My 2025 shopping goal: Buy whatever I want.

No more numbers, no more nos. My new rule? There are no rules. Entering my Lawless Shopping Era. (Plus: how to know if you want something, key takeaways from 2024, and a go-forward plan.)

Trigger warning: I’m going to discuss eating as it parallels shopping in this newsletter. If that will be upsetting to you, please skip this one. Or drop down to the TL;DR at the bottom.

Also, this post is long. You’ll likely have to expand to read.

In 2024, after buying 25 items in the month of January, I took on the project of looking critically at my shopping. I did a one-item(ish) month. I started a shopping diary. I took the blindfold off and held myself accountable by detailing all my purchases here with you. I became much more aware of my feelings (both physical and emotional) while shopping. I had moments when I was like Eureka! I got it! And felt so good! And then I wrapped it all up with … a 26-item December.

This closing out of the year (and yes, I do cut myself some slack because it was a uniquely painful month — thank you, so many of you, for such a tender suggestion) made me realize that I need a dramatic reframe. I’m grateful I approached 2024 the way I did, and I learned from it. But we all know the definition of insanity. It’s time to do something different.