Recently, I invested in a new backpack.

The one I had was a well-loved REI backpack that I purchased for my walking commute when I lived in Boston. It’s also gone with me on every trip I’ve taken for the last several years.

On my last work trip, a strap broke off and I realized it was the beginning of the end.

I knew that I wanted something that could comfortably hold my work laptop and also that had lots of storage compartments for things like cords and chargers. I also wanted it to be able to hold up for several years and through many trips.

This one fit the bill.

I had actually added this backpack to my Amazon wish list a couple months ago when I saw one being carried around in an airport (when you travel a lot for work, you definitely start to check out everyone else’s gear to see what you like…).

I’ve had the bag for a couple of weeks now and, so far, I love it.

It’s more structured than my old bag, so it’s a lot better on my back. It has plenty of room for all of my travel supplies, and it also has a padded storage compartment for my laptop so I don’t need an extra laptop sleeve when I’m traveling. The zippers also zip like a dream.

Well, of course, that got me started thinking about the other things that might need replacing.

For example, I recently bought new athletic socks for when I’m lounging around the house since the older ones I had were all starting to get holes.

Buying those made me think about how I also need some new dress socks. I’ve collected a hodge-podge of dress socks over time, but I don’t like all of them equally. And, when I do laundry, they can be hard to match up because they’re all a little different, even though I went all black years ago.

I got to thinking: wouldn’t it be nice if I had all the same kind of dress sock so that when I did laundry they would all match with each other?

I’m not going to lie, this made me feel like a genius.

Sometimes, I think we can limp along with something that isn’t really serving us because we want to squeeze every last drop of usefulness out of it.

Or, we’ve become so accustomed to the small annoyances of the aging item that we don’t realize how nice it might be to replace it.

Or, we don’t feel like we have the time or energy to research the thing that needs replacing so that we get exactly what we want.

Or, we just plain forget (over and over again) that it needs replacing until it completely falls apart and we’re forced to buy something new.

Now, this is not a call for rampant consumerism.

I see this as more of a call to adulting. We need to buy the things that will truly meet our needs and recognize when something has worn out past its usefulness.

So, I challenge you.

Identify something that needs replacing and replace that thing with something better that really meets your needs.

To think on:

  • What needs replacing in your life? What would truly make your life easier, more enjoyable, or better?
  • And what’s holding you back from replacing that thing now?