The 3 best questions to ask yourself while shopping online or in-store
photo: MISHKAbags... I'm just trying to give a proper photo credit here — don’t run off and go googling to buy this. Read this whole article first. Then… if you fully believe buying this is right for you, you have “my blessing.” :)
The 3 BEST questions to ask yourself when you find yourself shopping (online or in-store)—
Why am I here?
What is the feeling I’m trying to feel right now by buying this?
How do I think owning [this thing] will add to my life?
Notice I said, “…when you find yourself shopping.”
Because we often shop unconsciously and find ourselves online with a full shopping cart, like waking up from a hypnotic trance.
I remember doing this one day back in 2012 when I was having a particularly stressful day at my corporate job—
I finally went out to grab some lunch at 3:00, only to return with 3 dresses, a blouse, and 2 pair of shoes (and NO lunch).
(The office was just a couple blocks from the fancy shops on 5th Avenue... very dangerous, if you haven’t learned to manage your mind yet.)
Many of my clients tell me they save so much money working with me, because we work on their over-shopping habits.
They become conscious of their choices.
One of my clients recently told me that…
She was about to buy a dress at Ann Taylor when the future of that dress “flashed before her eyes.”
She said she could see herself in the future getting tired of the dress and having to figure out what to do with it then. She imagined trying to:
give it to a friend,
take pictures of it and sell it on ebay, or
taking it to Goodwill.
After “seeing her future,” she walked out of the store without buying it and started wearing the dresses she already owns.
I loved her insight so much, because I remember having the same sort of epiphany myself while online —
I started to take screen captures of the dress I was about to buy, so I could more easily sell it in the future, and then I was like, Wait a minute… What am I doing?
I’m not against shopping.
If it fills a need, great.
For instance, the last non-food/household-related item I bought was a fanny pack. I needed it to replace my old shoulder bag that was KILLING my shoulder.
Important note from my British brother-in-law:
Don’t say “fanny pack” to a Brit — “fanny” means something completely different in the UK.
Google it!
(OK, I’ll tell you… it’s a vulgar term, something about “lady parts.”)
(So, let’s just call it a “hip pack” — shall we?)
Remember the 3 questions to ask yourself while shopping—
Why am I here?
What is the feeling I’m trying to feel right now by buying this?
How do I think owning [this thing] will add to my life?
One last question:
What was the last thing you bought, and why did you buy it?
(That was kinda 2 questions, wasn’t it?)
* * *
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I can help you become an organized person (and even overcome your shopping habits)
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