When I was in college, Tiffany jewelry was having a moment. Not just any moment, but a big moment. Like a 0.4 seconds left on the clock and Derek Fisher gets a 3-point shot to win the game in San Antonio moment. If that’s not convincing or you have absolutely no clue about what I’m referencing (which I’ll look past this once), just to cement my point, I’ll give you an example. I guess you’d describe me as somewhat of a tomboy growing up—I never really paid much attention to jewelry or makeup, and even shopping took a backseat to say doing extra credit. Okay, I wasn’t a tomboy, I was a nerd. There I said it! I barely started wearing makeup consistently in 2009 and to be perfectly honest, just the other day I found out that there isn’t one single formula base for mascara, they’re different depending on need. WHAT? In any case, if the whole Tiffany phenomenon trickled down to the un-girliest of them, that being me, you knew girls were opening up pretty little shiny trinkets stuffed into blue boxes left and right. So I really like hearts and I wanted that Elsa Peretti open-heart pendant pretty desperately. I just thought it was the prettiest thing and for whatever reason just had to have them. Except if you recall, I was in college, and any extra money I earned folding clothes at the Gap went to things like deodorant, food and scantrons or whatever. So I thought, well earrings run cheaper, I’ll get earrings. While my theory was right, it still wasn’t a splurge I could justify, and so like any other girl my age at that particular point in time, I took to the internet.
I ended up finding these pretty close knock-offs on Ebay. They were from a company in Europe and I think I might’ve ended up paying $35 US for them. When they came in the mail, I was so excited and I didn’t particularly care that they were knock-offs—I couldn’t wait to put them on. But then I never did. I just thought that they were so special, that they needed to be worn on a special occasion, but one never came. I finally thought to wear them to my graduation, and because I had moved myself from my dorm room to an apartment in Newport Beach that morning, I couldn’t find them. And I never did.
This isn’t supposed to be a sad story. It’s meant to help you all learn a lesson, I promise. I wanted the earrings for completely superficial reasons. Yes, they were beautifully designed and would’ve complimented any outfit, but I wanted them because everyone else was pining over them. I know this has to be true because after college I received a Tiffany necklace of a different design, and have it stashed away in a box. Not because I’m waiting for another special occasion, but because my love of gold jewelry eclipses any warm sentiment I have towards silver. The earrings weren’t the first or the last thing I’ll obsess over because of hype.
Look, this is a personal flaw that I’m painfully aware of and am trying to work on. Could it be a resolution for 2015? Perhaps, but it wouldn’t be the right approach. If you have a problem—get to the root of it and then resolve it. If your resolution is to smile more, find out what makes you frown first and get rid of it. If adopting a healthy lifestyle is your resolution, find the unhealthiest thing you crave and avoid it like the plague. In my case, my shopping problem has been pretty effectively subdued by just waiting a couple of days before making any non-necessary purchase. Most times, I just forget and I’m left with that much extra money to spend on ridiculously overpriced super foods at the market.
Self-reflection needs to make a comeback. We get so caught up seeing others through a microscopic lens that we forget to turn the tables on ourselves and improve as individuals. No one is perfect, but there’s nothing wrong in striving towards perfection.
Whatever it is that you’re planning on resolving in 2015, do me one favor. Read up on it. Remember how in grade school they told you that “Knowledge is Power?” It’s true. Every bit of it. So go out there—educate yourself, educate others, become self-aware and empower yourself.
Feast or Fumble 