Shopping Experiment - coming to an end!

Well, I am all about experimentation because you never know how something will play out until you try it. And try I did! But now I am over it. My non-shopping experiment, that is.

What it boils down to is that cutting something out of my life entirely that I enjoy and does not incur harm to me or anyone else is not such a bright idea after all.

My goal was to figure out what I do with my time and one thing I determined is that I work more, relax less and feel like I miss a creative outlet in my life. Not the most desired outcome.

After hearing Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project speak last Thursday night at IGC it dawned on me that I my approach to the experiment, based on who I am, was flawed.

Gretchen (who is a remarkably genuine, knowledgeable and funny speaker) encourages setting resolutions in an effort to increase your happiness but to do so in a way that you can be successful in integrating these resolutions. For anyone who knows me, they would all probably agree that I do not like to be told "no". So saying NO shopping was not such a great strategy on my part. Instead, a better way to experiment was to say "Shop less" and define what that means, and hold myself to it.

Gretchen also pointed out that 80% of people who set new year's resolutions abandon them by mid-February. So at least I felt in good company with those who bail early. But according to Adelaide's logic, since my project was 3 months long (instead of a full year) I should feel pleased to have succeeded 75% of the way.

So here's to a great two month experiment. And now, as of March 1st... let the shopping begin!

posted by Amy Abrams