In with the Old

Revisit your old brilliant ideas.

You know how your mom’s old purses are so old that they’re trendy again? I have some shoes I just know will have a second life one day. So I’ve been thinking this concept could pertain to old ideas you’ve had as well. We search and search for new theories and motivation, when sometimes it might do us just as well to look back at our old things and ways to get trendy new inspiration.

Old dusty cookbooks you never open anymore—they used to be your favorites, so check out what you used to make. For us, the cookbooks have evolved from “10-Minutes Meals” to “101 Vegetarian Meals” to “Quick-Fix Vegan.” But once in a while we’ll crack open an old one and find a recipe we used to love—back when our spice rack held dried oregano, dried basil, and garlic salt (and that’s it)—and we’ll dress it up, make it vegan, and see if it’s our taste buds that have changed or our taste for fancier cooking.

What about your old New Year’s resolutions? Do you write them down? Go back and take a look at resolutions you made two or three or ten years ago. You might laugh at some of them, but you also might see some that are now more attainable, perhaps due to a better mental or financial position. Did you decide to get certified to teach yoga back in 2006? Maybe now you have more time to devote to it. Did you start training for a half-marathon a few years ago but let it slide when you twisted your ankle? Maybe now’s the time! Let your old resolutions re-inspire you.

We’re always looking for the next new thing, and that’s fun! It keeps us entertained on this journey. I just think sometimes we can recycle old golden nuggets. Dust them off, put a new spin on them, and make some new motivation out of what you already had.