Lately I’ve been talking to my clients about how to consciously spend by putting a gap ino our process. A gap between the thought and act gives us time to make a conscious choice rather than one based on unconscious money beliefs.
The size gap doesn’t really matter; we just need a little break to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this?” When we do, we sometimes discover we are spending for all the wrong reasons – or at least not for the reasons we thought. The gap gives us an opportunity to change our minds.
Unfortunately, in spite of all my talking, I forgot to use that gap on Monday. Late afternoon, I went to the stores in Freeport to pick up a few things. I ran into a friend (while getting lost coming out of the new parking garage) and joked, “I’m not sure what I’m looking for, but I’ll know it when I see it.” (Boy, did I miss that clue!)
$300 dollars later, I arrived home with odds and ends for my family, and, three new sweaters for myself—bargains I just couldn’t refuse. The Holiday Spirit had me so enthralled that it took me until tonight to realize it wasn’t the Holiday Spirit but rather the Holidaze of “one more gift” combined with beckoning signs of “60% off the already reduced 50% price!”
Old beliefs of the perfect Holiday had combined with bargain beliefs to bury the thought of that gap so deep that it didn’t surface for 36 hours—and not until I woke up in the middle of the night! But, all is not lost; in the words of Scarlett O’Hara, “…tomorrow’s another day!” All I can do is try again. This financially conscious life is not easy!
Fiddle-dee-dee! Still not perfect…
3 thoughts on “Holidaze”
I know we can all get tempted into buying things for ourselves and our families. One thing I changed for myself was to only buy things I love. I ask that question to myself all the time when I am trying on clothes. Do I really love it? If I say no, then I don’t buy it. If I say yes, then I do. I also may love it at the time, but when I get home, I don’t. I then take it back. I also have the same rule for my house. I only keep the things I love and enjoy. The rest goes to Goodwill. This way my home is filled with things I love and I get to pass along other things to others that they may love.
I love the “love” idea. I also second the returns. If you get it home and then realize you bought in a “daze” — take it back! I think capitalism has made a job of associating love with spending so that it is hard to separate the idea of showing our love for our family and buying them gifts. I was set back a notch or two yesterday when my step-son, whom I had been worrying we had not “spent” enough on, was completely happy the gifts we got him which had all been picked with his very specific likes in mind. It is not how much we give, but the quality of the items we do give, and the caring we give to each choice that shows our love and consideration.
Oh…but it is Christmas Jane! The spirit
soars and we become “generous”…isn’t that a good thing? Everyone is happy wishing greetings and joy. I say enjoy the love, the gifts, and watch the sparkle in each receivers eye.
We ARE financially conscious; but every once in awhile, and it always seems to happen in December, I say relax a little…it is a short season… we will all be back on track soon enough.