Letting Go of Things, Letting Go of Old Habits

Back when I was very active in blogging, I often showed the products that I've finished or products that I've hit pan on. It's mostly for me. I like looking at the empty bottles and makeup and feel glad, accomplished even, that I was able to use the products that I bought, that I got my money's worth. It's such a nice feeling to work then be able to treat yourself with small luxuries, no?

But on the flip side, I got obsessed with using up every product down to the last drop. And that's not healthy, nor practical in my case. Think about it, how much time do you spend scraping off the bottom of a lotion bottle? How much time do you spend banging that bottle of foundation on your palm or sponge just to get the last bits?

Now that I have so many things to do, so many crowns to wear, that's just a waste of my time. I did that a lot when I was single. I only had to think about myself. I worked from home, I had time to spare to do those mundane things. 

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong about getting the last bits of your lipstick/lip balm, lotion, shampoo (shampoo is easy though, just add a little water and you're all set 😁), or whatever product you use. I'm saying this based on my experience and lifestyle. I just don't have the time anymore. 

But those products that you see above? the lip balm is wiped clean inside. I was able to use every bit. The lipstick still has a bit in the holder inside but it's totally flat. I used a brush or cotton bud to get into the tube. I also used up the concealer. And as you can see, there's still some foundation left in the bottle. I just didn't bother scraping that anymore. 

Not only did I start doing this with my beauty products. I also started to do it with other things in my life such as pens. 

Can you believe, I finished the ink on this pen down to the tip? 😁 I just got this pen on the first week of December. Yes, I love to write, on and offscreen. 

But for other pens? When the colors start getting dull on the pages, I try to revive it for a few minutes, but if it keeps getting dull or faded, I just chuck it in the recyclables. 

Is it wasteful? I've asked myself this. Is not spending my time, energy, and other resources more wasteful? For example, I had to use cotton buds to dig up the lipstick from the tube. Instead of just one product, I had to use another one to finish the original product. 

My time is money and if an activity is not earning me money, I don't usually spend a lot of time in it. 

It's also a form of self-respect. I respect my time, energy, and resources. As you may know, I have MCAS and am very sensitive. So, I really have to choose what activities I focus my energy on. If you read in the archives, you'd see that there were days when all I did was stay in bed. I'm not that girl anymore, thank God. But my experiences have taught me a lot of lessons. And one of them is that my energy and time are very precious. And that I should protect them fiercely. 

The new me chooses to protect her time. She honors her energy. She chooses rest over grind. Even now, with the mountain of things to do for the Philippine Book Festival, I still sleep for at least 7 hours a night. I'm also eating more. This new me chooses softness over burnout. What good am I at the Festival if I'm a walking zombie? I choose to shed the old patterns and embrace this woman I'm becoming. I choose these things over penny pinching. 

My dear Glow Girls, thank you so much for your patience. I'm almost done with PBF prep. I promise to be back as soon as I can. I've been collecting stories and pictures to share with you, so stay with me. I have an exciting lineup in store. 

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'Til my next post,

Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay Glowing.

LET'S GLOW.

With elegance and quiet fire, 

Lady E

Join me at the Philippine Book Festival 2026 on March 12-15 at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall from 10 am to 8 pm! Find me at Learn with Teacher E! 

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