How can I journal about buyer’s remorse without beating myself up?

Try a compassionate, structured entry: 1) Facts: What did I buy, when, cost, and context (mood, pressure, sale)? 2) Feelings: Name emotions (disappointment, guilt, anxiety) and where you feel them in your body. 3) Needs: What did I hope this purchase would solve (comfort, status, ease, belonging)? 4) Reality check: What actually changed? What stayed the same? 5) Control: What was in my control (timing, research) vs. not (marketing, social pressure)? 6) Lesson: One small tweak for next time (e.g., 24-hour wait, ask one friend, check return policy). Close with kindness: “I made the best choice I could with what I knew.” If you’re using the Stoic app, save a short template with these 6 prompts to reuse after future purchases.

How do I use stoic principles to prevent disappointment before I buy something?

Do a quick pre-mortem in your journal: 1) Imagine it’s a week after buying—what could make me disappointed? 2) Which parts are under my control (fit, budget, purpose)? 3) What expectation am I placing on this item that might belong to me (confidence, motivation, connection)? 4) Value check: Does this align with my priorities this month? 5) Cost-per-use: Realistic uses over 3 months divided into price—still worth it? 6) Plan: If-then rule (If impulse hits, then add to a 48-hour list). Stoic thinking centers on your judgments and choices; this brief exercise lowers hedonic hype and clarifies agency.

How can I spot hedonic adaptation patterns in my spending through journaling?

Track three points for each purchase: 1) Anticipation (0–10): How excited did I expect to feel? Reasons why. 2) Afterglow (0–10): How I felt at 24 hours, 1 week, 1 month. 3) Use & meaning: Times used, contexts, and whether it supported a value (health, learning, relationships). After a few entries, review: Which categories fade fastest? Which keep giving value? Note triggers (late-night scrolling, stress) and create a small safeguard for each. In Stoic, you can add these as recurring reflection questions so you regularly check whether an item still adds value or it’s just novelty wearing off.

Journaling Idea - On Hedonic Adaptation.

Have you ever had buyers remorse – that feeling of disappointment when you’ve spent money on something?

When do you experience these feelings? Do you ever expect the disappointment before you feel it?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Feb 7, 2022

Journal in Stoic

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Zach Beauvais

Writing & User Experience

Zach helps stoic design experiences for mental and emotional wellness, creating guided meditations, mindful walks, and journaling prompts rooted in Stoic philosophy. He also serves as Marketing Director at Cornell’s ILR School, where he helps leaders clarify their purpose and turn ideas into content that engages students, faculty, and collaborators. With over 15 years of experience in storytelling, community building, and content strategy, Zach brings both creativity and clarity to his work. Outside of writing and strategy, he enjoys photography, making coffee, and carving spoons, bowls, and cups from green wood.

Have you ever had buyers remorse – that feeling of disappointment when you’ve spent money on something?

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