Don’t Go! Shopping
February 9th, 2008 by Drowsey Monkey
DrowseyMonkey here…
This is a picture of the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Canada. I can’t remember the last time I was there, it’s a place I avoid - much like all shopping centres. I detest shopping and only go when I absolutely have to…and the thought of going shopping when I’m sad is even more ridiculous. But apparently that’s what people do - they partake in retail therapy thinking it will boost their mood.
Wrong. A new study basically says that if you’re sad…don’t go shopping:
“The researchers concluded sadness can trigger a chain of emotions leading to extravagant tendencies. Sadness leads people to become more focused on themselves, causing the person to feel that they and their possessions are worth little. That feeling increases willingness to pay more — presumably to feel better about themselves.”
So feeling sad and shopping can lead to financial problems … which can lead to more sadness … which can lead to more shopping … you get the point.
When I’m sad I find a good book helps or watching something funny on TV. Of course there’s always blogging…that cheers me up.
What about you? Has retail therapy worked for you? What do you do to combat the blues?
That photo scares me too.
DROWSEY!!! I had no idea you were here. What a great surprise. I only shop when I have to also but do enjoy a sale if the price is marked way down and I need something. But only the basics. My hubby and I live simply and find that’s the best way to keep our moods better. No clutter.
The outdoors and particulary lakes and waterfalls cheer me up. The music of nature soothes me and I hear its melody long after I’ve visited the source.
Hugs, JJ
Hey JJ - yep…I’m here too!
Yes, definitely getting outdoors is way more uplifting than being in a mall!!! And if I can’t get outdoors I can always visit your blog.
Nature never gets boring. It WILL NEVER get boring. But when I go shopping, I lose interest very fast. I cannot imagine people who spend hours at a mall. It boggles my mind.
Then, the things that I buy eventually will get boring as well. A new pair of jeans will get old, a new cell phone will get old, whatever you buy, it will get old.
BUT NATURE never gets old.
The last time I was at the Eaton Centre I was mesmerized. I hate shopping in general so Retail Therapy is not an option!
I talk to my sister when I’m sad. And yes.. a good sitcom can cheer me up!
I’m not really into reatail shopping to cheer me up either DM but I’ve noticed a pattern that when I am down I always seem to spend more money somehow.
I am actually going shopping today with a pregnant friend, we’re going baby clothes shopping. Give shopping a purpose and it’s actually quit enjoyable.
And at the moment we need to spend, spend, spend! Head off that ‘recession’ everyone is talking about.
Hey Drowsey, I too hate shopping! It’s been a loooong time since I’ve bought new clothes… although I guess in retrospect, that’s kind of a bad thing.
I’ve never gone shopping to make myself feel better, but I have done the following:
-Get a manicure or pedicure or BOTH!
-Bake something sweet
-Make the H tell me all the reasons he loves me
-Listen to my Les Miserables 10th Anniversary CD. THAT always cheers me up.
Refreshing to see shopping isn’t the cure all for the ladies and Dubai appears to be on a mission to build 2 more mega mega malls, in the order of 600,000 - 700,000 m2 in size to join Mall of the Emirates - there’s Dubai Mall and Mall of Arabia planned and boy do these people SHOP.
For me a decent pint, occassional shisha (hooka pipe) and a decent curry / fish n chips will suffice to help me waddle in self pity
Hey Drowsey,
Jim ‘ere,
As DD says above - Dubai is potty for shopping, can’t get enough of it but for what? All material props that we really don’t need, to underpin our status, to out do our neighbours or to get out of our appartments / houses / villas that we class as home?
We’re overwhelmed by the shops in Dubai, the choice and the size - frightening. From time to time we’ll treat ourselves normally with a decent bottle of wine (only available in 2 outlets in Dubai - supermarkets cant buy boooooze here) chocolate and Em GO’s for shoes or handbags I go for sporting stuff like a golf top.
“Not another golf top” says Em
“Not another pair of shoes, love?” Is my defence.
We’re finding rather than trying to bury any problems with props that the best way is to focus on the moment, get some exercise, people watch, write, blog, offer group hugs.
The thing that does it for us more than anything:
Connecting and inspiring other people and focusing on their agenda not ours. A trip down to a labour camp here in Dubai, or a hospital soon shakes us out of any self pity.
I agree JimandEm
trips to hospitals are always great for raising the spirits. its hilarious how ill some people can look.
