Why we shop

Feeling not enough. Not beautiful enough. Not young enough. Not slim, tall, muscular, curvy enough. Not feeling cool enough or smart enough or brave enough for the place we are going or the people we will meet there. 

We have been told for years by advertisers that this beauty product, dress, perfume, mascara, handbag or pair of shoes will magically make us enough. We will somehow impress people with our beautiful stuff, our beautiful smell or our beautiful lashes. Which actually has nothing to do with who we are. 

People rarely remember what bag or dress you had on. They are too busy worrying about how their bag or dress compares and whether they made the right choice to fit in and feel enough. They hardly even remember what you say or do most of the time. But people remember how you make them feel. And how you make others feel. 

So forget shopping. Start smiling at people, laughing with them and asking them questions. Compliment them, but not on their things, or their appearance. Compliment them on who they are and what they do and think. Be interested and interesting. Share your thoughts and ideas with people. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be challenging and be brave. But don’t be shopping 😝

You are more than enough.