by Eoanna Petropoulacos

Created on: March 19, 2008

Therapy of the retail variety. The very thought is enough to gladden the heart and quicken your step to the nearest store. And, if you don't want to go out, it's as simple as firing up your computer and merrily clicking away on the website of your choice. Of course, with this second scenario you don't derive the same rush of instant gratification that you get by actually toting home your fresh buy in your hot little hands, but shopping, after all, is shopping, whatever the venue. And the element of retail therapy is still a refreshing sensation.

When the words "I think I'll go out and buy something new, something that I might not need, but something that will make me feel so good, nevertheless" scroll across the terrain of your mind, the time frame encompassing thought to action is fleeting. And off you go, avidly seeking the nearest store that will offer you the most therapeutic options for your well-being. There is, however, one dark spot in this delightful spree. Just be careful not to allow that therapeutic fix to send you crashing into debt. There is nothing more counter-productive and therefore, depressing, than discovering that your fun purchase has sprung fangs in your wallet. And there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING relaxing or happiness-inducing about the vision of imminent poverty looming large. So, just don't do it. Practice a modicum of restraint. Force yourself.

A small spree of buying something on a whim is always good for what ails you. It restores your mental outlook and makes you feel terrific. The purchase can be of the most minor variety, still it is enough to do the trick. Therapy doesn't have to have a high
price-tag to be effective. Your purchase can be a new eye shadow in the latest shade. Or perhaps it's a pair of sunglasses that make you feel like a glam star from a 60s Italian flick. It can be a piece of funky costume jewelry or something eclectic from a street fair. Whatever the purchase, no matter how minute, is absolutely worth it as long as it provides you with a deep satisfaction and rewarding sense of well-being. Shopping, like chicken soup, is good for the soul.

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