Buying Experiences Rather than Things

I read somewhere last fall that when people look back, they have stronger and happier memories about the things that they did rather than the things that they bought.

While this has always made sense to me (even much beloved items are often out of sight, out of mind), I realised that I don't exactly live by this principle. I've always been a bit of a shopaholic in truth. A lot of my money goes into things.... okay mainly clothes, but lets be more generous and say things.

When I started blogging in London last summer, I originally thought to concentrate on being an ethical consumer. After a couple of months, though, I wasn't enjoying the enormous pressure to keep buying things and trying them out. In fact, I felt like I was constantly obsessing over what to buy next; needing to buy something so I could write; worrying about spending money to try things, even if I was happy with what I was already using.  Even if it had an ethical dimension, it still felt like a lot of hyper consumption.

Starting this year, I've decided I want to spend more energy, more time, and, yes, even more money, on experiencing, creating and doing, rather than shopping. I will still talk about ethical products and decision making, because I do think these are important. But I want to explore the idea of 'living well' beyond buying. Explore it in the broadest sense - as in 'well' for myself, the world and the other people I share it with.

I guess that moves this blog firmly into the field of being a 'lifestyle' blog. I hope you will enjoy this second (or third or perhaps fourth, not quite sure honestly) go at this and don't mind sticking with me as I try to get my head around what this might entail.

I would love suggestions of sites and activities around London that you think I should check out. Leave ideas in the comment box please!

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