“I can’t do it all today, but I can do something everyday.”

Full confession – I am an over committer.

I have always understood that we have a finite amount of time on earth and I don’t want to miss out on anything.

This “personality trait” has lead to some incredible adventures. And I’ve been able to meet some pretty inspiring people because of it. But it also leaves me feeling overwhelmed at times.

Some nights I can’t sleep because my brain keeps making lists upon lists of all the things I want to do. The people I want to meet. The places I want to visit. The adventures I want to experience. I’m exhausted before I even have the opportunity to begin.

There are days I hide in my bed and binge watch Gilmore Girls because a) who doesn’t want to be as witty and well read as Rory (totally team Logan, in case you were wondering) and b) sometimes I don’t want to be an adult right away. And while it’s wonderful to spend a decadent few hours in bed pretending to be the 4th Gilmore Girl and escaping adult life, I never get up feeling refreshed. Instead, I find myself feeling disappointed in myself for not making the most of my time that day.

Lately I’ve been focusing on ignoring that voice in my head telling me to stay for one more episode. The voice that reminds me that I’ll never be Beyonce, so why bother even trying?

Instead I’m responding to that voice. Letting it know I can’t do it all today, but I can do something everyday.

So I make check lists. And every night, before I go to bed, I look at what I checked off and remind myself of all the surprise “fires” that popped up that I was able to put out. I might not have done it all, but I did something. I moved the needle forward.

And the sense of  accomplishment changes everything. It puts me in a better mood and motivates me to tackle more the next day. And the next week.

It’s also why I love this bag.

At first glance you see a beautifully made and thoughtfully designed bag. But it’s not the design that makes the bag beautiful, it’s the story behind it.

The husband and wife team behind Rust & Fray have built a love story for their home country of Bangladesh. In response to the devastating effects the fast fashion industry is having on their country, they decided to create a company that is sustainable, ethically run, and empowers the women who make their bags.

Each bag is hand made from left over fabric acquired from factories across Bangladesh, which then inspires the design of each different line. That means every piece is unique with a limited run. But more importantly, the women who work for Rust & Fray are paid a fair and livable wage.

Because their goal is to empower the women of Bangladesh, co-founder Donna and her husband work to ensure each factory that makes Rust & Fray bags not only pay a fair wages, but are safe and built to code (no more building collapses on their watch!). Most importantly, there are no children working in the factory.

An indirect result of Rust & Fray’s work to employ women is a shift in how women are valued in Bangladesh. Women, who were once perceived as a financial burden on a family, are now supporting their families and providing better opportunities. Women are gaining a stronger voice in their families (and society) and are now able to send their children to school, rather than to work.

What started as a simple desire to give back to their country through ethical fashion, has turned into bigger movement, changing the way women are valued in Bangladesh.

And while I may never be Beyonce or Rory Gilmore, I can make a difference in the life of someone on the other side of the world, simply by choosing a bag that carries their story.

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