Dear Girlfriends,

I used to carry an industrial-size tote bag. It was good for holding everything I might need on a given day--and the next two weeks, as well! The problem was that everything I needed for the day seem to sift to the bottom and get lost in a pool of pens, breath mints--I swear those things reproduce on their own--and paper clips! To compound the problem, when I carried my big bag I got this terrible knot in my right shoulder. So, I decided less is more and started buying only small bags.

But last week, my pocketbook (as my grandmother would call it) felt like it was packing a brick! I thought what in the world can possibly be in this tiny purse to make it so heavy? After digging around, I found not one, not two, but FIVE tubes of lipstick, $16.32 in change and enough "reward" cards to feed the city of Dallas. How did I manage to let this stuff creep into my precious little accessory? I carefully unloaded the excess I didn't need for that day and my handbag was once again, light as a feather as I slung it over my shoulder and bounced out the door . . . looking rather chic, I must say.

I've decided that life is a lot like my handbag. We don't always collect all the distractions, stress, and schedules intentionally. But we allow them to creep in. And it's this stuff that often gives us a knot in our right shoulder or a splitting headache. Things like crazy, ridiculous schedules. Family and friends with dependency problems or other "issues". Or sometimes it is our inability to take control and set our own boundaries that makes our lives feel like a 70 pound ball and chain.

Let's explore how to unburden that handbag and carry only those things we need for today.

Carrying a snappy little clutch,
Ellen

Posted by Ellen on January 2, 2007 1:40 PM  |  Category: What's In Your Purse?