So I didn’t buy anything from May 3rd – August 3rd that wasn’t a household necessity or something for my son’s birthday party. It was both tougher than I thought it would be & easier!
I have often used shopping as therapy, as a drug. I’m a penny-pinching addict, but an addict nonetheless. So I thought I would take a three-month break from buying. I quickly learned that I didn’t really need more stuff. I also started making lists. I love lists. I have an entire notebook of very organised lists. I started to make lists of things that I really want to add to my life – not everything on the list is “needful”, but they are things that I believe will add value to my life. I love the quote by William Morris, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” It’s how I want to approach purchases from now on. Of course, that means that there are things in my house that I need to continue to weed out. It’s all a process.
It’s been a rough week, stressful & I could definitely do with some therapy! I needed to get a couple of things at the store. So I went to Target, list in hand. So strange to wander the aisles without my spending embargo in place. I looked at the clearance racks, saw some stuff that I liked & that, at one point, would have tossed in the cart. It just didn’t hold much of a thrill for me though. So I consulted my list & bought what I needed & left the store. No buyer’s remorse, no nagging bad feelings. It was good.
I’m not saying that I’m not still susceptible to the draw of retail therapy, and I think that I will routinely do spending fastings – it’s good for me. I feel lighter & freer. I have so much to be thankful for & I will not take the blessings in my life for granted.
