Ridge Town Central is surrounded by several shopping centres and malls, amongst these are Park Square, Gateway Theatre of Shopping, The Crescent and La Lucia Mall. With so much available, you can find virtually anything you need from tailored suits to dog collars, stationery and books to paint and hardware; not to mention the plethora of food outlets in the area.

Effortlessly engage your brain

It is no secret that retail therapy has its benefits. Sometimes simply browsing the shops with no real intention can be an ideal way to switch off. Shopping engages parts of the brain associated with visualising and organising – when we see something we like, it could be a blouse or a duvet set, we unconsciously visualise how this would look on us or in the intended space at home. Although it may feel effortless (which has its benefits too), our brains are still very much active during the process of sourcing, selecting and gathering when we shop. One of the things that stands out about retail therapy and its potential benefits is that shoppers need to feel that they are not shopping because they have to (like running errands or buying groceries) but rather, because they choose to.

Look good, feel good

This may sound like a superfluous phrase, but it rings true. Our identity and sense of wellbeing is very intricately linked to how we look. We also know that how we present ourselves to the world is important when it comes to making the right impression – you wouldn’t arrive at a job interview dressed for the beach because it doesn’t look professional. When we take time to select an outfit with a goal in mind, like for a job interview or a big event, we unknowingly engage our brains in an act of problem-solving. We have to select an outfit that sends the right message and is suited to the occasion (formal or informal), while also being functional (for example, keeps you warm or cool) with individual items of clothing that go well together (we can call this matching). Although this may seem a vain or superficial pursuit, all humans want to feel they belong and are accepted, and our clothes are a way of showing the world how we identify with others. There is no denying that looking good makes us feel good.

There are benefits to indulging in some retail therapy; many of which are passive and occur effortlessly. Retail therapy does not mean you have to spend money shopping; simply ‘disengaging’ from the mundane tasks of daily life can be all you need to mentally re-set. With your home at Ridge Town Central, being so close to retail outlets like Gateway, you’re able to reach the shopping centre on foot, or within a few minutes by car and enjoy some retail therapy.