What I Know.

Shopping. It’s what I do when I’m bored, tired, angry, anxious, annoyed, overwhelmed, or elated. It’s my default activity for when I want to feel something other than what I’m feeling. It’s my default activity, period.

At some point during the winter, I started online window shopping again. It quickly went from sporadic to daily. At first I justified it by telling myself I needed to stock up on winter items that were on clearance. Then I justified it by telling myself I need a new spring/ summer wardrobe (which is true). I had the sense to not buy winter items; I want this blasted winter to be gone, and want no reminders of it. I also have the sense to be very picky and restricted with spring/summer items. I want to make absolute sure that I don’t end up with a closet full of neglect and regret.

Still…I keep shopping and researching, researching and shopping. Oh, and spending. I keep telling myself that I haven’t been spending much because I’m being so picky, but after checking my records today, I see that I’m a thousand percent mistaken. It’s a terrible sign that I can’t even remember the few items I’ve only just purchased this month. Then again, they are out of sight since they are not weather appropriate.

I need warm weather so that I can be motivated to work out regularly again. Shopping is drowning me right now.

One thought on “What I Know.

  1. Nikki says:

    Thank you for such a blisteringly honest account. May I make a suggestion? One thing that has helped me enormously in reducing impulsive shopping is to conscientiously record EVERY SINGLE personal item bought – ideally in an easy-to-access file/notebook that you can see every day. It serves as a reminder of my shopping tally for the year, as well as telling me WHAT items I have accumulated. Maybe this simple act of jogging your memory will help to reduce the spending urge? I remember once being completely blown away by a much admired friend who shared her shopping strategy, saying, ‘I only shop when I need something’. The sheer simplicity & logic of that statement put my impulsive shopping habits to shame. Thankfully, it is a principle I also try to live by now: if I need something specific for TODAY (not some far away imaginary life), then I buy that one item & NOTHING ELSE. Otherwise, I don’t allow myself to indulge in the endless research to find the perfect x y or z. Best of luck to you!

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