what no money brings.

it's funny the things that happen to you when you're broke. i suddenly have a profound appreciation for being able to buy luxuries like see's candies, good shampoo and a hot meal i didn't cook. the following things stuck out in my mind today as i was washing my hair with a sample i got in the mail.

when you're broke, you learn to:

1. love (and actually finish) leftovers.
   
2. thank the universe for jamba juice's free smoothie coupon received just today.
   
3. use up all of that trial-sized stuff (like i'm ever going anywhere again anyway).
   
4. discover clothes you didn't know you still had, not to give to some charity, but to give yourself since you are now down to one pair of (wearable) jeans.
   
5. flip through your favorite catalogs not looking for things to buy, but looking for things to hopefully, someday, maybe, if all goes better soon, treat yourself to.
   
6. be quite resourceful. i get two uses out of my morning chai teabags. once i'm done, i heat up some hot water, add some silk and sugar and there we go. two servings for the price of one.
   
7. lean on your family. they really are the only ones truly there for you.
   
8. get creative. i'm thinking of babysitting my nieces and nephews as my job. not only would it be fun, but i would get to knock some of that conservative upbringing right outta them.
   
9. do without. for one, i haven't had a manicure since january and a haircut since april 2003. if you knew my beauty personality type, you'd know things are serious.
   
10. say that you did take a risk. or two. or many. all definitely not rewarded, but i took 'em.
    
11. meet your worst fears head-on. i used to wonder if i could make it if this happened or even (gulp) that happened. now i know. and i am still here.
    
12. find inspiration and solace in strangest places. i got teary-eyed during parenthood this weekend (granny's roller coaster got me). and i found this while looking for yoga poses to alleviate "gastrointestinal problems:"

    "everyone wants to be happy; this is a universal fact. most people believe that some material object with bring this happiness — money, the perfect spouse, the dream job, a new car, a big house with swimming pool — but in truth the list of what would make you completely happy is never ending. each 'thing' will please only for a short time, until the novelty wears off. as long as you think that happiness will come from something outside yourself, you will never be happy. happiness, the blissful state, comes from within your own self."

    — sivananda yoga vedanta center, "why meditate?" yoga mind & body. a dk publishing book, 1996.