...Wear Ugly Shoes

I was laid off from my job a few weeks ago and one of the things I've been doing at home, besides looking for a new job, is trying to clean and organize things. I admit it...I am a shoe whore and while I'm no Imelda Marcos, I do have quite a large selection. (My DSW frequent shopper card is pretty well worn.) In the process of putting them back where they belong, I noticed something that astounded me...I had several pairs of ugly shoes.


Thinking back to when I bought these shoes, I realized they were purchased over the course of a few years primarily to wear to trade shows where my former employer exhibited. Standing on one's feet and/or walking a trade show floor for hours necessitates comfortable shoes. But comfort doesn't have to mean ugly. And looking at those ugly shoes was just a reminder of a situation that I would really rather forget. So they were bundled up and deposited in the nearest charity clothing bin.


Purging those shoes was a reminder that I don't need to keep things in my life that I don't cherish or that don't cherish me. Whether it's ugly shoes, a friendship that has run its course or an emotionally toxic environment....life is too short to keep things that you don't consider beautiful in some way.