Spending and eating are both ways to feel better. Unfortunately, both of them have severe consequences. Obesity, clutter, and being in debt aren’t fun and make you feel far worse down the road.
The same techniques that work with food also work with spending money. I use to love to shop. Every time the urge to buy something came over me, I practiced pausing. I told myself that if I really wanted it, I could come back the next day for it. 9 times out of 10, I never went back the next day. Most of the time I’d completely forgotten about it and the urge was gone.
The same technique works for cravings. Distract yourself and wait until the urge passes. Most cravings will pass in 15-20 mins. Find something else to occupy yourself until then. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Get on the computer. You‘ll feel better about yourself and you’ll start to feel more in control.
Pausing is like a muscle; if you’re constantly giving in to your impulses, that muscle is very flabby. As you begin to practice pausing and riding out your urges to eat and spend, you begin to get better at it. It’s a learned skill that needs practice.
Food for Thought
Our relationship with food and money is a mirror of our relationship with all of life. It reflects our beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and deepest longings. We spend and eat how we are. When we are at peace and centered within ourselves, our eating and spending will reflect this. How you do food is how you do money!
Are you happy with what you see in the mirror?
Affirmation:
A clean and clear space is a reflection of a clear mind.
