Today I spent the day shopping with my son and his girlfriend. We went to the mall to look around and have lunch inside a restaurant. A rare treat these days. In fact, in the past two weeks, I have spent more time in shopping malls and restaurants with my family than I have during the entire previous year. As the world is getting back to normal activities — post covid vaccinations —I have joined the land of the free-living and returned to one of our favorite American pastimes, mall shopping.
I feel amazing when I shop. (At least for the first couple hours.) I love looking around and seeing things that I may have never seen before. I also love people-watching. I enjoy getting a Starbucks coffee and walking around looking for bargains and “cute” things. I take it that other people enjoy shopping too, based on the number of people at the mall today. There were lines of people, shopping and spending their money on everything from Lululemon to Lego.
As I watched the people go by, I wondered whether shopping is actually good for us or are we simply distracting ourselves from life’s problems? The little bit of research that I did when I got home says that both things are true. Shopping is mentally and physically healthy for us when done in moderation.
Some experts think that shopping can help with loneliness, boredom, and depression. People that feel out of control in their lives can actually feel more in control when they make purchasing decisions. The feelings of accomplishment that come with the discovery of a good bargain may overcome low self-esteem. Shopping can bring family members closer as they work together to find something to buy. The act of shopping together acts as an emotional bonding activity.
A study published in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing, revealed that 62% of shoppers reported that they had purchased something to cheer themselves up, and another 28% had purchased something as a type of celebration. We use shopping to help us prepare for important events such as weddings, graduations, or new babies. The shopping that we do to prepare for life changes helps us to feel more in control of our future.
Shopping can also be good for us physically. I put a lot of miles on my feet in my trek around the malls these last couple of weeks. An article in The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that walking and carrying shopping bags burns off over 300 extra calories and that women walk an average of three miles for every two hours of shopping. Shopping gets you up off of your butt and onto your feet for a prolonged period of time. That is my kind of exercise!
The best thing about shopping is that it can be both relaxing and entertaining. The physical activity, interesting people, social interaction, and visual variety is a bit like visiting a museum — without the need for much intellectual thought. Losing yourself in a shopping excursion can help to clear your mind and clarify your objectives. As long as you remember to check the overspending, shopping is good for your heart and soul.
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