We are living in trying times for so many reasons during this pandemic where our mindset changed and we don’t feel abundance in life at all. COVID-19 has come to rock our foundations and requires us to adjust and live in a state of many unknowns. I believe that now living during these uncertain times that more than ever we can learn and focus our thoughts on an abundance mindset. The steps below will help you do just that. Working with individuals like myself who have struggled with an abundance mindset due to our childhood traumas, neglect or other painful experiences can make it challenging to practice an abundance mindset. But I can tell you that practicing these steps have helped me increase the abundance in my life.
Several definitions include the state in which there is more than enough of something, ample quantity, the relative degree of bountifulness. Mindset is an incredibly powerful tool. It is the driving force behind the actions and behaviors which will set us up for success or keep us fearful and unsure about the future. Depending on which mindset we adopt, our perspectives will be very different. The path of abundance has us looking at the world through a lens of optimism and gratitude. However, with a scarcity mindset all we see are obstacles, problems and no way out.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that is deeply rooted in scarcity. People live their lives in fear, blaming their circumstances, completely certain that their situation is permanent. The good news is, this doesn’t have to be the end of the line. You just have to make a decision. You have to decide that you aren’t going to settle for a life of scarcity anymore, but rather move forward in an abundance mindset.
You can begin taking steps today to develop an abundance mindset and it’s easier than you might think. Here are 10 simple things you can incorporate into your daily life that will have you on the life-changing path of abundance in no time. Let’s dig in!
1. Mind Your Thoughts and Mindset.
The mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts that dictate our perspective on the world around us. These thoughts truly do run our lives and it’s important to be aware of them when making the transition from scarcity to abundance. Pay attention to the things going on inside your head. What thoughts monopolize your time? Are they positive or negative? Take one day and track as many thoughts as you possibly can. Write down anything that comes to mind. What message are you telling yourself through those thoughts? I’m not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough. I can’t. What if I fail? Who am I to do something big in this world? Your thoughts have been holding you back in a big way and if you want a more Abundant life, that is one of the first things that has to change. Once you become fully aware of what is going on, you regain control and those thoughts lose their power over you.
2. Eliminate Toxic People.
One of THE best things you can do for yourself and your future success is eliminating toxic people from your life. Identify those relationships that are weighing you down and make the decision to stop sacrificing your own needs and happiness for those that don’t value you. Put yourself first. Take a long, hard look at who you’ve allowed into your circle. Do they build you up or bring you down? Toxic people will keep you stuck in a cycle of drama and negativity because it suits them and their selfish agenda. They don’t want you to do any better than them and won’t allow you to grow and flourish into the person you are meant to be. Make an effort to distance yourself from those who make you feel ‘less than’ and seek out those that are more Abundance minded. Find a tribe of like-minded people who will celebrate your wins and encourage you to be the best possible version of yourself.
3. Practice Gratitude.
One of the most powerful things you can do to attract abundance is by practicing gratitude on a daily basis. Be purposeful. Decide that you are going to look for and seek out the good in every day. Notice even the smallest blessings as you go through your daily routine. Instead of dreading the day when you wake up, immediately think of a few reasons why you are excited and grateful to jump out of bed. Smile more. Complain less. Spend quality time with people who help you see the blessings in life. Start a journal. Before you go to bed, reflect on the good things that happened that day and write them down. Life is unpredictable and it won’t always be filled with happy moments. However, when you make an effort to see the good and be grateful for what you have, it makes it much easier to get through those tough times.
4. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.
We live in a society that pushes perfection and plays off of our insecurities – it’s no wonder our comparison game is strong. The problem is, when you compare yourself with another person, most of the time you’re placing their strengths against your weaknesses. You’re looking at their highlight reel and comparing it with your mess behind the scenes. This is a recipe for self-destruction and the quickest path to feeling depressed, resentful and unworthy. Stop the madness and take steps to eliminate comparison from your life. Do a social media detox or spend less time online. Embrace your quirks and imperfections – they make you, YOU. Keep in mind that there are 7 billion people on this planet – not one of them is perfect (no matter what Instagram says). Turn the tables and let others inspire you with their strengths, their wins and their accomplishments. Rather than feeling like you don’t measure up, appreciate what they have to offer while knowing that there is plenty of space for you to shine as well.
