There are times in life when you just need to sit up and reflect. Sit up, stand up, jump up, do whatever you need to do to get up and look down on what’s happening in your life and reflect. For me, today has been one of those days.

Three weeks ago I set out on a self-imposed 12 month challenge to become a more conscious consumer by severely restricting my purchasing behaviour. The challenge was, and still is, to buy nothing brand new unless I sell something I already own first (see rules here). This was my 32nd birthday present to myself and today, I am reflecting on what is quite possibly the best birthday present I have ever given myself.

My ultimate objective from doing this challenge was to find and express my own creativity through being more resourceful with my thoughts, time and money. I figured if by doing this I could inspire just one other person to be more creative with their own resources, then the sharing of this experience would be worth it. Today, as I stand up on my desk  (My Dead Poets Society moment) I look down and reflect on an incredibly rewarding experience so far.

While I have learnt a lot about myself over the last three weeks, possibly more than I have over the last three years, it is really you as the reader that has made this experience so rewarding. Every email, every comment, every discussion that has been stimulated by Sideways Crayon has given me ‘bubbles’. Whether it’s a discussion about why writing letters is considered old-fashioned; making a bike rack or a birthday present rather than buying one; a colleague telling me his wife has taken back up the piano; what that ‘bubbles’ feeling means to you; an idea to start a new business; selling or donating items to charity you no longer need; or by joining our ‘One month to wear and care‘ event. Every single piece of feedback has given me ‘bubbles‘. It has inspired me and, unconsciously, you have become my conscience to stick to this challenge.

Today, as we hit the three-week mark, we have 454 followers and are nudging 2,000 visits to this site. So to you, oh Captain my Captain, I would like to say thanks for getting sideways with me to look at things in a different way.