Backstory: I am glee-ful having drawn this Nudge today! Michael’s stores are those big warehouses filled with art and crafts supplies, frames, fun home decorations, and just about everything you need to inspire creativity. I am pumped! Will I pick up paints, stickers, marked-down holiday decorations? Fun! The biggest challenge may be keeping to the $10 limit.

What Happened: I couldn’t wait, so I popped into Michael’s early afternoon on Sunday. Everywhere I looked I found goodies, from artificial flowers I could turn into wreaths and pretty papers on which I could write letters to far-flung friends, to an array of accouterments for baking and cake/cookie decorating. Danger zone! I wandered every aisle in search of creative inspiration and the thing that my whole body said, “I want that!”

A few of the items were over my budget (which I was tempted to blow a couple of times), but I stuck to the confines of the Nudge. Finally I picked up two rolls of pretty ribbon for gift-wrapping—and put one back. I snagged a mold for making pineapple-shaped ice cubes for a friend who is the ultimate hostess (pineapples are a symbol of hospitality) and a sheet of super-cute ladybug stickers for another friend (it has to do with the line Diane Lane says in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun: “Ladybugs, Katherine…lots and lots of ladybugs”). I kept a tally in my head and figured the coupon I had would allow one more small item, so I added some cute gift tags.

My total purchase after discounts and coupon: $10.70. Score!

Ah-Hah: I was really pleased with myself when I left the store. But Monday morning, as I reexamined my modest haul, I noticed a trend. Did you see it?

Every item I purchased is for someone else.

Now, this isn’t all bad. I do love finding “perfect” gifts for friends and I love taking the time to create a beautifully wrapped package. But did I really not find one thing I wanted for myself?

Apparently not.

Actually, the more I thought about it, I realized my motivation was less about picking up something I was excited about and more about how would I fulfill the spending $10 part of the Nudge.

Interesting.

I was tempted to keep for myself the two items I’d purchased as gifts. Sure, I could use both, but then I imagined my friends’ delight upon receiving them, and tucked them away for the next birthday.

I thought back over my wanderings, trying to remember what had caught my eye. Candles. Stickers. Seasonal decorations. Beautiful fake flowers that look quite real. All those cookie cutters and cake-decorating kits.

I’m thinking I may go back in a couple of weeks and take another look. And maybe I’ll return a couple of weeks after that. But instead of going with the intention of spending a certain amount, I think I’ll wait until I see something that I really want, and then buy it for myself.

For those of you who celebrate: I wish you a Happy Kwanzaa! May Light, Happiness, and Peace be yours in the new year.