Living Lucky® Podcast with Jason and Jana Banana

Black Friday Unwrapped: Navigating the Shopping Storm Living Lucky Style

• Jana and Jason Shelfer • Season 5 • Episode 63

Share episode

Join Jana and Jason Shelfer on an insightful and humorous journey into the intriguing world of Black Friday mania. In this episode, they peel back the layers of marketing strategies that drive the shopping frenzy, offering clever hacks to navigate the pressure-cooker of holiday gift-buying. But here's the twist: they challenge the status quo with their unorthodox approach of opting out of gifting altogether!

From dissecting the psychology behind the Thanksgiving-to-Black Friday transition to exploring the fine line between gratitude and consumerism, Jana and Jason take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and reflections. Discover the fascinating connection between gratitude and the desire to reciprocate, shedding light on the subtle tactics retailers use to tap into these feelings.

It's not just a critique of consumer culture; it's a heartfelt thank you to their loyal listeners who fuel the Living Lucky movement. As they share laughs, insights, and warm gratitude, they remind us that living lucky means crafting a life of authenticity and choice, one episode at a time.

Tune in for a thought-provoking and entertaining conversation that delves into the art of mindful shopping, emotional triggers, and the freedom found in unconventional gifting. Embrace a fresh perspective on the holiday rush and learn how to live lucky in a world where choices speak louder than purchases.

Join Jana and Jason Shelfer as they unravel the frenzy of Black Friday, dive into the psychology of gift-giving, and share their wisdom on living a truly fortunate life. Welcome aboard the Living Lucky train, where laughter, insights, and gratitude pave the way to a more fulfilling existence.

For more engaging episodes and to embark on your journey of living lucky, visit us at livinglucky.com.

Living Lucky, Jana Shelfer, Jason Shelfer, Black Friday shopping, Holiday shopping psychology, Gratitude and receivership, Unconventional gift-giving, Living Lucky podcast, Mindful consumerism, Psychological effects of shopping, Navigating shopping frenzy, Unorthodox gifting approach, Living a lucky life, Shopping psychology insights, Emotional dynamics of gift-buying, Holiday shopping pressure, Marketing strategies on Black Friday, Coping with shopping stress, Mindful living tips, Emotional impact of commercial holidays, Holiday shopping hacks, Mindfulness in holiday spending
#LivingLucky #JanaShelfer #JasonShelfer #BlackFriday  #HolidayShopping #ShoppingFrenzy #Unorth

TEXT US DIRECTLY

For mind-blowing inspirational content that we implement ourselves, join us by subscribing and connecting to our private community.

Thanks for joining us.
CONNECT with us in our PRIVATE COMMUNITY

*** The Living Lucky Community is experiencing what it feels like to create a life of inspiration where dreams come true. Check it out HERE *** or at https://www.startlivinglucky.com/sendusyourdreams

!!! SEND US A MESSAGE: Are you ready to unlock your path to a more inspired life where you're Living Lucky®? Email me directly and let's chart your course toward realizing your dreams and creating a life that fills you with daily inspiration.
Email Jason Shelfer HERE

The 4 pillars of Living Lucky
Believe in yourself
Believe in the people around you
Believe in your circumstances and
Believe that God is working through you, for you, and always conspiring in your favor.

*Previously Recorded

Speaker 1:

Are you ready to create a life you crave? Let's spin that doom loop of negativity into an upward success cycle and start living lucky. Good morning, I'm Jenna, I'm Jason and we are living lucky. Jason is home.

Speaker 3:

I am so glad to be home.

Speaker 2:

And today is Black.

Speaker 3:

Friday we are going shopping. I can't wait to get out there.

Speaker 2:

We haven't been shopping on Black Friday since I can remember, since 1987. We weren't even together in 1987. I didn't know you. I think I was 12 years old in 1987.

Speaker 3:

Hopefully you weren't shopping yet.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I was shopping, oh, I was shopping. You bet, you're too I probably was shopping more in 1987 than I've shopped in the last decade. Because I lived with my mother and my mother is I mean, she kind of is a shopaholic. I think she invented the term.

