Published August 17, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

So often, the purchases we regret the most aren’t the ones we planned for—they’re the ones we made in the heat of an emotion. A fight with a partner. A stressful day at work. A painful memory resurfacing. Even something as simple as boredom or loneliness.

These are the moments when our defenses are down and the urge to “fix” the feeling with a quick hit of excitement, distraction, or escape becomes strongest—without considering the fallout that might follow once the moment passes.

For many collectors, these emotional triggers precede a slippery slope—one unplanned purchase turns into a spiral of spending, chasing, or gambling-like behaviors. What feels like “just one box” or “just one auction” can quickly become a pattern, repeated every time that same emotion resurfaces. And those moments can start to add up quickly.

When emotional triggers pile up, it can feel dizzying—leaving us vulnerable to impulse decisions we later regret.

The first step in breaking free from these triggers is awareness. Overspending often mirrors the same insidious cycles we see with drinking, drugs, and gambling—each fueled by emotions we haven’t fully faced. When we start to recognize the specific emotions that lead us toward destructive habits, we can begin to reclaim control.

Maybe it’s anger, sadness, anxiety, or even the temporary high of celebration. Whatever the emotion, it’s worth asking: Am I buying because I want this piece, or because I want to avoid or suppress what I’m feeling?

Patterns don’t change overnight, but they can be tracked, named, and eventually interrupted. By pausing to recognize the trigger, you give yourself the space to make a different choice—one rooted in intention instead of impulse.

#CollectorsMD
The strongest collections are built not in moments of escape, but in moments of clarity. Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

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