November No Buy: What three weeks of no shopping does to a person

Here we are! Week Three of the November No Buy.

This past week, I had the chance to really take stock in what I have. I was cleaning my home and noticed I had a few extra sweaters that I may have only worn once or twice.

What started as some sweaters I don't wear anymore very quickly turned into a pile for things to give away. 

It occurred to me: I have most of what I want, but everything I need. Contrary to marketing people and various brands and just our consumer culture, I don't NEED new things. I don't need the latest and the greatest. I don't need to run out and burn up pay checks to be happy or to even be content. I have what I need. And now I have the opportunity to give to other what they might need. 

I guess it stands to reason, since Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday, that the word for this week is Gratitude. And not just gratitude for things, even though having things we need AND want is great. 

I'm not even talking the gratitude for how my life is going, although I am grateful to have a job that I like, a business that I love, a calling to fulfill and a God to serve.

But the gratitude I'm talking about is gratitude for people. 

I am grateful to have a healthy and happy family. I am grateful to have beautiful and encouraging friends. I am grateful to have a supportive and loving community surrounding me. I am grateful to have an adoring and challenging boyfriend. I am grateful that God has blessed me with all of these things and I'm grateful I get to be a part of this beautiful story called life.

And if this deeper understanding is the takeaway from simply not shopping for a few weeks, well then, I guess I'm grateful for that too.