Impulsivity, purchases (and how to manage them)

A recent purchase I made inspired me to share this with you all.

I made a conscious, if not controlled, purchase the other day, buying multiple books.

If I were sensitive, I would buy one book first, then maybe the next one, and so on.

Especially when already reading multiple books at the same time.😅

Do I really need to buy 4 more on a whim?

If you struggle with impulsivity and making impulsive choices in your life, this one will be helpful for you.

It may strike one as an impulsive buy.

But it wasn’t actually an impulse buy because I gave it some thought beforehand. Impulsivity has always been a big one in my life (part of ADHD), so I wanted to share what helped me and how to manage it when you also feel the urge to purchase something.

When impulsivity strikes, we act without thinking or planning.

It can often lead to negative consequences when we act on impulse.

It can also lead to beautiful experiences or to things happening when the impulse is followed as consciously as possible.

But what is the difference, and how can we be impulsive with more good than bad outcomes?

The following 2 factors are helpful whenever impulsivity hits.

Time

Presence (and feeling regulated)

When you feel the urge to buy something, give it 72 hours. This may be a bit of financial advice, too, but hear me out:

When impulsivity hits or you see something you really want to purchase, please write it down and revisit it in 72 hours. Do you still want/need it in 72 hours?

This extra time will allow for the impulsive thought to settle a bit, and here comes my 2nd point: presence and feeling regulated.

When you have the impulse to act on something or you feel like you REALLY need to buy the item, otherwise you can't be happy and your life and whatnot depend on it, it is often a sign of dysregulation within body & mind.

What does it mean to be dysregulated? It means part of your nervous system is stuck in a fight, flight, freeze or fawn response. This is a topic that could fill another few blog articles, but to keep it simple, the following are some signs of your nervous system feeling dysregulated:

• feeling intense or overly intense emotions ("I can't live without this purchase!!)

• feeling restlessness

• brain fog

• fatigue

• moving a lot/shaking/tapping

• self-sabotage

• struggle with focus

• racing thoughts

Going back to the impulsive purchase example.

What else can be done besides giving it 72 hours to think about the purchase?

Making sure you are making your decision from a regulated place.

With chronic stress, fast-paced lives, and the influences in our lives, 72 hours may not be enough for someone to regulate. Especially if you are not used to it and dont practise any self-care or nervous system regulating practices.

So the next time, when you are about to make an impulsive purchase or decision:

• Wait 72 hours

• self-regulate

And see how it will impact your purse and life decisions!

Let me know if that works for you!
Cornelia