The month of nothing?

Happy New Year!  2011 is now officially upon us!

I was doing some reading over the last few days and one article talked about making January the "month of nothing".  The author was referring to not buying anything for the month of January.  This was in reaction to the abundance of spending that many people do in December in preparation for the holidays, whether it be presents, food and wine, or travel.  This article was also targeting those who may have overspent for the holidays and are now stressed by the burden overspending and financial strain can cause.

As I read this article originally I was not feeling this idea, thinking it is a bit of a symptom approach and does not really address any underlying issues.  It did not feel authentic and thus I wondered how someone might sustain what I felt was this knee jerk approach.  The more I thought about it, the more I was drawn to the idea - with some modifications, if you will.  I would like to try to make January the month of nothing for me, meaning I will try and be aware of not purchasing anything that I do not need.  No extras, nothing that is not needed or is a necessity.  For me the most valuable part of this process will be noticing, documenting and reflecting on when the urge to buy something that is more of a 'want' and not a 'need' arises, how it makes me feel, the self-talk I engage in, and what my mood might be.  I also think it will be valuable learning for me to notice how it feels to not buy things.  As an added bonus I am hoping it will help me to be more thankful and resourceful for what I already have - for me a big part of gratitude. 

So as we begin the first month of the 2011, where are you headed?  Feel free to leave a comment and share.