searching for: "Coach legacy purple."
• Always, ALWAYS look at the feedback score. If it's not above 99.7, I don't buy without talking to the buyer. Always read the selling feedback.
• If you aren't sure about authenticity, ask for additional photos. If the bag is by a popular designer like Michael Kors, Coach, or Louis Vuitton (especially LV), go to the Purseforum.com for authentication. MK didn't used to be a highly faked line, but it is more and more prevalent now.
• Want a leather Coach bag without a killer price? Search vintage bags such as the City, Willis, or Basic. They can be revived with a little polish, and leather bags that aren't lined can be soaked in a bath of fragrance/dye free soap like Woolite to remove old dirt! A black vintage leather bag from Coach? You can't kill it!
• If you're competing in an auction, use a service like Auction Sniper, which will allow you to set your top bid any time before the auction ends, even days! The bid won't be placed until seconds before the auction ends, giving you a far better chance at winning at a low price. The best auction bidders don't bid until super late in the game. If an auction has days to go before ending and has 23 bids, I'd walk away.

 

What are some of your favorite eBay tips?

 

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