• Adulting - Affirmations - budgeting - Frugality - Thoughts on Life

    Spending as Self-Respect: Choosing Time Over Temporary Highs

    May 30, 2025 - By 

    Every time we swipe a card or click “Buy Now,” we’re not just exchanging money—we’re spending life hours. And life hours are sacred. They’re our one-way ticket, slowly being used up, breath by breath. Money can be replenished. That’s its charm. You lose some, you earn more. But the hours you spent earning that money? You don’t get those back. They’re gone. That was your time, your energy, your aging knees, your missed lunch breaks, your slowly fraying nerves. So the next time a sale banner screams 50% off, take a breath. Ask yourself: Do I want to trade a…

  • Adulting - Affirmations - budgeting - Frugality - Thoughts on Life

    I Gave Up Retail Therapy—And Gained Something Better

    May 27, 2025 - By 

    For years, I thought buying things was the same as self-care. A new bag after a hard week. Designer shoes because “I deserved them.” But beneath the glossy shopping bags and momentary highs, there was something else: stress. Credit card guilt. A creeping sense that I was working just to keep up with people whose lives weren’t even mine to live. Then one day, while standing in front of a mirror holding yet another “must-have” handbag, I asked myself: Who am I trying to impress? That single question unraveled a lot. What I learned was simple but not easy: being…

  • budgeting - Frugality - Thoughts on Life

    The True Cost of $20 Shirt: Spending with Your Life, Not Just Your Wallet

    May 23, 2025 - By 

    Money comes and goes. That’s what it does best. But time? Time only goes. It doesn’t loop back. It doesn’t restock. When you lose time, it’s gone. We often talk about prices as if they’re just numbers—$20 for a shirt, $4.99 for a latte, $250 for a new phone. But what if we asked a better question: how many hours of my life did this cost me? Let’s say you earn $25 an hour. That shirt didn’t just cost you $20. It cost you nearly an hour of your life. Not your money—your energy, your presence, your stress, your one…

  • Diva Mindset - Empathy - Reflection - Thoughts on Life

    Exploring Personal Growth Through Dances with Wolves: A Reflection on Empathy, Identity, and Cultural Understanding

    May 6, 2025 - By 

    In the 1990 film Dances with Wolves, adapted from Michael Blake’s novel, Lieutenant John Dunbar embarks on a transformative journey from a disillusioned soldier to a member of the Lakota Sioux tribe. His story isn’t just a tale of survival or adventure; it is an exploration of personal growth, empathy, and the complexities of identity—important lessons for anyone looking to understand their own path toward self-awareness and connection with others. The Power of Empathy: Understanding Beyond the Surface Dunbar’s initial experience with the Sioux tribe is rooted in misunderstanding and fear. The clash of cultures between him, a soldier of…