The objects of my fixation

“Have you ever seen something and immediately thought ‘That-is-the-thing-missing-from-my-life-that-I-desperately-need’?”

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a perfectly valid question but Mr G was not the person to ask. You see he is not a shopper so he looked at me like I was completely mad. I’m hoping I have more luck with you guys.

Scrolling through Instagram, flicking through magazines or wandering in a shop I quite often see things and lose myself in their potential. Shoes, chairs, sheets, jeans, necklaces – anything really – can become an object of my fixation and suddenly seem like the jigsaw puzzle pieces I didn’t even realise were missing from my life.  They will make life better! Easier! Less stressful! More fun! Happier!

They’re not just a pair of shoes or a gorgeous piece of furniture.  They’re the heels that will magically bind everything in my wardrobe; the chair that would make my house more ordered and less cluttered; the necklace/shirt/dress/scarf that would render “I’ve got nothing to wear” permanently redundant; the sheets that would make the bed practically make itself; the kids’ plates that would make mealtimes stress-free; the elusive toy that would capture a busy toddler’s attention whilst simultaneously educating and entertaining her for longer than three minutes.    

Of course none of this is true. No single object is capable of wholly remedying life’s little challenges – big or small. Sad as it is to admit no set of sheets will make the bed itself. No armchair or cushion will negate the need to clean and tidy the house.  No single pair of shoes will transform a wardrobe*. No set of plates will necessarily make mealtimes stress free and no single toy will ever fully capture, entertain and educate a toddler for more than three minutes. At least not one of mine. (Unless of course the toy belongs to another child who is using it at the exact moment my toddler wants it, at which point it will become highly covetable.)

But none of that is the point. The point is it’s fun to dream. To imagine how carefree and idyllic life could be with a just a few simple tweaks. For me the magic happens before I try something on or even look at the price tag because those things make them real.

Once the price is known (inevitably out of reach) or an item is tried on (and it turns out the t-shirt/dress/necklace is actually lacklustre or unflattering) the thrill is gone.  The enchantment is over.

The objects of my fixation are far more fun in my imagination than they are in real life. Can you relate? If so let’s play a game. What are the current objects of your fixation?

These are a few of mine. Can’t you imagine how they would effortlessly transform my life?

Dream away!!

* I am reluctant to be completely defeated in this regard and will continue my search for the shoe-that-will-make-everything-better. I suspect the answer is that the more shoes you have the better chance you have of finding the exact pair on any given day.