I will stop the madness, say no to the robots living inside Google’s “do no evil” lair, and say no to 12 days of Christmas and yes to 12 months of less.

It will be a different kind of “dry January”—bottles of pinot gris in the recycling, credit card in the freezer, and a pledge to cook all my meals at home.

“Dry” January 

Christy Harrison calls this the “wellness trap”—an industry that preys on people willing to spend their feelings with little reward. Rather than buying supplements from a 21-year-old TikTok influencer with a degree in Art History, talk to a real doctor and make real changes.

We’re figuring out that the wellness industry is making millions off people’s insecurities, but the propaganda is relentless, and it’s hard to believe that all this goodness is bad for you.

Hayley Dickenson, a Holistic Nutritionist at Optimize Coaching in Nanaimo, offers her advice on deciphering the madness. 

“The whole idea of the ‘wellness trap’ is a bit tricky. On one hand, as a holistic nutritionist, it is great to see so many people look outside of the constraints of conventional medicine and embrace the power of diet, exercise, and alternative therapies. However, it has gotten a bit out of control, especially on social media,” Dickenson says.

How does one navigate misinformation and avoid getting sucked in? “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Dickenson says. If advertisers are speaking in absolutes—something will cure all your problems—it’s a red flag. “Seek out professionals who focus on helping people find what works for them as an individual.”

If you do want to set some New Year’s health goals, Dickenson recommends starting small. “The most success comes with setting a series of small goals that will lead to achieving a bigger one,” she says. “If you currently have minimal healthy habits in place, you do not need to be worrying about things like maintaining a perfect ratio of macronutrients, getting an infrared sauna, or hopping on the latest trending supplements.” Siri, please take “infrared sauna” off my shopping list.

One of those small goals might be to “unplug” and take a break from your device. In 2018, Catherine Price wrote How to Break Up with Your Phone, a guide to “setting boundaries,” deleting social media apps, blocking notifications, and making “no phone zones” at home. You might start by taking the app icons off your home screen or programming time limits for each of them until you get to a more reasonable half-hour a day. Unplugging offers the added benefits of reduced stress, extra time, and more money in your pocket.

Spring Cleaning 

If you’ve managed this virtual detox in January and February, March to May might be time for spring cleaning, emptying closets and resisting the urge to indulge in the temptations of the new season of fashion. Even the most devout shopaholics know in their heart of hearts that fast fashion chains like Zara and Shein destroy the planet with cheap, unsustainably produced clothes made on the backs of Chinese labour in illegal conditions. How else could clothing prices have decreased over the last 20 years, allowing us to buy more and care less? With decreased prices comes cheap, mass-produced products reliant on toxic substances that make the fashion industry the second largest polluter in the world.

To deepen my resolve, I listened to Sustain This!, a podcast about mindful consumption. One of the hosts, Signe Hansen, explained that we equate not consuming with punishment. We feel entitled to exercise this right even though it is responsible for many wrongs. The podcast also recommended you “shop your closet” and combine your old clothes to make something new, literally or aesthetically. Selecting from a rack of clothes you already own offers fulfilment without purchase. The Wardrobe Consultant blog also suggests mixing and matching and jazzing up basics with fun accessories.

Pocket full of sunshine

In Grade 7, I was a member of the environmental club. It was disheartening to learn that only about nine percent of plastic waste is actually recycled. The rest piles up in landfills, incinerators, and the ocean, making reducing and reusing even more essential to greening the planet.

When summer months roll around and farmer’s markets and antique fairs are abound, hit the thrift store sidewalk sales and buy nearly new or “previously enjoyed.”

Ella Hannesson, The Nav’s legendary thrift shop queen, offered thrifting tips in our September issue and has expertise that will help us all buy less. “I think the biggest problem is this obsession with ‘new’ that saturates the late capitalist consciousness,” Hannesson says. “With production as the central motivator, the overall quality of garments has diminished significantly.”

Hannesson’s passion for thrift shopping has resulted in three golden rules: cultivate the right mindset (you’re not always going to find something you love), know what pieces you want to find, and have fun. “I think about the quote: ‘The perfect product under capitalism is one that you use once then throw away,’” she says.

Fall Out of Debt 

After the busyness of summer, September is a month of fresh starts, fall routines, and back-to-school/work. Unfortunately, this can come with impulsive rather than mindful spending. This is much like thinking before you speak, but without the awkward pause. Most impulsive buying comes on the heels of high emotional activation, when you want to buy something to make you feel better after a bad day or reward yourself for a good one. 

Mindful spending asks you to consider your real motivation to save yourself from a rash purchase you’ll probably regret. Ask yourself if you really need it, and then put it on a wish list and wait at least two weeks. If you still want the item then, maybe it’s worth buying.

The end of the year offers the greatest temptation of all: holiday shopping.

The season of sales makes you think you’re saving money rather than spending it, but just like that perfect skin or silky hair, it’s an illusion.

Most retailers exploit the “anchoring effect”—offering a high priced item, then a slightly lower priced item to drive sales of the latter. The lower priced item seems like a bargain, and soon you’re adding it to your cart.

Loss aversion theory exploits the pain of losing by making it psychologically twice as bad as the pleasure of gaining. Consumers feel missing out on a sale would be a “loss” and avoid it at all costs by cumulatively spending much more on these items.

Inspired by Cait Flanders and her book The Year of Less, I navigated the holiday spending madness by unfollowing most clothing retailers on social media and unsubscribing from mailing lists. Suddenly I had 50 emails less a day coming in from random brands I subscribed to when I was 15. It’s an inbox detox.

I also deleted my credit card from my most visited sites and told my partner, friends, and family to keep me on the straight and narrow. If this doesn’t work, I’ll have to go into self-enforced lockdown and spend more quality time with the people I love. I invite you to do the same.

I’m now addicted to improving my spending habits. My goal of 12 months of less is set in motion and you are all my witnesses. I might still buy myself a “treat” here and there, though—as long as it’s not an everyday occurrence or because my boyfriend didn’t text me back. 

Take it from a lifetime splurger: no item will make you feel better than putting in the time to do that yourself. No one needs another pair of UGG boots (please no), but we all need a greener planet, extra cash in the bank, less waste in our closets, and more time to enjoy what and who we already have.