For many people, indulging in a little retail therapy helps them to feel better when they are sad or anxious. If these people are going into debt for this “therapy,” that’s obviously not healthy, but if you feel like treating yourself to a pair of shoes and that will honestly cheer you up and you can afford it, I say go get some cute shoes.
Besides obtaining some kitchen appliances recently, I am an all-around shirker of stuff. I keep only the things that are useful or beautiful to me, and that means that when I am sad, or anxious, or lonely, I vent my retail therapy tendencies elsewhere.
I’ve been going through some personal stuff lately, and I have been feeling pretty down, and that is precisely why I spent last weekend taking my sister to the zoo, treating her to a nice dinner, taking her out to lunch, and buying her groceries. She says, “Cait, you don’t have to spend money on me,” and I don’t have to. But I can, and treating her to things she can’t afford on her own makes me feel good. She deserves to be treated, and I don’t see her very often to do so.I do have to regularly stop myself trying to buy her a car though. I just want to give.
The way I see it, as long as my bills are paid and I have a decent cushion in the bank, I can afford to dote on her. And if, in the process of doting on her, I get to feel a little better, then we both win. Especially when there is sushi involved.
I also feel better when I work out, so now I need to work that into the rotation of cheering myself up, especially since I am paying a monthly gym fee. I should also work on treating myself instead of just other people. I deserve some doting too, I suppose, especially when I’m sad. Those are the most important times to remind yourself that you’re worth feeling good.
How do you deal with negative emotions? Do you succumb to the call of retail therapy?
Caitlin Liz Fisher 
It sounds like you have found a much more productive outlet for your buying stuff urge- buying experiences (and essential groceries!) rather than miscellaneous stuff.
I’ve been getting organic veg boxes delivered for a few weeks now, and I still get excited when they turn up- everything looks so tasty! But I think enjoying spending money on good quality food is no bad thing. My most recent purchase was a book on making your own beauty products, hair rinses etc from natural ingredients (I’ve been struggling with bicarb as shampoo!) and I’m currently waiting with great excitement for some ingredients to arrive, so that I can try them out. My excitement is much more measured and, in a way, long term, compared to when I used to go and buy lots of random crap for no reason. The book and ingredients should help me get rid of more commercially made, overly complex,potentially toxic products, which is definitely something to be excited about!
I also know that if I am feeling rubbish, I am feel far better if I make myself get off my bottom and do something- it might be exercise, but also making sure the house is clean and tidy,getting rid of some clutter, or knocking something off the to do list. Far better than shopping, and without the financial or possible moral/ethical guilt of a badly considered purchase!
Thanks!! I am glad others funnel the retail therapy urge into productive pursuits. I definitely feel better spending money on food and experiences instead of random stuff. Still working on the exercise motivation 🙂
The exercise thing is tricky, and there are so many ways to procrastinate about doing it…hmm, maybe I should just work on my procrastination tendency!!
Caitlin, I’m sorry you are going through a rough period, I hope things work out sooner rather than later for you. ON the subject of retail therapy, I hate shopping, it just depresses me. When I am down I tend to look for a creative outlet whether that’s working on some found item or a cross stitch, when that doesn’t work or isn’t available I withdraw for a couple of days with a good book, from the library or second hand of course.
I think you found what you needed, but helping your sister you didn’t close yourself off from the world and probably received just what you needed from the time you spent with her.
Thanks for your comments as always! 🙂 Shopping also gets me down, except for grocery shopping… I love to cook so I love to buy food. You’re spot on about spending the time with my sister being what I needed; however, when she left to go back to school I felt like something was missing again. I’m all alone again, and I need to get comfortable just being with myself I guess!
I crosstitch and read, but lately the thing that makes me smile is to see the flourishing plants in my progressing flower garden because they are vibrant and I planted them. Though I cheat I plbquy potted plants to add rather than start from seeds or bulbs.
Hey, if it makes you happy, who cares where the flowers came from? Make sure you plant some for the bees to enjoy! The world needs more bees 🙂