Hi everyone, Shalom Aleichem!
Good morning GanSist everyone! 
In Superwoman Series #110, we discussed that there are much more important things than just having a partner. One of the common threads from this discussion is the importance of building self-quality before pursuing external validation. However, building self-quality is not only related to education, work, health or social relations. There is another challenge that is often not realized, namely the ability to control oneself from excessive shopping habits.
In the digital era, shopping has become a very easy activity. With just a few touches on the mobile phone screen, various items can be purchased immediately without having to leave the house. On the one hand, this convenience provides benefits. However, on the other hand, this convenience can also trigger uncontrolled shopping behavior.
In the world of psychology, compulsive buying behavior (compulsive buying disorder) has long been of interest to researchers. This habit is not just a lifestyle issue, but can be related to impulse control, emotional regulation, and certain mental health conditions. Many people shop not because they really need an item, but because they want to reduce feelings of anxiety, boredom, sadness or fear.
The good news is, this habit can be changed. It’s not easy, but every small step towards self-control is a victory worth cherishing.
On Superwoman SeriesThis 111th time, I will discuss what is actually happening when Sista is trying to recover from her shopping addiction.
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1. Sista has a brave mentality because she dares to fight panic, including fear of disease
Not everyone who has a shopping addiction buys clothes, bags, or cosmetics. Some people are actually encouraged to buy excessive amounts of vitamins, supplements, medical devices or medicines because they are afraid of experiencing certain diseases.
In psychology, this condition can be related to health anxiety or hypochondria. In some people, excessive worry about their body condition can encourage continuous security-seeking behavior, including buying various health products that are not necessarily needed.
When you begin to realize that fear should not dominate your life, and then choose to manage it through regular exercise, a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, and medical examinations as needed, you are actually showing extraordinary courage.
Courage does not mean never feeling afraid. Courage means continuing to make healthy decisions even though fear is still there.
Exercise has been proven to strengthen the body’s endurance and help blood circulation. Meanwhile, a nutritious diet supports physical health as well as brain function which plays a role in controlling emotions.
In other words, Sista is changing the habit of buying as an excessive fear into a habit of taking real care of your body. That’s the mentality of a Superwoman.
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2. You are suppressing the impulses that have been hindering your success
Every time you have the urge to open a shopping application, see a discount, or add an item to your shopping cart, there is actually a quite complex psychological process.
The human brain has a reward system (reward system) which is influenced by neurotransmitters such as dopamine. The anticipation of obtaining a new item can give rise to a momentary feeling of pleasure so that a person is encouraged to repeat the behavior. However, this feeling of happiness usually doesn’t last long. After the euphoria disappears, the desire to buy again appears. This is what is known as the behavioral reinforcement cycle.
When you start saying that you don’t need that item and then close the shopping application, cancel the transaction, or choose to go home without buying items you don’t need, you are actually training the part of your brain that functions to control impulses. The more often you do this exercise, the stronger your ability to control yourself will be.
Those small decisions may seem simple, but their impact is huge. Money that is not spent can be transferred into savings, investments, education funds, or business capital. More importantly, Sista is fighting the mindset that has been secretly hindering success. Great success is almost always built through the ability to postpone momentary gratification for greater benefit in the future.
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3. Sista is growing into high value woman
Term high value womanare often misunderstood only as women who look attractive or have a high income. In fact, the value of a woman is much deeper than that. A high-value woman is a woman who is able to control herself, is not easily controlled by advertising, is not easily carried away by trends, does not buy something just because other people also buy it, and understands the difference between needs and wants.
On the contrary, shopping addiction slowly erodes many important qualities. When someone is constantly chasing instant gratification through shopping, a lot of their mental energy will be spent thinking about the next item. Uncontrolled spending can also trigger financial stress, family conflict, and even regret.
In the long term, this condition can reduce the ability to make wise decisions. In addition, women who continue to rely on validation through new items often miss the opportunity to build much more meaningful self-quality.
Instead of spending time chasing discounts, it’s better to learn new knowledge. Instead of continuing to buy new things, it is better to enrich your knowledge. Rather than seeking happiness from the packages that arrive every week, it is better to build happiness through healthy relationships, meaningful work, and a strong life of faith. These are all things that slowly shape a woman into a mature, independent and authoritative person.
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4. Sista proves that Sista is not a weak woman
Controlling yourself is often much more difficult than defeating others. There was no applause when you successfully closed the shopping application. There is no reward when you decide not to buy things you don’t really need. However, this strength is still strength. Psychology refers to this ability as self-controlnamely the ability to regulate thoughts, emotions and behavior so that they remain aligned with long-term goals.
Various studies show that self-control is associated with better health, more stable financial conditions, higher academic and work performance, and healthier social relationships.
In other words, every time you dare to say “no” to the temptation of impulsive shopping, you are strengthening your personality. Sista is showing that life decisions are not controlled by momentary emotions. Sista is proving that instant dopamine no longer rules life.
A woman’s strength is not measured by how many things she has, but by how much she is able to control herself when temptation comes. This is one of the main characteristics of a Superwoman.
Being strong doesn’t mean living without temptation. The journey out of shopping addiction doesn’t always go smoothly. There will be days when temptation feels very strong. There will be times when feelings of tiredness, loneliness, or sadness appear again and invite you to seek escape through shopping.
This does not mean that Sista’s struggle has failed. Behavior change does take time. Psychologists explain that forming new habits requires repeated practice. The more often a person chooses a healthy response, the stronger the new habit path that is formed.
Therefore, don’t be too hard on yourself if you are still tempted occasionally. The most important thing is to return to the original goal and continue the change process.
Build simple habits such as making a shopping list before going to the store, giving yourself a few days before buying the items you want, limiting exposure to promotions, creating a monthly budget, and diverting free time to exercise, reading, or developing new skills. These simple steps may seem small, but if done consistently they will have a big impact on your mental health and financial condition.
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CLOSURE
Being a strong woman doesn’t mean never being tempted to shop. Being a strong woman means being able to recognize temptation, understand its causes, and then make healthier decisions.
Every time you choose exercise instead of panic, choose nutritious food instead of buying unnecessary medicine, choose saving instead of impulsive shopping, and choose long-term goals over instant gratification, you are actually building the best version of yourself.
This is what it means to be Superwoman. Superwoman is not the woman who has the most full closet or the largest collection of things. Superwoman is a woman who has the courage to control herself, maintain her physical and mental health, build her future with wisdom, and not let consumer habits determine the direction of her life.
Because, in the end, the greatest strength is not when we are able to buy whatever we want, but when we dare to say, “I don’t need it”, and still feel full of peace.
Superwoman Series #111 reminds us that true strength is born from self-control. When you are able to overcome the momentary impulse for a better future, that is when you are proving that you are much stronger than any temptation.
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SOURCE
One Hundred Percent Male Y*ut*be Account (but adapted to a female style)
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Black, D. W. (2007). A review of compulsive buying disorder. World Psychiatry, 6(1)14–18.
Grant, J. E., Potenza, M. N., Weinstein, A., & Gorelick, D. A. (2010). Introduction to behavioral addictions. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5)233–241.
Milkman, K. L., Minson, J. A., & Volpp, K. G. (2014). Holding the hunger games hostage at the gym: An evaluation of temptation bundling. Management Science, 60(2)283–299.
Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72(2)271–324.
World Health Organization. (2022). Physical activity. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-s…sical-activity
American Psychological Association. (2023). Managing stress for a healthy mind and body. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
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