Psychology Today published the results of three new studies on buying behavior in a recent article. It’s fascinating to read about these studies. I enjoy reading about the methodology, the hypothesis, the findings, and how we can interpret them in our world. This is the world of individual consumers, trying to make good choices that will make them happy for longer than the receipt’s ink dries.
Read the entire article. It cites a study called “Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don’t,” which concluded that buyers could be unhappy buying material goods and just as painful buying experiences.
Do you feel this purchase reflects your personality?
The article continues to state that “When it comes down to buying, happiness lies in identity expression. Does a purchase reflect your values and personality? You will feel happier if it does. To put it another way, happiness is about “knowing thyself” and then acting on that knowledge.
It’s a great way to connect with me on fundamental levels.
I’ve been talking about fashion, clothing, and style for some time. Self-expression is the key to your style. This topic has been discussed many times, but here is my favorite, and here is my favorite.
This article outlines three ways you can find your self-worth through shopping.
Before you make any purchase or other decisions, pause and think: Have such decisions made me happy in the future?
Ask yourself, “What kind of person am I?” What is most important to you? What would you do in such a situation?
Ask yourself this question: Who am I trying to be? Which decisions will make my life more fulfilling in the future?
Finally, Psychology Today suggests that these three questions will bring together your past, present, and future selves to help you express your values and personality better. You will gain a greater sense of yourself and what you want to be. ”
These three questions and the conclusion are very appealing to me. It resonates with my values and what I recommend to others regarding conscious shopping.
Essential questions for the conscious shopper:
Think about the place you shop in your daily life. Is shopping at its rightful place in it? Is it consuming too much energy, time, and thoughts? You should think about what makes you happy (something I have been exploring for the past seven months).
Playfully and lightly explore styles to express who YOU are. Style is dynamic and alive because it says something that, even though it has a solid foundation, is still dynamic and alive. Creating style insight is always a work in progress.
Think about your style and shopping in the context of your entire life. It is too important not to live your life. Living is a way to express yourself – you should live your life fully, richly, and on your terms.
This is something that I have personally incorporated into my buying behavior – understanding what I buy and how vital personality and values are in that equation has helped me shop more mindfully.
You can be true to yourself and live a life you love by being true to yourself.