Speaker 3:

That's funny.

Speaker 2:

She was Okay, so I'm just going to reveal something about my family.

Speaker 2:

And mom, if you're listening, which I know she doesn't listen, but if she does, then I hope that you take this in jest and I hope that you know that I love you and adore you. But growing up we were the kind of mom and daughters that would go shopping and there would be like this look that would say don't tell your father about this one Don't hide that in the car until your father goes to work, and then we'll get it out and put it in a closet.

Speaker 2:

We're going to put this one in the trunk and then, when we get home, I'm taking this one straight to the basement. That's what's happening with this one.

Speaker 3:

The secret. It's a whole new definition of secret shopper.

Speaker 2:

Nope, there were never any secrets, there was just a look. With holding of information there was just a look Like we're keeping this one on the DL, the down low.

Speaker 3:

That's right.

Speaker 2:

At any rate, yes. So today is Black Friday and we are talking about the pressure to buy.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it's so funny because Black Friday comes the day after Thanksgiving, which is the ultimate day of gratitude and receivership.

Speaker 2:

Okay, let me just tell you a little something about psychology, because if you study NLP, which is Neurolinguistic Programming, the first thing we do in hypnosis and any kind of meditation is we get into a state of gratitude. Gratitude is the ultimate state of receivership. When you're in a state of receivership, guess what you want to do. You want to reciprocate, you want to give. So receiving and giving go hand in hand.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it's like a flow of energy.

Speaker 2:

So there is no accident that Black Friday happens the day after Thanksgiving and the fact that they started at midnight In fact, I think they started even earlier now and it's kind of to force that sense of rushing Don't get left behind, yes, people get FOMO. Oh my gosh, the deals are happening now. If I don't get there and get into the rush?

Speaker 3:

I'm going to miss that deal and since Christmas is right around the corner, I'm going to have to spend more.

Speaker 2:

No, my hairdresser Mallory. She says that she every Thanksgiving they have Thanksgiving meal and then the first thing she does is she goes to get her poinsettias. For on Black Friday she goes to, I think it's Lowe's. They have like this big poinsettia sale. It's a Black Friday poinsettia sale.

Speaker 3:

Load up the truck, pull up the new haul.

Speaker 2:

Yes, she makes everyone in her family go and Limit 10 per family. They do, they have a limit per person, and so she makes every single person in her family go and stand in the poinsettia line.

Speaker 3:

I wonder if she recruits family members Like would you be in my family today?

Speaker 2:

Probably so. I bet you can Like go out and start selling. Who's going to argue with it All?

Speaker 3:

they want to do is sell poinsettias. They just want. They want to be able to say that they limited. Did you say poinsettia?

Speaker 2:

There's different pronunciations for poinsettias, oh really. Oh see, I'm the ignorant one.

Speaker 3:

Thanks, Tomato, tomatio on the patio.

Speaker 2:

OK. So let's just, let's be real here, because there is pressure to buy.

Speaker 3:

Well, that's definitely inherent when you look at the news and see people getting stampeded at a Walmart or the crowds associated at any of the stores.

Speaker 2:

No, it's been evident in my email inbox for the last three weeks.

Speaker 3:

That's funny.

Speaker 2:

For the last three weeks I've been getting emails saying oh, jana, you don't want to miss out.

Speaker 3:

And it doesn't matter if you've unsubscribed or not. It's like Black Friday is the day to say you know, what I don't know that she meant to unsubscribe Right.

Speaker 2:

I unsubscribe from every email list. So just so you know, even if you're my friend and you have a small business, I'm probably going to unsubscribe from you, so please don't take it personally Black Friday open it back up undo the dam. But you're right, jason. On Black Friday, all of a sudden Shutterfly starts sending me emails saying I know they don't want to miss this one. And I'm like I didn't even know you were still in business. I have imprinted a photograph in over a decade.

