Creating a Mindful Festive Season and Mindful Spending

The festive season and black friday are getting bigger and more excessive each year. Through this blog I’m going to share some tips and ideas so you can enjoy this time,  save some money and add more joy and peace to your festive season. 

We are exposed to so much these days, bloggers, bloggers, youtube, emails, socials. I love watching/reading these as much as the next person, getting seasonal ideas and inspiration but knowing where to stop and what's right for you as an individual isn't easy when you are exposed to so much noise. 

Shopping to excess used to be my go to, you maybe never knew this but when I was younger I was actually on the BBC series the Bank of Mum and Dad due to my shopping and debt. 

Now I am a lot more financially savvy and have learnt the lesson. We often shop to fill emotional needs such as connection, joy, happiness and we are trying to cultivate this through our purchases. But since emotions only last around 90 seconds in the body that will be a whole lot of shopping to keep hitting those high vibe emotions. 

So this blog will be two fold. 1 to help you save money and be mindful when it comes to shopping and gifting. 2 how to create the best christmas that you desire. 

Ideas to Try When Shopping: Here is a selection of ideas to reduce overspending,and support friends, loved ones and yourself with what you actually need. With the cost of living increasing significantly many people are struggling to pay bills let alone shop for gifts. So let's reduce the pressure and support each other the best way we can. Maybe gift vouchers for the supermarket take the weight and pressure off food shopping for a week. This might be so much more valuable than vouchers for a fancy restaurant for example. 

1: Gifts for yourself: Write a christmas list of things you would like, or are away to buy yourself. When friends, family ask be direct. Share what you would like. Use this time to receive things you need such as books you like, items of clothing, your fave toiletries, supplements and super foods (lol 😆 maybe thats just me).

2: When buying for friends and loved ones ask what they might like, give them a budget that works for you. Don't be shy and don't overstretch.

3: Keep a notebook with the name and gifts you have purchased and how much you spent. It’s so easy to overbuy or forget what you already have. This allows you to keep track of your spending and if you have kids etc to keep what you buy the same for them. 

4: Create an Amazon wishlist for you or your family. This still allows the element of surprise as you don’t know who will buy what, but also allows you to get what you need and the purchaser to select an amount they are comfortable with. 

5: Black Friday tips. Write a list of things you need or would normally buy. For example I am looking at a new mobile phone deal, a TV for our lounge and a new website hosting deal for my business. Things I was wanting to buy but have held off to see what deal I can get. Can you buy things in bulk at a discount of things you already use. 

6: Shop through a cash back site such as Quidco. You can find out more about cash back sites and best ways to use them here: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cashback-websites/ . This way you can earn some money back on what you are buying. I personally haven’t done this but have friends who do. I do however have taken a cashback credit card this year for this reason. But only purchasing what you can pay off each month with ease. 

7: Shop in alignment with your values and ethics. Consider your purchases and try to not impulse buy. Pause for a second and tune in. Its easy to get carried away. 

8: Why not make items for friends and loved ones. From foodstuffs, or gift your time and help, to homemade decorations. Have fun, channel your inner creative and gift something unique. 

9: Experiences and consumables. Gifting an experience is such a great way to create memories. Gifting experiences or consumables also reduces clutter and physical items. 

How to Create the Best Christmas Your Desire; Your idea of christmas is unique to  you. Thai will be based on traditions, religion, your values and more. Use these tips below to help guide you find joy and peace this festive season. 

1: Grab a cuppa and journal and get really clear on how you would love your ideal festive season to be. WHo do you want to see, what will you be doing, what activities do you love. Have fun. Having an idea of your desires is key and can help prevent doing things you don't enjoy and also missing out on the things you love. 

2: The next step is to start planning now. Get intentional. Start to schedule those holiday plans, events you want to go to, days at home, whatever you desire. Arrange to catch up with the loved ones you want to see. 

3: Connect to your values. What do you value about this time of year? Is it rest, connection, peace, fun, love, giving. Once you know this, try to stay true to your values in order to feel aligned. 

4: What rituals and traditions do you wish to maintain or start? Ritual and Intention and Traditions build memories and add depth and meaning to your festive season. Is it going to a carol concert, visiting a christmas market or is it spending christmas eve watching a movie. You decide. I’d love to hear your rituals and traditions. 

5: Check in with family and friends, chat about your festive season, what would they love to do? Plan fun things together.

6: To create peace try to maintain your habits and rituals that support you such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, gratitude, walks etc. This will help you feel safe, grounded and peaceful when you move out of your traditional routine. 

7: Keep things simple, don't overcomplicate. Reduce the overwhelm when it comes to meal planning, catching up with friends etc. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Ask yourself how can I simplify this. 

8: Boundaries, communicate with loved ones your needs and expectations. People are not mind readers and often we can feel upset when people dont have the same expectations as us. 

9: Create joy through joyful experiences. What brings you joy? Is it partying, volunteering, playing games, reading a book. Write a list of the joyful things you’d like this season and go have fun.

10: Reduce social media and comparison. By getting intentional you will feel more confident and aligned in how you want your Christmas to be. But try reduce triggering content, and anything that makes you feel less than. Stay mindful, clear and have fun. 

11: Find some alone and peaceful time to regroup and recentre. A bath, a walk, a moment in a cosy bed with a  book. 

I am truly wishing you the most amazing, aligned and wonderful time. I hope these ideas support you and let me know what you are going to try. 

With so much love and mindful moments. 

Susi xx