Draven Jackson
Blogger | Teacher
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As Gertrude Stein once said, “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” And while you don’t inherently need money to be happy, there is something incredibly joyful about letting go and allowing your inner child to have control of your bank account.

We’ve all been there before: you’re browsing around social media when you see an advertisement for an oversized plushy from your favorite movie as a kid. You think to yourself “No, I don’t need to spend $50 on this – what would I even do with it?” But somehow, you keep coming back to look at the plushy and imagine “what if.”

Let this article be your sign to go buy the stuffed animal! Spend a little too much on your dream action figure or go wild shopping for cute purses modeled after characters from your favorite cartoon. While money can’t “buy” happiness, it can definitely help – and nothing would feel better than letting your inner child be free during your shopping spree.

Here are all the reasons to let your inner child go shopping!

Because You Couldn’t Before

When you’re a kid, very rarely do you have the money you need to afford the things you want. A small allowance (if you got one) couldn’t pay for all the fun knick-knacks, toys, and games you had your eye on. But now that you’re an adult who makes your own money, you have all the freedom to let your inner child run wild!

So why should you let your child-side control your bank account? Because you couldn’t before. Yes, now you have bills to pay and you need to eat, but don’t be afraid to set aside a little money for yourself here and there and enjoy all that life has to offer – especially the things you couldn’t have before.

Happiness Has No Age Limit

Many times, many people have told me their main reason for not buying what they want to is because they’re “too old.” For example, even though teenagers have jobs and more freedom to spend their money on the things they like, they tend to feel like the things they want to buy are too “childish.”

One thing I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is that happiness has no age! If something brings you joy, then it’s so important to lean into those things and let them brighten your day. Even if it seems silly or childish, shopping for your inner child can bring you so much joy. After a hard day, sometimes you just need to come home and cuddle a soft plushy or play a fun game that you loved as a kid.

It can be very healing to let yourself be free to find happiness in everything you loved as a child.

Being Ashamed of Your Interests is a Waste of Time

Continuing from the previous point that “happiness has no age limit,” I know sometimes people are afraid to let their inner child do their shopping because they are ashamed of their interests. They think they’re “too old” to be into cartoons or anime or K-Pop and feel ashamed to admit that they like these things because they might be ridiculed.

But here’s the thing: life is too short to limit yourself and being ashamed of your interests is a waste of time. Why waste your days worried about whether someone else likes the things that make you happy? You’re the only one who has to really live your life, so make sure that you’re living a life that is filled with joy and wonder.

Your Inner Child Keeps You Young

If you want to stay young, then it’s important to spend more time listening to the wants and whims of your inner child. There’s no real cure to aging: there’s no fountain of youth to keep you young and no special serum to stop the onslaught of wrinkles, grey hairs, and knee pain. Your body inevitably has to grow older, but your heart and mind will stay as young as you let them.

If you want to keep yourself young, then the best thing to do is to let your inner child have the things they want. I know that sounds silly, but if you bring happiness to the little soul inside of you it can really help heal your heart. The world can be a dark place, and you’ve experienced so many of your own hardships and struggles, so bringing peace between yourself and your inner child can help keep you from crumbling under the pressures of the world.

If You “Out Grow” Anything, You Can Donate It

Maybe you’re wondering to yourself, “But my inner child changes their wants and interests all the time – what do I do when I don’t want these things anymore?” The answer is simple: donate them. If you have younger family members with the same interests, make their day by giving them new gifts to play with!

If you don’t have anyone within your family to donate to, then donate to your local thrift store or shelter. While it may seem like an unnecessary item now to you, you could still be making someone’s day. Who knows – maybe you’ll appeal to someone else’s inner child!

You Can’t Take Your Money to the Grave

At the end of the day, no matter how dumb or unnecessary you may view the expense, you can’t take your money to the grave. We only get to live one life – if we spend the whole time too afraid to treat ourselves and our inner child every once in a while, we may find ourselves full of more regret than we want to deal with.

Saving money is incredibly important, and I am the first supporter of setting aside money every month for a savings account. However, I have also spent a lot of my life limiting my happiness by putting my savings over my fun spending. I work hard for my money, and in my mind, I deserve to be able to spend it freely. I can’t take it with me when I go, so why wait for tomorrow when I could be happy today?

It’s Just Fun

You don’t need money to buy happiness, but honestly, spending money is just fun. Going shopping with my friends is one of my favorite pastimes, and I love stopping at a restaurant afterward to look over everything we bought during the day. Whether I spend $10 or $100, the time I spent with my friends shopping for the things we enjoy is what brings me the most happiness.

Whether you go out shopping or shop online, buying something “silly” or “cute” that fits your childhood interests is like a small gift to your inner child. Buy shopping with them in mind, you’re saying thank you for all that they’ve done for you – all the ways they’ve grown and evolved to make you the person you are. Both you and your inner child deserve happiness and all the small joys life has to offer.

Do you have more reasons why we should let our inner child go shopping? Tell us in the comments!

About Draven Jackson

Draven is an avid writer and reader who enjoys sharing her opinions on movies, books, and music with the rest of the world. She will soon be working as a teacher in Japan and hopes to use her experience to connect with other teachers and students around the globe. Draven spends most of her time at home with her family, her dogs, and her ferret.

To see more, view all posts by Draven Jackson here.