Continued from Discover the Intelligent Shopper in You! (Part- 1)
Way #6: Stop Resisting & You’ll Find That It Will Stop Persisting.
You might have noticed that the more you resist yourself from doing something, the more your mind wanders in that direction. If you haven’t noticed this yet, playing the following 2-minute game can make you notice this tendency of the mind:
1. Sit comfortably
2. Close your eyes
3. No matter what happens, don’t think of monkeys, cakes, or mountains
You’ll be amazed to know how your mind works, through this simple game. If you ask your mind not to think of monkeys, it will definitely think about them. Similarly, if you tell yourself you don't want to shop, you’ll most probably be carried away by your mind to shop.
The more you fight with the noise inside your head (which says you shouldn’t shop), the more you want to get rid of it and the more it will disturb you. Once you become aware you have an urge to shop, it becomes easier for you to free yourself from the urge. If you are not aware of your urge, you might end up buying unnecessarily to satisfy yourself. Taking a break from all activities is the key to becoming aware. Else we might be stuck in the head with so many thoughts crossing our mind. Taking a break from all activities can happen through meditation. It declutters our mind as we enjoy deep rest and rejuvenation.
Way #7: Save For The Rainy Day
A penny saved is a penny earned. Every penny saved and invested in safe avenues is a penny earned for tomorrow. One day, each one of us has to retire. In order to be comfortable after a long and rewarding career, it is wise to save for such times. You might want to make sure your invested earnings are safe and will multiply over time. It won’t be difficult to set aside a percentage of your earning as savings if you earmark a certain amount every month and then use the remaining for consumption. It is easy, simple, and worth it.
Way #8: Find Joy In What Doesn’t Come With A Price Tag, But Is Priceless
Replace the void in your life with love, not objects. Did you know that shopaholism is often used as a kind of stress-buster, a reprieve, or a feel-good factor?
A store and its belongings treat you just the way you like to be treated. They make you feel special, like a prince or a princess—a near-perfect treatment for heartbreaks, mood swings, emotional loss, or jobloss. You might be going through some rough patches in your life. These are the times when you want to be cared and loved for the most. But, ask yourself, how long does the relief from shopping last? How soon do you feel the urge to go back and shop?
The mind has a habit of going where it finds pleasure and joy. It wanders to places where it is not, finds pleasure there, and keeps visiting that place of comfort; this is how it gets addicted to some habits. Habits give short-term pleasure and long-term pain. Meditation can give you long-term gain with only the little pain of sitting down and closing your eyes. Let an online guided meditation work its magic on you before you learn to meditate yourself by learning our Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Course.
Way #9: Earmark Your Expenses
An intelligent way you can restrict your shopping is to carry only a fixed sum of money. Of course, this depends on how much you can afford to spend. After deducting your transport and dining expenses, you may spend the rest if it doesn’t hurt your pocket. This way, even if you end up using the whole amount, you won’t feel guilty about overspending because that is what you had earmarked for the outing.
But, wait! The ultimate, cost-effective, and simplest of ways is yet to be revealed – the Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Course. It is effortless and requires you to invest just six hours of your life and reap its benefits forever with regular free-of-cost follow-ups with fellow meditators. In this course, you are initiated to a mantra that when chanted nonverbally with closed eyes, gives deep relaxation instantly. Take the first step now! It is worth every penny spent. Don’t delay it any further. Find a Sahaj Samadhi Course near your place.
If you have any queries about the course, please feel free to write to us anytime at webteam.meditation@artofliving.org and we will revert shortly.