Another buzzfeed titled, “29 Cheap Things To Treat Yourself To Right Now” comes across our news feed. This article is another reminder of our addiction to super consumerism, not living the life with intention and self-control.
- Buy ________ because we’re worth it! We derive self-worth from the cheap consumer goods not who we are and what we do.
- Buy ________ to give our hands something to do when we’re feeling nervous because its’ better to distract ourselves instead of dealing with the problem head on.
- Buy ________ that will leave onlooker completely spellbound by our worthless crap because integrity and kindness cannot be worn on our sleeves.
- Buy ________ with a dash of something totally ridiculous for snack emergencies because without it, we’ll die of malnutrition.
Retail therapy doesn’t work. It drains our wallet and robs us of our time.
What we really need is true therapy. We need to fulfill the need to talk to ourselves. Contemplate. Let our minds wander. Eventually, we’ll need to talk to someone else. A professional perhaps. A good friend. A stranger. Someone who would listen and remind us to be kind to our worst critic: ourselves.
Instead of ignoring or finding coping (masking) mechanisms, let fear, resentment and shame wash over us. Try to understand why. Why we constantly feel this way, and ascertain the source of discomfort.
To dig deep, we need to eliminate distraction.
Stop shopping and start living.