Speaker 3:

TCBY Yogurt sent me an email. Really, I got an email from Blockbuster. Do not miss this Black Friday deal.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh, that's funny. That's funny. Yes, ok, so they start prepping you. They start prepping you. It's foreplay. They start giving you the Black Friday foreplay and they start yanking your.

Speaker 3:

Chain Hello. Let's see where you're going there.

Speaker 2:

Chain I was going to say chain. They start yanking your chain. But, yes, ok. So there's pressure to buy, there's pressure to not miss out on the deals, not miss out on the frenzy, not miss out on the fun. So they're not miss out on saving money.

Speaker 3:

They're yanking your chain, they're diddling your deal maker.

Speaker 2:

I mean, we could come up with all sorts of analogies, right. However, there's also pressure to give.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Right, because then you're.

Speaker 3:

Well, there's an excitement in giving.

Speaker 2:

There is, there's this. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 3:

There's an excitement in saving, so so many people get back from Black Friday and all that they're thinking is look how much I saved. They buy all the so much stuff that is a Things that they might not have even bought. But they see the discount sticker and they associate the discount with how much they save and don't even Calculate how much they're spending.

Speaker 2:

No, do you know how many times I have bought Okay, I don't know if you've ever bought those gift sets that are. Sometimes they're just like. They're like jars of jelly or they're like a pan of a big giant cookie like a charcuterie board.

Speaker 1:

Yeah they've got like dried salami.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, salami and crackers and cheese that you're like I can't believe I'm buying cheese in a box, but, okay, I'm giving it to my old teacher That'll never see again, all right. And and you buy this and you think, okay, I'm just gonna have this in the closet in case somebody comes over and Gives me a gift that I wasn't expecting.

Speaker 3:

Acting right yes, and here I've got wine glasses, some wine towel and an apron that I can get them and a cheap bottle of whatever.

Speaker 2:

And then I can say well, look what I bought especially for you, and, and, and. If you're on the receiving end of that, you're going.

Speaker 3:

I Cry foul already in a bag with some tissue paper.

Speaker 2:

Right, right, that says to guest from.

Speaker 3:

The shelfers. Aren't you living lucky, but that's true, I think. As you become an adult, you have this little small gift closet or gift Gift area where you just kind of put a bag of things.

Speaker 2:

No, let's be real, it's the re-gift the re-gift Closet is.

Speaker 3:

Here's the other gifts that we're like here's your candle, and that's the typical Re-gift is.

Speaker 2:

I like candles, I know you ever buy me a candle, I will burn it.

Speaker 3:

I will burn it to the Bottom yeah, until we have to replace the air filter. Your blurt that's true.

Speaker 2:

In our last house we actually had black on the ceiling and our realtor said why do you have?

Speaker 1:

a black ceiling. Did you have a fire?

Speaker 3:

Nope we just have candles going 24 hours a day.

Speaker 2:

I said I'm a ganky candle girl, but I don't.

Speaker 3:

Yankee candle girl.

Speaker 2:

I don't.

Speaker 3:

Yankee candle world.

Speaker 2:

I didn't listen to the lady when she taught me how to trim the wick.

Speaker 3:

Hello.

Speaker 2:

I acted like I knew better than her.

Speaker 3:

You're a wick trip.

Speaker 2:

I just let it go in one ear and out the other.

Speaker 3:

You're funny. Well, I did good at burning those candles, I will give you that, and the house always smelled wonderful.

Speaker 2:

I know, and I haven't had any lately because they got into these damn oils and they're not the same, it's just different and now I will allow myself to buy a candle until we get rid of the oils first get some better filters for the air conditioner. Goodness, okay, where were we?

Speaker 3:

Pressure to buy pressure to buy pressure to beat someone else to the deal.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so what are your tips and tricks on how to deal with all of the emotions and all of the Hubbub, like all of the so one thing is know what you want to get for someone or for yourself Before you start getting the emails.

Speaker 3:

So have an idea already of exactly what you want to buy for people and then then start looking for the deals.

Speaker 2:

And I actually. I stand by this, and I know people call me a funny daddy. However, I, jason and I gave each other the gift of not having to buy each other gifts.

