10 Things to Do Instead of Shopping
Black Friday is almost upon us. But we don’t have to give in. We don’t have to follow the crowd. We don’t have to live by default and partake in the madness. We don’t have to let this day consume us.I know it’s hard to go against the grain, to swim upstream. But I’ve done it in my life and I know you can, too. It just takes intention and commitment.To help you out, I’m sharing 10 things that you can do instead of giving in and battling the crowds.
- Sleep in - if you’re sleep deprived, use this day to catch up on your shut-eye
- Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while (or Skype if you can)
- Go outside - the beach, a hike, your patio, anything to breath in some fresh air (and hopefully get some sunshine!)
- Exercise - pushups, a yoga app routine, running or a couple hours at the gym, whatever gets your heart pumping
- Watch TED talks - instead of opening up your wallet, open up your mind
- Decorate - for the holidays if that’s something you do, if not, choose a room in your house to freshen up or even “undecorate” if it’s become too “full” for you
- Read a book - a real one or one an e-reader (that isn’t connected to the internet where online shopping ads might tempt you)
- Volunteer - find a local organization (animal shelter, clothing bank, church) and give a few hours of your time
- Plan a vacation - (studies show that planning a vacation can be just as exciting as actually going on it) and know that the money you saved from buying “things” is being put toward something with much greater rewards
- Spend time doing your hobby - (instead of shopping for more supplies for it) bake cupcakes, knit a scarf, complete a scrapbook, build a shelf, and if you can do it with friends, that’s even better
Often making something into a game or challenge can provide motivation to follow through. And having someone hold you accountable makes it even more motivating. In this spirit, I’m challenging you to do something besides shopping this weekend. Choose from the list above, or pick something else. And when you do, join me on Facebook to share what you did so we can all be inspired by each other.Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving weekend!Lisa