Time to stop shopping?

A yoga practice, work, interacting with friends and family all take up valuable energy. Can you unwind fully when it’s time to settle in at home at the end of the day? Do clutter and uneccessary items around the home drain your energy?

As my personal decluttering journey never seems to end, I wonder why we continue to buy so much stuff. Things obviously don’t last as long these days but even if they do, we no longer want them after just a short time.

To break the shopping and decluttering cycle, I had to look at the reasons behind my purchases. I hate to admit it but a substantial number of items were bought for my ideal self. My ideal self is a trendy dress and make up wearing person, who always looks presentable. Someone who cooks a lot of fancy meals and has friends over to her home.

What was I thinking? This is not the real me. I don’t enjoy wearing dresses. They require you to sit lady-like and you cannot easily cycle across town. Make up and fancy meals are tedious and time consuming. In reality, I rarely have people over.

Not surprisingly, I own a collection of kitchen equipment and clothing that is rarely used and brings me little joy. Instead, the items cause additional stress because they go unused but I have invested time and money into their purchases.

Any time, we behave in a way that is inconsistent with who we are, our real or authentic selves, we experience a disconnect. We are left feeling stressed, overwhelemed or simply unhappy with ourselves.

Take some time every day to notice the items you already own, which spark joy and make you happy. Strive to connect with your real rather than you ideal self. Feel the positive energy and happiness that is created by acting in a way that is consistent with what you know to be true.

For more inspiration on this topic, check out this Ted Talk by Stasia Stavasuk. Then, take a look at this post on how to authentically connect with your body during a yoga class.

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