I’ll confess: last week I was doom-scrolling, feeling that familiar pit in my stomach as I read yet another story about corporate greed. One of the biggest brands operating (you know who) was found to be lying to customers, saying they were having a big sale, though it was found that most (if not all) sale items were priced at or higher than the regular price. And I wasn’t even surprised.
I felt helpless. We all know the system is designed to prioritize profit over people, but it’s so easy to just click "Add to Cart" at a massive retailer and forget about it. It’s the path of least resistance. That is, until the realization hit me:
You can dismiss our words, but you can’t dismiss where our dollars go.
The most transformative action you can take this holiday season is shifting your purchasing power. Supporting small, values-aligned businesses is not just an act of kindness; it's a powerful ritual of collective empowerment that actively builds a more sustainable, equitable future.
It’s time to stop just doom-scrolling and start soul-investing. Your wallet is your ballot, and every purchase is a vote for the world you want to live in.
This journey starts with activating your Heart Chakra (compassion and anti-greed) and your Crown Chakra (connecting to a greater purpose). Here are 5 ways to make intentional gifting your new favorite ritual:
1. The Energy Exchange: Funding Intention Over Greed
Every dollar you spend is a literal energetic vote. When you shop at a business whose main goal is simply to make a few executives richer, you are transferring your energy to their values: greed and scarcity.
When you shop small, you are sending your energy—and your dollars—to a real person who poured their heart into their craft, who pays attention to their ingredients, and who wants to help people, not just pad pockets. You are energetically spreading your message: Operate from a place of values or lose my support.
Actionable Tip: Challenge yourself to audit your last three major purchases: Where did the money go? Did the company’s ethics align with your values (clean ingredients/materials, sustainability, transparency)?
Filter the "Fake Deal" Noise (The Convenience Trap)
The holiday "deal days" phenomenon is designed to kick your nervous system into overdrive. The rush of a sale disconnects us from conscious intention, pushing us into scarcity mode where we buy things we don't need from people we don't trust. It’s the ultimate energy drain.
Your power lies in slowing down.
Actionable Tip: Before buying something "on sale," ask yourself three clarifying questions:
- Would I buy this if it were full price?
- What is the regular full price, and is this actually a deal?
- Am I buying it out of scarcity (fear of missing out) or out of intentional need/desire (a gift that genuinely supports the recipient’s well-being)?
3. The Ripple Effect of Small: Understanding the Impact
At The Love U Collective, we’ve always believed that clean ingredients and soulful intention should be non-negotiable. This is the difference. When you support small, ethical businesses like ours, you are doing more than just buying a product:
- You’re funding clean ingredients and sustainable practices.
- You’re supporting ethical labor and fair wages.
- You’re making a real person do a happy dance (and not funding someone’s third private jet).
This is the Heart Chakra in action: leading with compassion for others, the planet, and the future.
4. Gift with Intention: A Heart-Centered Checklist
Shift your mindset from transactional gifting ("I need a thing for them") to ritualistic gifting ("I want to give them energy and support").
Gifting with intention means choosing an item that supports the recipient's emotional landscape and well-being, instead of just adding more clutter to their space.
Use this Heart-Centered Checklist for every gift:
- Does this gift support their well-being (mental, emotional, or physical)?
- Does it connect them to joy, peace, or a new self-care ritual?
- Is it consumable (like a clean-burning candle or a rich body butter) or will it become clutter?
Make it a Ritual, Not a Transaction (Crown Chakra)
When we shift our purchasing habits, we activate the Crown Chakra, connecting us to something greater than ourselves—the collective consciousness. Supporting small businesses becomes a conscious, ongoing practice — a ritual — that elevates the energy of our community.
This holiday season, let your intention be your guide.
The Challenge: Commit to replacing just one corporate holiday purchase with an intentional, small-business purchase this holiday season. Let this small action be the ritual that connects you to the collective and sends a clear message: We are building a new world, one intentional purchase at a time.
Your Ritual Tools for Intentional Gifting
Ready to start voting with your dollar? We’ve made it simple to gift well-being this year.
Recommended Ritual Tools:
This year, give a gift that gives back energy, not just stuff. Our Holiday Ritual Kits are complete self-love practices, rooted in clean alchemy and designed to transform mundane routines into rituals that support the recipient's natural flow:
- Do Not Disturb Kit: For the person who needs to set boundaries and find quiet peace.
- New Year, Who Dis? Kit: For setting powerful intentions and manifesting new beginnings.
- My Own Soulmate Kit: The ultimate collection for deep self-love and nurturing.
Feeling the heavy energy of the season and struggling to find your own balance? Remember that you are your greatest investment. If you’re struggling to find your own balance, gain the clarity and emotional mapping you need to navigate the holidays with peace and boundaries with a Lunar Womb Wisdom Reading.
