Need vs. Want

So, most of you know that I changed the content of my blog a bit to fit a new journey/adventure in life... it just so happens that in life we tend to have many different adventures so really this blog is not tethered to one thing or another, aside from journeying and adventuring. That being said, one part of my J.A. (Journey and Adventuring) is not buying clothes for 1 whole year.

It has been 59 days since I started. And it is getting a little more difficult. I like clothes, there is no shame and I feel no shame. But they are not a need in my life. I have plenty. I like trends, I like stay up-todate with fashions things and therein lies the difficulty. I went into Old Navy the other day to do an exchange, got overwhelmed and found myself pinning over things that I liked and knew I couldn't have. So I just left, I didn't even do the exchange.
Now, I know that what I am doing doesn't seem like a big thing. But in a culture and society where we have over the amounts of things that we could ever need or want, I need to make a change. A change to my own spending and change to my thoughts and habits and a change most importantly to my heart. I need to change something that was very tangible to be effective in my own life. It's like in Lent when we reflect on what is keeping us from being closer to God and let it go/get rid of it for the duration of the Lenten season. And for everyone those hinderances it are different. I have found that in my 59 days that this was something keeping me from God.
Because, listen... I want to have the newest pretty things, who doesn't- really? I would think, "If I wear this it will help me look skinner", or "I bet I will catch his attention with this outfit-cuz I look so good" or "so and so had this on or something similar and I really liked it- so I want it to." These were real thoughts- now does any of this thinking bring me closer to God, heck no! And do any of these thoughts speak need, hecck no! My money and time and thoughts need to be spent differently.

Now I need to be clear about a few things. There are some exclusions, such as...
Undergarments, and bridesmaid dresses. The first because there becomes a need for those things- and I am not going to be gross about it. For the later, I am unwilling to say no to my best friends getting married because I have taken on this J.A. for a full year. It happens, people get married and if asked want to be apart of the celebration in they way that they would like.

Something else I need to be clear on...
Accessories and shoes... are two different things. Accessories are just that, accessories- they add flare to whatever it is you are wearing, but they do not clothe you.
Shoes are also not clothing, they are shoes, that is why they have their own stores. Also when I buy shoes I keep them pretty much forever. So there is also no need for them but I do tend to buy and replace.

What are the needs v.s wants in your life? What will you do about them? What will challenge you to the point of really experiencing what it means to long for (something simple, even?) and not reward yourself? Think about it. Then do something.