mindful money moments

GUEST BLOGGER: EMMA PARKHURST

​One of my favorite things about summer is that it’s officially yard sale season. There’s nothing quite like organizing and tossing long forgotten items to make one wonder, “why do I have so much stuff”, or “why did I even buy this in the first place??” Applying principles of mindfulness to spending can help to avoid these common thoughts, and as an added bonus, can help us feel goodabout purchases. But first, what is mindfulness? 

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According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” Being mindful of your spending can mean choosing to spend more on high-quality, well-crafted items that support your community, or choosing not to spend money at all. When you apply mindfulness to spending, consider each dollar as an extension of your values – create an individual economy that focuses on what youlove, not what society tells you what you should love. 
Here are some ideas to start experiencing less “why do I have so much stuff” thoughts, and enjoying more mindful money moments: 

1. Check in with your body: take a moment to notice how you’re feeling, including any physical sensations, state of mind, any thoughts that arise or any emotions that are present. My favorite ‘check in’ questions are, “do I really need this” or “do I already have something similar to this”.
2. Tame the money shame: money can cause anxiety and shame for many of us, and it might be tied to a specific moment in your life. The best way to understand our own money shame is to think about past experiences. Take a moment to go through this worksheet – Understanding and Sharing Your Emotional History with Money, to better understand where your money shame might stem from.
3. Buy local or from a maker: spending more money locally means more money stays in the local community. Consider buying directly from a maker to support someone’s passion, time, and business. This is one of my ‘go-to' mindful spending habits since buying from friends and community makers is a win-win situation...they feel supported and I feel good about my purchase!
4. Identify your money habits: discover your personal money habits and attitudes with the fun resource, Money Habitudes. If you’re not familiar with Money Habitudes, be sure to check out this blog post to find out more.

Remember – a key component of mindfulness is to NON-JUDGMENTALLY pay attention to your thoughts and feelings around money. Happy mindful spending!
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