Let's Do A Year Of Buying Nothing New...

Who's in? Plus a subscription sale.

When I started my year off determined to buy nothing new, the decision made me anxious. Could I do it? Would I do it? I’m 10 months in. I did it, and I’m going to do it again. This year didn’t just change my buying habits, it changed everything.

Spending a year not focusing on buying things shifted my perspective on many other aspects of life. I noticed how much time and energy I spent on shopping. I realized how much less time I spent on my phone, which not only reduced my stress but also heightened my mindfulness. I found myself becoming more resourceful and less wasteful. My creativity flourished, and I leaned into appreciating what I already had instead of always looking for the new quick fix —something online shopping cleverly convinces us it can deliver.

Not buying new things made me more intentional about what I did spend money on. And it left me with a lot less regret. I became more thoughtful about what I acquired, and what I got rid of too. We live in a throwaway culture. It’s a lot more satisfying than you might think to work with what you have, or find things second-hand.

It may seem insignificant for one person to step back from our culture of consumption, but every small action makes a difference. Just as a single drop of water creates a ripple, small beginnings ignite change that go far beyond the first movement.

I’ve heard from so many of you that are interested in doing this, but don’t know how or where to start. I spent 10 years convincing people to buy more stuff. I hope I spend the next 10 convincing everyone to do the opposite.

Over the next year I’ll be fostering a community of people who want to explore a year of buying nothing new. I will serve as a guide, but this is a group effort. We’ll be here to support one another, through prompts, private subscriber chats, and lessons learned along the way. In the coming weeks, we can set the ground rules together. It will look a little different for everyone.

The buy nothing new group will be for paid subscribers, and I’ve discounted the annual subscription to $40 for an entire year (that’s $3.33 a month). This offer expires on November 4. If this is something you’ve been thinking about, I hope this will be your chance to explore a different way of approaching life, and our relationship to stuff.

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