Tag: amazon

I Wanted to Feel Better

John Corrigan

It was a long day for her and she had dealt with some stressful situations, as soon as she put on the dress she started to feel the stress melt away. It is called retail therapy and the act of shopping can and does release dopamine and make us feel less stressed. Let us back up one second dopamine is actually released prior to the purchase as well as during the purchase of an item. So, scrolling through Amazon comparing prices and not buying them can help reduce stress almost just as much as actually buying the product does.

There are many ideas as to why the act of shopping provides us with dopamine but one of the major reasons is that shopping gives us a sense of control and a reward.

Shopping addiction is not retail therapy and it can be pretty awful for individuals and society. Here is a pretty good online article that outlines the negative effects of consumerism. In the article the writer mentions that the current rate of consumerism is something unsustainable and that

If everyone lived like western consumers we would need 5 planets to support us.

The world counts. Available at: https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/state-of-the-planet/number-of-consumers
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Consumerism may provide a quick high that helps us to relieve stress, but the cost of rampant consumerism is to much. Some great alternatives to retail therapy that also provide us with dopamine from control and reward include but are not limited to

  • Exercise
  • Building something
  • Reading
  • Spending time with Family and friends
  • Reading

Everything in this list gives you control, reward and releases dopamine. So why do we do it? Why do we consume? Well we are trained our whole lives to consume so there is the way we were raised. We have to buy food and supplies to live so we consume to live. Did you know that, impulse buys at the grocery store account for 62% of the overall sales?

Why not buy more while we are here? I do not need it and before seeing it I didn’t want it but, why not buy it? After that first impulse buy many many more can and do happen, its a slippery slope.

How can we avoid and reverse rampant consumerism then? I think to avoid this rampant consumerism we should first and foremost be thoughtful in our purchases. Asking why.

  • why am I buying this?

asking how much

  • how much will this cost me?
  • how much will it cost society?
  • how much will it cost the planet?

asking what else

  • what else can I do to satisfy this need?
  • what else can I do with the cost for this need?
  • what else can I purchase that will make less of an impact on society (a used car is actually much better for the earth than a new one and there are already many used electric vehicles on the market)?

No matter what you do know that you deserve to treat yourself to better mental health regiments than just a shopping trip.

When the idea becomes more

John Corrigan

I read a book called syrup. The book was written by one of my most favorite authors Max Barry. The book like all the Max Barry books I have read so far was satire. Max Barry is a genius with this genre and his books are all fast reads if you are looking for an author to follow on Amazon (I know that you are always looking for an author to follow (really did you know that you can follow authors on Amazon? It’s pretty cool when the new books come out you will know )) the author to follow is Max Barry. In the book syrup there is a line.. “The average person has three million-dollar ideas per year” -Max Barry (Syrup) That is basically how the book starts, explaining that the difference between the average person and the millionaire is that the millionaire acts on their ideas.

In 2004 there was a Jack Black movie called Envy. The movie was good and the protagonist and maybe antagonist was played by Jack Black. Every day Jack Blacks character would get a ride to work with the character played by Ben Stiller. Everyday Jack Blacks character on the way to work would describe an idea to Ben Stiller’s character. Jack Blacks character applied effort to some of his ideas and one of the ideas blossomed into a successful business, of course then the Envy sets in Jack Blacks character is tone deaf and comedy ensues.

Hellen Keller is attributed with many quotes one that is apropos of this post would be “ideas without action are useless” — Hellen Keller.

Hellen Keller is correct in this quote and idea without action is useless. Actions are hard and not for the faint of heart. I know you have some great ideas in you and I know that the world will be better off if you can act on them.

  • Believe in yourself

I know it seems crazy but one reason ideas never manifest into reality is a lack of belief in ones infinite potential, whatever the idea is you can make it happen but it will not be in a vacuum.

  • Seek help and support

No one is self made we are all products of at least one joint effort from our parents. No millionaire has made themselves a millionaire. Behind every success is a team of talented and driven people, find these people treat them like the champions they are and do something awesome together.

  • Keep grinding

Every time I see the word grind I think about coffee (man I love coffee) Its so good! We have to grind coffee beans so that we can make delicious drip coffee and when you are putting your idea into reality you will have to grind away daily and nightly so that you can make the idea happen.

  • Be patient

Good ideas, great products or systems are not built overnight it just seems like it. The team of people that built the product or system worked behind the scenes for years on that thing. Great things are like Icebergs most of the effort is hidden below the surface of the water

I know that whatever your idea is you can do it. I have seen some amazing things in my life done by all kinds of people.

peace

john3c

How to make others

John Corrigan

My wife bought and has started using a halo (she has always had one since I’ve known her) actually, it is called the Amazon Halo Band. The Amazon Halo Band will track sleep fitness and over all health as long as you wear it. Full disclosure here, I am an Apple fanboy. I am still rocking the 1st generation Apple watch. Why am I rocking the 1st gen watch? Well it still works and I love it however, at the beginning of this year I made a new years resolution to loose some weight and if.. no no WHEN I loose 20 lbs I plan on rewarding myself with a brand new shiny Apple watch.

Last night my wife was showing me her new fitness band and one feature that she loved. The band will analysis the tone of your voice and tell you how based on your tone others are perceiving you. I thought this feature was incredible! She turned on the feature and as she and I spoke the words happy, confident and amused floated across her I phones screen (the band works with I phones). I was blown away by the technology and the geek and me wanted to know how it worked what was the algorithm used for making these calls? How do you analysis tone? Is timbre involved?

The human/husband/bestfriend was kind of pleased with the words that floated across the phones screen as she spoke. It is very important in a relationship to build up the other person. You will be at your best when the other person is also at their best. I loved that my wife felt all those things while she and I were speaking. Don’t get me wrong my wife is fun, kind, smart, confident woman. I did nothing to make her that way either but I never want to be the reason that she feels bummed out, unhappy, dumb, mean or shamed.

I will admit I have been angry with some people and I have treated them in a way that would (if they paid any attention to my words) make them feel bad and that is not great. I think that we should always use our words to make others feel at the very least safe. When it comes to loved ones we should certainly use our words to make them feel like they are the most important people on the planet!

According to this Linkedin in post, an average of 7000 words leave your mouth per day. At the very least I hope that a majority of the words are perceived as uplifting and complimentary. Sometimes it can be hard to build. It always seems harder to build than it does to tear down but its builders that make a difference.

Humanity has been on this earth for 300000 years and accomplished some amazing and some truly horrific feats. Lets work together with our words to make the majority of humanities feats going forward truly amazing and good.

peace

john3c