I Don't Shop Much Anymore

A kind blog reader emailed me after reading a recent post, "You Don't Have To Live This Way," mentioning that along with saying no to being busy she also does not enjoy to shop.  I found this interesting as I have always LOVED to shop until recently.

I found myself with my mom in Old Navy trying to find something to use a coupon for.  It was like pulling teeth to find something for over $25 to save $10.  As I walked back and forth through the store I thought to myself, "why do I even need to be doing this?"  For the first time shopping felt stressful.  And not stressful like I feel guilty I am about to spend this much money or stressful that I am supposed to be somewhere in five minutes but I cannot pull myself from the purse section of TJ-Maxx.  Believe me, I have been there.  But stressful in the sense that I was trying to find something to buy that I didn't even want.

This was new to me.  Shopping and not want anything?  This was like a whole new world.  But it was that email that started making things clear.  As I say no to more commitments and to excess stuff in my home, spending my time shopping and bringing more stuff into my home that I don't need just seems wasteful of my time and money.

Now this doesn't mean I never shop.  I shop when I need something.  I just made a mental note that I needed some frames for art for our bedroom.  And it doesn't mean I don't want things.  I still have a wish list board on Pinterest that I tuck away for future birthday and Christmas gifts.  But these are all things that I don't need to have right now.

So what I am referring to is shopping as a hobby and not being creative first with what I already have.  I no longer pop into a store out of boredom.  And I have found that the longer I am away from those stores, shopping just to shop is no longer a satisfying use of my time.  I don't crave it like I used to.  And now that I have broke the addiction, I am seeing the other side.  My happiness does not come from things but instead from a life that can just be.