You Don’t Need to Keep Up: Reflections for Black Friday Weekend

Everywhere you look this time of year, someone is reminding you not to miss out. The pressure to keep up comes from every direction. There is a skincare set that promises to reverse aging, a toy that claims it will finally end screen-time battles, or a new organization system that swears it will eliminate every ADHD clutter pile in your house.

And in the age of influencers, the pressure can feel even stronger. They’re saying that this item fixed their morning routine, improved their marriage, saved their sanity, helped them feel confident in their skin, or completely changed their life. Maybe some of those things genuinely helped them and could help you too. At some point though, the constant stream of advice and recommendations becomes noise, and it pulls you away from the internal resource you already have.

And layered beneath all of this is the uneasy backdrop many people are living in. The cost of living continues to rise, financial support systems feel unpredictable, and political tensions leave many households feeling vulnerable. A lot of families are stretched thin, and participating in holiday sales is simply not possible. When the world feels unstable, the pressure to buy or keep up can land in a painful way, as if you are falling behind in a race you never agreed to run.

The Quiet Truth Beneath the Noise

This season doesn’t just market products; it markets identities.
The “put-together” mom.
The “intentional” minimalist.
The “wellness” person who somehow has time for yoga, boundaries, and a spotless kitchen.

For many people, these images land at a moment when life already feels heavy. It is no surprise that parts of us start comparing, striving, or spending. Most of us are simply trying to stay grounded in a culture that often confuses worth with appearance.

When You Notice the Pull

If you find yourself about to click add to cart, pause for a moment.

You might ask with curiosity, not judgment:

• What part of me really wants this?
• What is it hoping this thing will give me?
• Is it comfort? Ease? Connection? A sense of control?

Maybe it’s the part that longs for order in the chaos.
Maybe it’s the part that wants to feel seen or admired.
Maybe it just wants a little relief in a season that feels demanding on every level.

You do not have to shut that part down. Simply noticing it creates space to respond rather than react. When you understand what it is protecting or longing for, you can care for that need more directly. Sometimes that means still buying the thing. Other times it means closing the tab and stepping outside for a breath of air.

A Note for the Weeks Ahead

You do not need to keep up to be worthy.
You do not have to match the pace of a culture that is always selling you something.

Even if you find yourself pulled toward the rush of it all, that’s okay. It just means you’re human.

“Enough” isn’t something found on sale.
It’s something you slowly remember inside yourself. In the quiet moments, the pauses, the space you choose to protect.

May this season bring you moments of calm that no algorithm can sell.