Are You Addicted To Shopping?

Are you a binge buyer? Does retail therapy make you feel better after a bad day? How often do you hit the mall or shop online? How much are you willing to spend to make yourself feel better? Shopping without ever thinking about the costs is a big problem. It may even be an addiction.

A study by the American Journal of Psychiatry found one out of 12 people (nearly as many men as women) are compulsive shoppers — and their shopping habits often damage their work, relationships and finances.

Tips to dig yourself out of overspending. Ask yourself these questions when you’re shopping:

• Why am I here?
• How do I feel?
• Do I need this?
• What if I wait?
• How will I pay?
• Where will I put it?

Click here for the full interview on NBC Today’s show

What’s in Your Way of Living Fully Alive?

This week I ran into a barrier with my own thinking. All I could see was this BIG block that was getting in the way of achieving my goal. I felt hopeless and cynical. As I talked with my coach and close friends I realized I was more focused on the problem than the goal. I just needed to hear myself out, seek guidance from others and let go of the outcome. This was very freeing and led me to a renewed energy and commitment.

What I recognized is, that sometimes we all get stuck or even bogged down in our thoughts and feelings. This can lead to a “rut-way” of thinking; where your mind/thoughts travels down the road in a particular way that may not serve you. The rut leads you to a place you may not want to go. This kind of thinking can be one of those hindrances that rear their ugly head and stop you from moving forward toward your goal.

We all need people in our lives such as a life coach, therapist, good-listening friend and a community of people to come along side us when needed.

I’ve been talking about celebrations for the last few weeks and would like to share with you about Celebrate Recovery. This is a free program that offers healing and hope for our hurts, habits and hang-ups. This group is offered in the United States and internationally. Check out the website if you are interested in more information. Opportunities like this help us to live fully alive and abundantly! Check it out! http://www.celebraterecovery.com/

We also have a group locally in Rapid City if you would like to attend. We celebrate each Friday night from 6:30-8:30 at Rimrock E Free Church in Johnson Siding. Call me if you need more information at 605.342.0478 or email me at lauralongville@inatm.com

Are YOU Listening?

Fall is talking to you. Are you listening? Fall is natures time to S L O W down. If Mother Nature deems it important to slow down; I think we should listen to such wisdom!

Nature has its natural way of taking care of itself. It has a process of change that it organically goes through. Mother Nature can teach you to take the time to turn inward and slow your pace. Doing this when you’re in a transition of some kind, can ease the awkwardness or unfamiliarity that change can bring.

Your valiant attempts to keep life the same despite the change that’s happening can manifest like this:

• Physically tired, sore throat, headaches and tension.



• Frequently feeling agitation and frustration



• Misplacing your cars keys, forgetting appointments or losing your wallet

Typically when we experience these things we try harder or lash out in anger. Why not do something different. Instead of resisting, listen.

Try these 2 things in the next week and see how this might change your life:

1. Notice your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. What are they trying to say to you? Listen to your body. You have a plenty to say to yourself. Nature listens to itself and naturally goes with the change in weather. Why not you?
   


2. Deliberately close to slow down in one area of your life. Be intentional and conscious about where you can slow down. One strategy that can help with this is to listen to soft and peaceful music. Music can help the mind and body slow down its tempo.

When you listen to you, you are attending to your own needs. Doing so through a time of change will help you find new ways to see yourself, your situation and your future. With this new perspective, your transition may become stress-free.

Change: It’s like death and taxes. It’s the only thing that’s for certain.

Last week you identified what kind of change or transition you’re in. My guess is you have more than one area of your life where there is a change occurring. Now consider the season of change you in. Is it a wellness, life cycle, personal or professional change? Keep that situation in mind as you ask yourself these next few questions.

These questions can help you look at the “season of change” you’re in from a different angle. Put an X on the continuum that describes your situation.

1. Did you initiate the transition you are experiencing or was this change triggered by external forces?
Self-Initiated-------------------------------------------------------------------Forced

2. Did you anticipate the change or did it can catch you by surprise?
Anticipated----------------------------------------------------------------Unexpected

3. Do you think your transition is a “good” one or a “bad” one.
Good--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bad

4. Do you consider this change to be timely in nature or untimely? (A timely change is one that happens during the appropriate phase of life. An untimely change is one that happens in a different phase of life than expected.)
Timely--------------------------------------------------------------------------Untimely

Using these 4 questions can help you gain new insight. The questions can also help you recognize where you may feel more empowered or where you may need to gain additional support and encouragement. Sometimes it’s helpful to talk about each of these questions in depth. Take time to share your awareness’s with someone who will listen with an open mind and heart.

If you would like an unbiased perspective give me a call and let’s see how we can move you through this transition. Call me at 605 342/0478 or email at lauralongville@inatm.com.

Look in next week’s ezine on how the season of change we are moving into-Fall. We will take a look at how the seasons of the year relate to season on change. See you next week.