Coping With Shopping Withdrawal at Christmas and The Happiness Project

My two favorite snowmen.

It can be kind of depressing at this time of year when it seems everyone is out shopping and you have little to no money to spend. I pared my shopping list down this year so that I am already done buying my few gifts. I didn't let myself look at the mall or my favorite stores. I just went where I knew I could get what I needed to get. I did treat myself and my granddaughter to a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, yum.

I keep telling myself it's not about gifts, but it's hard to break those habits and so I'm glad I have some other things to think about like my decluttering. I took another load to Goodwill and that will probably be the last until after Christmas.

The other thing that I'm into right now is this book The Happiness Project. She has a blog here. I finished reading it and am rereading it. I skipped some of her chapters where she wanders into Buddhism and also some of the chapters that just didn't apply to me like marriage. She has some interesting ideas in the book and an interesting way of looking at happiness. I made a list last night of what made me happy yesterday and found that a lot of things did, so that was nice.

 She is a bookish person and so I identify with her is many ways and it makes me feel better about the fact that I'd rather read a book than go to a party. She talks about being herself and that is something it has taken me many years to be able to do. So it is an interesting read and I think I will try some of her ideas in the new year.

Linda