I want you to think back to last time you really, REALLY danced.

Who were you with? What song was playing? Where were you? How did you feel?

Maybe you're still dancing BUT many of us get caught up in everyday things; we worry too much, we become too serious about life, or we just grow tired or old.

Many believe that being a responsible adult means NOT having any fun; unable to surrender to music in their life, without a care or thought in world except for that very moment, not them, they have too much responsibility!

When did you stop dancing? When did you start marching to a different "drummer?"

Were you a young child when dancing stopped? When you went off to college? When you got married? Had children?

Became a manager, business owner, or CEO? When you thought you weren't allowed or suppose to enjoy your life anymore?

You can dance if you want to, and leave your cares behind. Go ahead, Universe gives you permission to let your "hair down" and DANCE!

Today, right now at this very moment, I want you to promise yourself to start dancing again. To become one with music again, with no cares, no worries, no inhibitions.

I want you to leave all your worries about debt, cleaning, and yes, your clutter behind and out of your mind for just one hour or one day.

"He who dies with most toys wins," should read, "Those with most toys will die first!"

Why? Because of stress, worry, and debt your "toys" might be costing you.

It's quality and usage of an item that should be important. Not how many or how much you have.

Your possessions, collections, and all "stuff" you are buying or holding onto are NOT who you are.

Others and your possessions are not responsible for your happiness. Dependence upon others or your possessions will only fill your void temporarily, if at all. You will eventually become bored, feel alone, or empty, and become a victim of clutter and debt.

When you are balanced and one with Spirit you are complete. You will not have a feeling of lack or a void to fill.

We fall prey to filling up our lives with "things" because we're being fed message that "things" will bring us fulfillment.

Marketing products has become a "science," so let's briefly take a look at what marketers focus on when plotting their strategies for selling their products.

Marketing 101

Four Influences of Consumer Behavior [Source: Business, by: Griffin and Ebert]

1. Personal influences can include your personality, life style, and economic status. 2. Psychological influences can include your motivations, perceptions, ability to learn, and attitude. 3. Social influences can include family, others opinions you seek, and referrals from friends, co-workers, and professional associations. 4. Cultural influences can include your "way of living," ethnic groups with shared values, and social class (your background, occupation, and income).

These factors will not only have an impact on what products you buy but why you buy them. Sometimes one or two of these influences might outweigh others.

"Americans love to collect things, and a video collection will make a statement about your personality just as a book library does." Al Reuben, Vestron Video, Executive V.P., 1988.

What kind of a statement does your "stuff" say about your personality?

The buying process starts out same for everyone. We have a problem or a need. Rational and emotional motives are what our "buying" decisions are based on. Our emotional motives can be impulsive, spur-of-the-moment, or a sudden urge, and can include other factors, such as sociability, imitation of others, and aesthetics.

When we buy things with our emotional motives, we should ask following question: What emotions are we really trying to gratify, or replace?

According to 7th Edition of Contemporary Marketing: "Motives are inner states that direct a person toward goal of satisfying a felt need. The action is taken to reduce a state of tension and return to a condition of equilibrium.

Reduce a state of tension; create balance, harmony ... interesting.

What is "felt" need that's missing from your life? In other words, what is missing from your Spirit?

What desired state are you trying to achieve or what are you trying to replace when you continue to buy and bring or keep unneeded things into your life?

What are you truly longing for when you shop till you drop, buy like there is no tomorrow, stockpile, or hoard just in case?

What are you dissatisfied with in your life?

What are you searching for?

Are you making rational decisions when you continue to bring more "stuff" into your life, and not take anything out?

Marketers have also concluded that our self-concept or how we view ourselves plays an important role in our buying behavior. They have identified four Self-Concept Components: Real self, self-image, looking glass self, and ideal self. [Source: Contemporary Marketing, by: Boone & Kurtz]

What self-concept do you see of yourself when you go shopping?

Do you buy clothes that almost fit? Promising yourself you can lose a couple of extra pounds, only to find clothes months later, still with tags on and you still can't fit into.

Do you buy electronic gizmos and gadgets because your "peers" or friends have them?

Do you lavish yourself with toilettes to try and make you "feel better" about your life?

Do you buy "collectibles" until collections take over a room, your house, your car, and your life with hope that "one day" they will bring in "BIG Bucks?"

Do you buy because you have a credit card that's not maxed out?

Do you get all "gung-oh" about a new craft/hobby and buy best and latest gadgets for that craft/hobby to only lose interest in a month or so?

What were you trying to fill your Spirit with last time you went shopping?

The belief that all you're buying, all your stuff, will bring you happiness, joy, love, and status is a big crock! You know it and I know it. And what about others you mistakenly pass on this belief to? Your children, loved ones, friends, co-workers, and employees can get caught up in this belief because belief systems get passed around, and what you believe becomes your reality!

5 W's of Shopping: The next time you get urge to shop or shower your children with unneeded gifts stop and try to identify what is really happening.