Speaker 3:

Well, and we get each other whatever we need throughout the year and it has been such a it's been freedom.

Speaker 2:

It has really been freedom because when, when birthdays or when Christmas, or when something comes around, it just feels Like there is less pressure To do something. And then, when, when we do Something nice for each other like, I think, on our podcast I told you that Jason bought everything that I had put in the Amazon gift cart and I literally had just been putting all sorts of things in there just for fun, like I just was daydream shopping one day, and he bought every single thing that was in there. When he did that for me, it was an over-the-top feeling because I was not expecting it and I, I mean, it just was such a surprise that it felt even I Don't want to say better, because I don't want to put anyone else down and I don't want to put anyone's customs down but it just yeah it. It caught me by surprise.

Speaker 3:

There was that level of appreciation where we're sometimes, when it's a so it's expected, I think it's.

Speaker 3:

I think it's okay to go there, because what happens is is, when there is a Commercial holiday, when there's the anniversary, the birthday, christmas, when there's the commercialism of the holiday, yes, then we start having, we start building these expectations of what we want and we start putting in our mind I would love to get X, I would love to get this, I would like.

Speaker 3:

We start building in our mind what we want from other people. So, and the the biggest Disappointments in life are unmet and unexpressed expectations. So so it puts a lot of pressure on the gift giver and the gift receiver. Because if when I, if I went to get you something on your birthday and you had not expressed to me exactly what you want, which people don't want to say, this is what I want for my birthday, because it takes the surprise out of it and then if I get you something that I feel like I really want to get you, but you it's not exactly what you had in your mind, then you have to pretend that it's everything you ever wanted and Then if you're yeah, we're gonna talk about that on our next podcast, because that's another topic is the I don't want to call them fake.

Speaker 2:

Oh, appreciators, yes, the the emotions of, of when we receive and how to react so then, your appreciation level doesn't meet my expectations.

Speaker 3:

Now there's another level of disappointment. So the whole beauty of just being able to surprise each other or get each other these little random surprise gifts throughout the year is even, I think, more beautiful and more engaging. And we don't have to deal with the commercialization of here's training gifts and dealing dealing with all that.

Speaker 2:

I first of all. I am so grateful that you are home. What a what a. Thanksgiving surprise and it is the biggest gift that that I cannot wait to snuggle up with you, I know. I am just. I'm feeling so lucky right now you're gonna be and also, you know, we decided to come in today and talk about black friday, and so I just encourage everybody to do what's right for you. Yes, do what's right for you.

Speaker 1:

So try to not to come love it.

Speaker 2:

If you love it, then, hey, have fun and get caught up in it. That that's part of the fun. Enjoy, right? That's part of the jolliness and the spirit of Christmas. However, if if it's not right for your soul, then do what's right for you because your, your soul, is talking to you. Don't ever feel obligated to do anything. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and go within and just let your. Let you talk to you and decide what's right for you that feels freeing that feels freeing.

Speaker 2:

And also one last thing, because, like many times, when we sit down to have a discussion about one topic, I end up having an aha about something else and I don't know if you rewind this. Jason said something that was so profound for me that I just want to write it down right now.

Speaker 2:

But you said many times, the biggest disappointments are unexpressed expectations expectations and unmet expectations well unmet expectations are often unexpressed expectations and for me, that might be one of the biggest aha moments that I've had all year round. So I'm going to go to bed and really, really dive deep and think about that, because disappointment has been one of the biggest hurdles of my life, so that will also be a topic for next week. Thank you so much for joining us. I am so grateful for each and every person that downloads our podcast, that shares our podcast, that tunes in and listens to us, that sends us emails and that supports the living lucky train, the yes, this whole philosophy that we are putting out gets on our dream cloud and yeah lifts themselves up, lifts us up with them and that supports jenna and jason, so thank you so much for being here and being with us have a great day

Speaker 3:

bye bye.

Speaker 1:

If the idea of living lucky appeals to you, visit us at startlivingluckycom.