my NEW approach to a low buy year // introducing the year of contentment: my why, goals, and rules 

I really like your point about taking care of our items, cleaning them, organizing them and showing them appreciation. I think this is humbling and builds a level of discipline too.

I love "the year of contentment" as a concept, because I agree--sometimes no buy/minimalism/frugality content can start to feel like as much of a contest as consumerism, except instead of "who can have the most trendy clothes/makeup/whatever," it's "who can have the least amount of things possible? who can do the most dramatic declutter?" When really the point is to just be happy, whatever that looks like for you. I'm also doing a low buy where I have set budgets for certain categories; my goal is to save money while still also having enough leeway that I can actually stick to my rules. Also, LOVE the idea of a wardrobe maintenance day--I've finally started learning how to make small repairs to my clothes, and it makes me feel so good!! Especially when I can extend the life of a favorite item. :)

Love this concept!! Such a refreshing mindset. If you're into daily affirmations I have found adding "I have everything I need" really helpful during my no-buy and I think it fits the theme of contentment perfectly! Thanks for the content ☺️ x

You will do well in life with such thought out self examination. With that, as a much older woman, I have one word for you: Gratitude. Meditate on being grateful for your life and many other incidentals seem to melt away. That’s my experience at least. Happy Contentment Year!

You are so right ! This year instead of a simple low buy year, my key word is : "savourer" (taste, enjoy). Concentrating on less makes you feel deprived. Concentrating on all you have makes you feel rich, grateful and makes the aim of acquiring more useless. Reverse of the same coin but much more positive !

Just subscribed. I have much to catch up as I intend to marathon the channel. I appreciate what I’ve watched so far. You have a much healthier way to handle your love for makeup and how it relates to consumerism. Thank you for having the courage to expose this subject and put yourself out there. Can wait to see what 2022 brings to your channel. 🤩 Much love to you 🥰🥰🥰🥰😘

I really like that you added the bit about appreciating not just your life, but yourself and your skills!

What a great mindset shift! I’ve been doing a low buy for two months and I’m sooooo focused on things! It’s put an accent on things more than before

I was not aware of your channel prior to this video popping up in my feed. I am so happy to have found you! The year of contentment resonates with me in so many ways. I applaud you for your courage and insightfulness and appreciate your willingness to share this journey with all of us. I am subbing and look forward to joining you in this project. Wishing you all the best this year and beyond!

Hi there! I just found your channel thanks to a recommendation on the makeup rehab subreddit. I'm looking forward to your year of contentment project! I'm doing a "no-buy" (really a low-buy) year, but one key aspect is I left room to buy one item per month from a restricted category but only while shopping with a friend. This kind of shopping as a social experience is so far removed from my problem behaviour with shopping that it really lives in another realm, and I want to be able to do it, especially since socialising is still hard to come by for me (in the UK, still working from home). I appreciated your note about shopping as an experience from that angle. I'm also planning to spend more time caring for my things, especially cleaning my shoes and carefully washing my wool jumpers -- and even my home itself. I feel that not only is it an act of appreciating what I already have but also a tactile interaction with the physical world which my too-online brain needs. I'm really happy I found your channel!

This is the same problem i noticed in decluttering and project pan. People still make the focus the stuff, and the act of decluttering or panning becomes the hobby itself. It's so strange to me!

I love this so much. 😩🥺♥️ So incredibly relatable. I am wishing you all the best for this year!

Loved hearing about this Shawna!! So inspiring and I can't wait to see what's next from you

Wow this was exactly what I needed!! Thank you so much im joining you in the journey 😭

Yes yes yes!💕 I think your resolutions for 2022 are exemplary and totally good! I really hope it's a great year for you and I'm already looking forward to each of your videos!💞😍

This is my favorite video you made. I related to this deeply. 💕

Hi! I know this is an old video, but i relate so much with it!! I dont get along with restrictions also, and this 2 years were like if my life was in a frozen state... I went into a depression, which didn't helped the situation, because i started spending a lot on clothes (a thing that i never ever did before!!)... So i will gather some inspiration in your video to start my own journey on setting new goals, and living my life actively!! Thank you so much and much love from Portugal

Wow. This is a revelation! What an amazing mind shift.

Hi Shawna, I am fairly new to your channel and I can't tell you how much you are helping me. I agree with the discontent issue. Totally. Thank you for your wisdom :) You have helped me to me more grateful!

Lol I used to say the same thing. Now I’m thinking of doing a house tour with my broken garage doorknob you have to use a heavy stapler to hit the lock to open. I want that to be a new trend.

I really appreciate your videos! 🎉

Hi Shawna, I've just found your channel and am in a similar space myself. I've just started reading The Art of Frugal Hedonism which seems to really echo a lot of what you are talking about here. I first found out about the author and the book on the podcast - Routines & Ruts - its the episode from 30th Nov 2020 and also a great one from Summer 2018 in the Slow Podcast, but I think the R&R one gave me more insight. Good luck

You are so smart

Great video, I dont think we ever find our comfort zone in the no/low spend. I am trying so hard. I am just happy when I don't spend money LOL. I think contentment is a huge feeling, I hope to find it soon! Also I love your sweater!

This is interesting to me. Do you follow Hannah Louise Poston? On one of her videos, maybe in Patreon, she was talking about how seratonin (contentment) is basically the cure or balance to impulsively going for a dopamine hit (instant gratification.) Before I came across your channel I had been thinking about this, and how to really have a sense of contentment in life. Your year of contentnent focus may have actually been what drew my attention in, but I wanted to come back to the beginning of the project instead of starting in the middle (on an update.) It's interesting how these things happen. Finding your channel, when I had so recently been thinking about a state of being more content is like a nod from the universe. A message that yes, this is the path. What brings you contentment may different than what brings me contentment, but I think I'll still enjoy following you along on this project. Or as HLP would say, I'll be following the progression of this project with great interest.

Dearest Shawna, Not only I start enjoying my shoes but will also show appreciation by cleaning them. I really liked your jumper. It matches the colour of your eyes.

Wow, this idea is so powerful. I'm about to do my first low buy ever and I'm hoping to use up more than $200 worth of products this year. Since I used up $200 last year. I would love to see how you simplify routines in your life. I generally need help with organizing, decluttering, and being a better home keeper. I'm thinking of doing more lifestyle vlogs including these things since I'm obsessed with clean with me type videos.

are you going to include things like hand soap, dish sponges, etc.- not necessarily something you buy very frequently but still necessities

Question: ive lost 60 lbs and my goal is to lose 50 more. Should i wait to buy clothes till i lose all the weight? I had weight loos surgery so its not a lofty goal. So i will go from a size 20 to a size 10. Or should i have a core wardrobe for weight loss? Edit: I'm not bragging about my weight loss. Im really spending a lot of thought on wardrobe

Wow, amazing tracker! Is there way to share? Or how did you set it up? Is it in notion?

I don’t have a nice house, am 60 and have bad teeth that’s why o so t start a channel.