Happy Cyber Monday! I am sure of any article that I write, post, or share this will be one of my wife’s favorites. For many of you online shoppers, or shoppers of any capacity you know that today is the largest single online sales day of the year. Promoted by online retailers as a day for exceptional bargains, this day is special for all who want to get additional value for their purchases. By now most of you have had to adjust your email filters, and purge your deleted email files as you manage through all of the deals being offered. This effort is a well-planned marketing event, all because you are looking for the right gift for the right person.
According to Wikipedia, “Cyber Monday” is a marketing term for the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. The term Cyber Monday was created by marketing companies to persuade people to shop online, and this concept made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled “Cyber Monday Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year”. As they say the rest is history, and in a short ten years Cyber Monday is estimated to do around 3 billion dollars in sales today alone.
Many people are completing their Holiday shopping lists, as they procure gifts for friends, family, and coworkers. For those of you that participate in “white elephant” exchanges in the office or through your social associations, you know that it is sometimes difficult to find a gift that will be appreciated by a random receiver.
Chris, you live and breathe personal development and bettering self so why are you writing about shopping? Good question.
The reason that this topic is on the forefront today is because we often buy and share gifts with those around us, however we fail to share gifts with the most important person….ourselves. If it is better to give than to receive, then it has to be even better if the gift giver and receiver is you. My wife is printing this article right now, and I am sure it will make its way to our refrigerator, or into a timely conversation about how we should conserve our spending.
If you have a shopping list it is typically made up of the things that another person wants or needs to help them function, sustain, or improve life in a certain area. I know the PlayStation 4 may not be ideally what you consider as an improvement to someone’s life, however attaining any goal or receiving any possession that you personally value is a form of improvement. Some just also allow you to play games, and watch Blu-ray DVD’s. Our perspective of life happens from the first person inside outward viewpoint, and since we see things from the account of self- first it is important for us to be self-aware. Self-awareness is not only in protecting yourself from harm or managing your diet and health needs for a desired lifestyle, but part of self-awareness is being able to indulge and treat yourself with the things that you like as well.
You see if you don’t take care of yourself and recognize you as the number one person, nobody else will do that for you because they can’t. The gifts of self-awareness, self-love, and self-esteem are yours to receive.
So while you are out in stores or online buying gifts to make sure that everyone’s needs are met this Holiday Season, I encourage you to make sure you warm your own heart and complete a wish list for yourself.
Here are a couple reasons that you should make a personal shopping list:
- It is you – self-aware
- You deserve it
- No one can do it for you
- You know that you want it, so you must attain it
- You are better to everyone else when you are at your best
If you are having a lack of ideas on what to give yourself, below are some of my favorite’s gift options:
- Massage – you are not ergonomically created to reach that spot…but the masseuse is
- A book – knowledge is power
- Time Away – have one 24 hour period with no agenda
- Seminar – get inspired
- Money – pay yourself first
The deals are out there, and the best value is found in a purchase that will be used to improve you. During this and any shopping season be sure that you keep a fair balance of being self-less for the benefit of others, and self-aware for the benefit of you.
May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love – L.O. Baird
Referenced Sites:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_Monday
make the rest of your life, the best of your life