When I was a little girl, I noticed my mom bought lots of chotzkies, and little things that I thought weren’t significant, they had no purpose, and they just took up space.
When I grew up, I noticed I had the same overwhelming compulsion to buy things. And when I had the impulse, I bought it; slowly filling up my house with things I didn’t need, with things that served no purpose, using up money that could have been used wiser.
It wasn’t until my 40’s, did I understand this was a compulsion to own something, not necessarily the need to have it. So, I had to understand how to appease the impulse to buy, without buying anything.
Let’s say:
1. I had all the money to buy what I want, and
2. all the space in a house big enough to keep the stuff…
Would I still want it? That shimmery, shiny new thing!?!
WELL YES! Who doesn’t?
So, what to do?
My house is not that big and neither is my bank account. Ah, but this is a limited way to think about life.
So, I am going to think about it differently. I chose to say:
1. My bank account offers me enough money to share and to spare. And,
2. My house is the perfect size for me.
This still has not addressed the items in the store beckoning to come home with me.
Below is the process that works for me and the people I have shared it with:
1. I place it in my basket, allowing me to now have ownership of it.
2. I continue shopping and ponder the items uses.
- Does it have a purpose?
- Do I need it?
- Will this item make me a better person?
- Will this item make my life more joy filled?
- Will this item make my life easier?
3. If the answer is NO, to any or all of the above… I put the item back on the shelf, consciously making a choice and appeasing the impulse to buy.
I am choosing:
- To use my money elsewhere.
- To continue to look for something that is a better fit in my life.
- I don’t need it taking up space in my tidy home.
- I choose not to go into debt for this item.
- To use something different in its place.
- Can it cost less somewhere else?
- Knowing I have enough will power to walk away without this item!!!
Saying Yes to something,
means you have to say NO to other options.
Saying NO to something,
allows you to say YES to something greater.