Ask yourself if you are adding this thing, event, or commitment because it adds value or because it distracts you from pain; the pain of boredom, frustration, or uncertainty. Is there a better way to ease the pain?
When I stopped shopping for every event and emotion, instead of stuffing my feelings, I listened to them. Instead of shopping away pain or worry, I felt it. I started to understand that those feelings were my heart’s way of saying, “Hey, something isn't right”—not “Let’s go buy things.”
Now, when I feel myself getting stressed, tired, sick, frustrated, or bored, I take better care of myself. I know it’s time to make a change, not time to go shopping.