Te best one is to go into the waiting area, approach a stranger and say ’sorry about your loss- he/she died in abject agony’
the look on ther faces is priceless
didn’t think it would be your bag but when your next over here I’ve found a hospice where you can easily sneak in. one bloke was stuck in world war 2. I went in in a luftwaffe uniform and told his he was to be executed. he went to bits.
quality
Thanks Gary.. Bridget has missed you mate…
More more more please!
Hmmm.. am I reading this correctly..? A bunch of chicks and almost no one into shopping..? HA!
Not so for this Bridget! She loves indulging in a shopping spree every once in a while! She’s big on shoes and lingerie, and she’s spoilt for choice in Dubai.
Fave shopping places are Paris and Sandton City (South Africa)though.
To combat the blues?
Bridget goes for long fast drives alone,
listen to classical music in the bath,
has a massage or a pedicure,
reads a funny book,
goes dancing on latino music
checks Flowers to see if Gary has come up with any hilarious stories to cheer her up
… and sometimes plain wallow in the sadness ha!
I say, nothing like touching rock bottom sometimes to be able to appreciate the good things in life!
LOL,
Nuff said BJ - you said it!
I agree Chook
You really do…
Down here we need to plan our shopping trip because its a 3 hour drive there and 3 hours back….. we save up over 3 months then hook up the trailer and off we go… no credit cards…. cash only…. the 4wd gets filled with the groceries and the trailer for everything else, big screen TV, freezers, car bits and anyother useless peice of materialistic junk we have enough money for…..
then we get home usualy about 4 am unpack the trailer and vehicle then view whatwe bought and we feel good with ourselves and the materialistic crap we have fillied our home with….
when we get up the next afternoon.. we glote over our wonderful shopping ability at purchasing loads of useless junk and get a warm fuzzy feeling inside which lasts until the next trip…..
that is all one can ask for…..
:evil”
AC
LOL aussie… sounds fun!
And no credit??!!! You mean people can live like that!? Argh… I can’t wait till we’re out of debt.
Seriously, no credit in the states… unheard of.
The only debt I have is my home loan and the repayments are less than rent….
I dont have a credit card, my power is prepaid and I dont have a mobile phone although I will have to get a new one but that will be prepaid aswell….
Our cars we saved for and paid cash, same as everything…
Its a bit old school but If we cant afford we wait until we can and then pay for it…. no credit ever….
best way to be….
Sounds like heaven AC, unfortunately it is something I have learnt way too late.
Chook, one day Bridget is gonna take you up on that invite you extended over Christmas and come check out Tasmania! The more I read from you, the more I want to find out about that lifestyle girl.
It will have to be in the next 12 months…. please come on down…. have a plan or dream depending on which way it goes.. will share later. on…. lol…
Its pretty darn good… and not that hard…
AC
I must admit I like shopping. but I much prefer shoplifting. If you can get a young child trained (ie under 10) they can’t even be tried in court.
its a winner
The locals here in Dubai don’t take that offence to lightly Urban,
Deportation after 6 months in the nick.
At last Dubai Dave,
The last Smash n Grab us flowers got away with was a close call.
Diamonds @ WAFI anyone?
My boys tried got caught by the cops after a time… then they had me to deal with … form what the cops told me they were afraid of what we do to them than any court…. heheheheheh…
6 month grounding, no outings, a got swift kick up the bum, and loss of all priveldges, (ps2, tv, dvd, pocket money, stereo, music, mates you name it they lost it) but they never did it again…..
AC
the best thing is though dave is to send the kids in with foil lined bags- the alarms will be nullified
also if they get caught they are on their own anyway
really looking forward to visiting Dubai on a retail liberation exercise- surely I can get some Indian labour to do a bit of work for us
A gap in the market O’ Urban one, for sure, or is it Urban Fagan?
Turns out that alot of Indian labour are now staying put UNLESS the Duabi government steps in and makes it worth their while
to pay them a decent wage worth expatriating for.
The abuse and exploitation has gone on long enough and at last its finally being brought out in the open.
shame that really
which nationality will fill the void?
my money is on mexicans
Retail Therapy sounds so ridiculous. I mean, it is exactly right and so true and I just cannot comprehend how it exists. Are these people who partake in retail therapy aware of the harm they’re doing to themselves.
How can someone not be aware of what they are doing to themselves.
There is a very very very simple solution to retail therapy.
JUST DON”T GO SHOPPING!