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Given that my birthday is in October and cool weather is coming in quickly where I live, I usually end up doing a bit of shopping to update my fall/winter wardrobe.  Shopping is something that I have a lot of fun doing, especially as I have learned to do it consciously.  In fact, I have so much fun, I have a developed a game to make shopping be what it should be – purchases that enhance your Spirit rather than weigh or deplete your Essence!  My friend encouraged me to share this game, as it really does allow you to stay aligned with your Authentic Self as you shop without either negating your Essence’s desires or your sense of abundance.

Unless you are a Freegan, who are people who opt out of consumerism altogether by dumpster diving (very noble, but not for me at this time), shopping can bring up challenges.

You will feel challenged when you:

• Only buy what you need rather than what you want
• Struggle with what you feel you deserve to have versus what you can afford
• Feel weighted down because you over-spent
• Fight with guilt afterward even though you didn’t over-spend
• Buy things you never use (especially because it was a good deal)

At one point or another, I have done all of the above, so I know firsthand how any one of the above will make you imbalanced.  The above challenges occur when your sense of abundance and worthiness are reacting in an unhealthy manner.  Although there is not enough room to get into the depth of this topic here (more to come in the near future though!), the shopping game is a way to find health and consciousness all in one.

What is best about this game is that it can be applied to whether you are shopping at a grocery store, thrift store, or department store.  The bottom line is that abundance really isn’t about how much something costs.  Abundance is how you feel.

Here is how the game is played:

1. Before setting out shopping, determine what you are willing to spend
2. Go into any store and don’t look at the prices
3. Gather the items that catch your eye (again, no price peaking)
4. Determine whether you:                                                                                                                                                          A. Need and love the item                                                                                                                                                          B. Love but there is no need                                                                                                                                                   C. Fits a need but don’t love                                                                                                                                                    D. Entices you but don’t love
5. Automatically get rid of Category D items above (entices you but don’t love).  This is shopping that will leave you empty.  Even though a part of you is saying, there is some value you don’t have a strong enough reaction to justify the purchase. (Common traps are you look good in it but don’t love it, you like that is was produced consciously etc… are not enough alone to justify spending).
6. Start with category “A” items (those you need and love) and ask yourself what you are willing to pay for that item, in terms of what you feel the item is worth and in which you would still feel good spending.
7. Now look a the price                                                                                                                                                                          A. If the price you are willing to pay is more than the price tag and it is a category A item, this item is now a probable purchase                                                                                                                                                                       B. If the price you are willing to pay is less than the price tag, put the item back                                                                 C. Repeat the process with the categories B and C

8. Go back to step #1, what you are willing to spend.  Highest ranking goes to those in category A and even those items can be categorized.

9. If there is room for category B and C items, you may do all or one of the following

A. Determine if you can do without the category C item until you find one you both love and need, if not make the purchase                                                                                                                                                                                                        B. Weigh if a category B item gives you both joy and a sense of value for what you are getting                                                                                                                                                                                                            C. If it is produced locally, sustainably, organically, recycled or fair trade, move up its ranking in a given category

**Special note: Keep an eye out for the over-active ego.  You will know this is occurring if there is no room for having a need, which means there is a struggle with self-worth causing a sense of deprivation.  In other words, you tell yourself something like I have perfectly good shoes, I don’t need boots (even though you live in a snowy climate).  Conversely, if you feel that everything falls into category A, your ego is overactive in a different way because you are substituting your worth with items.  )If you struggle with either of these scenarios, consider filling out my evaluation form for personal support, as this is impacting you in many ways outside of shopping).

This process is both fun and easy.  (Trust me, you’ll get the guidelines down in one or two tries). My friends and I LOVE it when we are doing a little wardrobe update, as it keep everything in perspective.  Plus, you can get each other to guess what their purchase price would be.  What I think is fun is that you can fill up your dressing room.  You aren’t “depriving” yourself from trying something on because of price.  In the end, you will find that there is usually only one or two things that you will end up purchasing.  Even better is that you will FEEL good inside and out for using your money in a way that feels good to you.  Now that is abundance!

Here’s to you living emotionally conscious and exceptionally well!

Michelle