As much as I enjoy my No Spend Challenge and the peace that it brings to my life through self imposed hibernation, my life principles continue to apply. The most relevant that I want to discuss today are:

1. Always have something to look forward to. That can be something as simple as a lunch walk or something as special as a trip you’re planning. It could be a good meal or favorite tv show. There is no right or wrong answer here.
2. It’s healthy to do something different than normal. Routine can be helpful and healthy. It can also be lethal. This is why I suggest occasionally incorporating something new into your daily life – a different route home from work, a picnic somewhere you’ve never been, a book genre you’ve never read or stopping by a new business in town to meet the owner and see what they’ve got. 
3. Sometimes we are tired, not because we need rest but because we haven’t done enough things that make us feel alive. 

I happily embraced my typical No Spend Challenge hibernation starting just before New Year’s Eve until January 31. I went to the office some, ran to the grocery when needed, and that’s about it. My car gets great gas mileage and I drove so little that I couldn’t remember which side the gas tank was on when I went to fill up last week! 

My life here at home is lovely and it was a real treat to stay home and enjoy it. 

But three things happened this week: I shifted into less stringent No Spend rules for February, the weather warmed up a little, and an out-of-town pal came home to visit. We were able to squeeze in morning walks this weekend. On Saturday, after our 24 degree walk at dawn, I took myself out for an omelette and hot chocolate. I also picked up a couple of necessities at the store and attempted to support a new local bookshop inside a vendor mall. They haven’t been open long and I have been wanting to spend a few bucks to support their endeavour. Unfortunately, their selection is geared toward a different audience than yours truly (which is fine – I wish them the best) so I came home empty handed. 

At least I tried. 

It was a good day. Watching nature come to life as the darkness gave way to a gray, cloud covered sky inspired a certain sense of awe. As I told my friend, I like the starkness of bare trees against a dark winter sky. I like the nuances in the ice on the lake and the way the cold air bites just enough to propel a person into motion. 

We saw lots of Canada Geese on the lake and many more flying in formation, northbound and silent. And then came two stragglers, flying side by side, loudly chattering amongst themselves and oblivious to the casual observers on the ground. I said to my friend “Look! It’s us! They’re two friends catching up!”

We got a laugh out of it but I think it was true. So much in nature models what humans need. The stark landscape, the animals in hibernation and the ones that travel together are all beautiful reminders that our needs are a little different in this season and that there are warmer days ahead.

However, on this day, I needed a little adventure, a change of scenery and a chat with a friend.