Let’s start with the biggie: What drives you to shop? If you take away anything from me ever, it’s to always ask, “what’s driving you?”

I’m going to challenge you here to go deeper than the usual answers of, “It’s fun!” “I like pretty things” “I like to treat myself!” These are easy and surface. Sorry, but they are.

It’s fun. Why though? Why is it fun? It’s fun to get something new because it gives us a temporary high, a temporary boost in chemicals. It’s addictive. And usually we need that because there’s something lacking. You can get that high from other more constructive things. But more importantly why are you relying on that high? Life is stressful, no doubt about it, and we need distraction. But we’re animals, and as such the high we get from buying a thing is much much lower and shorter lived from the high we get from another animal. So next time you need that high, pet your animal, hug a human, or call a friend. That connection – that contact will be a much longer lived high than the new top.

Who doesn’t like pretty things? But all the things you already have are pretty…they’re just not new. It goes back to the high I mentioned above. It’s the same thing as above just in a different way. Because if it was about pretty things, you’d just have to look around at everything you already have.

Treating yourself is important. But again, we’re biological animals. We do much much better with experiences that have a longer lasting affect on our biochemistry than we do with things. So treat yourself to a nap, meditation, a solo living room dance party, bath, or dare I say it, sex with your partner. The high will be much longer lasting.

Why are you looking into this? That’s next time.

Dress – Spell Designs via Free People
Boots – Vintage via Etsy
Sunnies – Betsey Johnson via Winners