5. Be Intentional, the Key to Abundance.
If you’re wanting to develop more abundance in your life, the key is to be intentional about how you live. Where is most of your time and energy being spent? Are you working towards something you are proud of or just counting the days until Friday? Make time for self-reflection and get clear on what you really want out of life – what are your values, your goals, and your dreams? What really lights you up inside and makes you want to jump out of bed every morning? Until we know what is truly important to us, it’s hard to be intentional with our time and effort. Be mindful of the people you allow into your circle as well as the information you consume through social media, television, etc. Make time to do things that bring you joy and choose to be kind to yourself and others. Take small steps to start embracing life on your own terms.
6. Learn Something New.
One of the very best gifts you can give yourself is that of knowledge. A person who lives in abundance will make every effort to explore new ideas, learn new skills and broaden their perspective to see things in a new light. There is always something new to be learned. Decide that you are going to be a life-long learner and take full advantage of all the resources you have at your fingertips today – podcasts, Ted Talks, online courses, audiobooks etc. The list is endless and will provide you with a world of new ideas, thoughts, and possibilities that keep the juices in your brain flowing. Consistent learning allows you to continuously grow and change into a better version of yourself all while you gain a better perspective about the world around you.
7. Be a Giver.
There are billions of people on this planet, but we are all connected when it comes to giving and receiving. When you add value to someone else’s life, it will always increase the abundance in yours. Become good at being an unconditional giver of your time, energy, money, and resources. Don’t expect things in return when you give – just let it be. There are so many ways to be of value to another person. Go through your house or garage and donate things you don’t use anymore. Give away bags of clothing or toys that your kids no longer play with. You get to help someone else and declutter your space at the same time – that’s a win-win in my book. Buy groceries for a family in need or pay a bill or two for someone who is behind. Keep in mind, it doesn’t always have to be about money or material things. Pray for someone or offer a helping hand when they are struggling. Lend your ear to a co-worker who is going through a hard time. Be friendly to a stranger and offer them a smile or a few kind words – you never know what someone is going through. It might be the one thing that gets them through the rest of their day. Don’t take that for granted. Just love people without judging whether or not they deserve it.
8. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to allow countless opportunities to pass you by because you refuse to be uncomfortable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is tough. It means pushing yourself to do things you’re not used to. It means going into unfamiliar territory. You fear getting hurt. You fear failure. I get it. It’s so much easier to shrink back and stay hidden than take a leap of faith into the unknown. But staying hidden isn’t helping you grow and it’s not challenging you to reach your full potential. Up until now, you’ve been blind to all the possibilities life has to offer. Developing an abundance mindset is about taking off those blinders and waking up to all the things you’ve been missing. It doesn’t have to be hard – reach out to someone you admire to ask them questions. Make a phone call about that job you’ve been eyeballing. Write that blog post – and then hit publish! Once you start taking baby steps outside your comfort zone, a world of possibilities will begin to open up.
9. Eliminate Excuses.
If you want to live in more abundance, you have to let go of the excuses as to why you can’t have a better life. Excuses are driven by our fears and insecurities. They keep us rooted in perfectionism and procrastination so that we don’t tip toe too far outside our comfort zone. We make up reasons why we can’t before we even try. Fear of failure. Fear of what others will say. Fear of looking stupid. It’s an endless cycle that keeps us stuck in a rut, never allowing us to grow into the person we are meant to be. In order to live a more abundant life, we have to decide that we are going to eliminate excuses from our vocabulary and our life. When you notice yourself making an excuse, go to the root cause. What is keeping you from taking action? Sometimes overwhelm can play a big part and it helps to break down bigger goals into smaller tasks so they are easier to achieve.
10. Healthier Habit.
It’s impossible to have a healthy mindset if you don’t take care of your body too. We live in a microwave society where unhealthy habits run rampant. We get so caught up in the daily chaos of life that we sometimes tend to put our health on the backburner. It’s a good idea to take a look at your daily habits and see which ones might need some tweaking. You don’t have to join a gym and eat lettuce every day. Simply make an effort to start putting yourself first and create a routine that works for you. Be conscious about what you are putting into your body. Make time for self-care. Eat more veggies. Get outside in nature, breathe the fresh air and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Decrease your stress by learning to say a firm no to the things that don’t serve you. Love yourself enough to put your health and wellness at the top of the priority list.
You can easily begin developing your abundance mindset today by incorporating some of these tips into your daily routine. No matter how long your scarcity mentality has been weighing you down, you have the ability to start over at any given moment. By recognizing that you have a choice, that you don’t have to be stuck in scarcity for the rest of your life, you can begin to transform your life and create your own reality from this day forward.
Give yourself patience and grace and enjoy the journey ahead!
May you have a life-changing mindset and abundance in life.
– Resilient Journey Counseling –
