When you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears.
— Tony Robbins
Abundant: “present in great quantity; more than adequate; over sufficient.”
You hear much talk about abundance these days, including the lack of it. We all want it, but most of us do not know how to go about having it or keeping it. We see others with so much, and we think, it is just not fair that they should have so much while I have so little. The real problem with this line of thinking is, that very thinking is the cause of why you are where you are.
Abundance comes in many forms and means different things to different people: enough material possessions to live a life of ease; enough work to pay for clothes, dinner out, and yearly vacations; enough Love and support and friends and family; enough clients, business, and money continually flowing in; enough clean water to drink and stay alive and disease free. The key word in all these meanings is enough.
- Paul Getty was once asked, “How much is enough?” He replied, “Just a little more.” While that way of thinking may sound a bit greedy to some, to others, it is the mindset aligned with achieving a goal. No matter which perception one has, Getty’s reply is based in a line of thinking that could be referred to as scarcity mindset, or competition, fear of losing, fear of lack, or fear of not having enough thinking.
Abundance begins with defining what abundance looks like to us as individuals. One can only define it for himself. If we copy someone else’s definition, we create a continual comparison that which was never rooted in our own truth, which will continually lead us into disappointment and suffering. It is time to let go of our old views about abundance. Abundance can mean anything we want it to mean, anything that makes us feel good. Abundance can mean that I have a drawer full of socks that will provide me with enough socks for thirty days without doing a load of wash, even with that occasional missing sock. Abundance can mean that you always end up with an ample flow of income, even if it comes in ways you do not expect. Abundance can mean that I have the freedom of time to do what I want when I want it, without concern or worry. Abundance can mean that you have a thriving business that you are passionate about and that is always fulfilling. Abundance can mean that I am Loved and adored and cared for by my partner, child, or parent. Abundance can mean that you have more than enough art supplies to enable your creative gifts to flow unrestrained for years.
Your Abundance Mindset begins with defining what it will look like in your life. Remember, you were not created from a place of lack. If you see lack in your life, it is a result of your line of thinking, aka, your mindset or beliefs, and your learned habit of comparison and copying.
Our mindsets―aka beliefs and attitudes―toward both abundance and scarcity greatly influence our lives, our perceptions, and our circumstances, both current and future. Those who allow a scarcity mindset to work its way into their beliefs tend to pay a high price. When resources they perceive as limited—such as money, recognition, Love, possessions, followers, ease, or opportunity—enter their lives, fear thrives, trauma ensues, and loss results. They believe it will not last, that it is not meant for them, that it has a risk, or some other fear-based belief. That fear is what ends up shifting their reality into the manifestation of the very thing they feared to lose. Fear is the largest, most powerful, and vicious destroyer of abundance, joy, health, and ease.
Imagine that you and I are walking down the street on a beautiful day with the sun shining, the birds singing, and not a single cloud in the sky. We both stop for a moment and take a deep breath in, taking in the energy of our surroundings. We breathe in, and we breathe out. We both need oxygen to survive. That we both know. Do you ever worry that there is not enough oxygen for both of us in the same place during our walk? Of course not. We both know that there is more than enough for both of us, and everyone else.
Now imagine that we are both scuba diving when my tank suddenly runs out of oxygen. I signal to you that I need to share your supply, so that I can safely make it up to the surface of the water. In that moment, the amount of oxygen becomes a precious commodity. The scarcity of it brings worry. We both start to wonder if there is enough for both of us to survive. The fear of survival brings scarcity thinking.
The Scarcity Mindset results in people seeing life as having a fixed, exhaustible, or limited number of elements and objects, thus divvying portions, according to their perceived criteria and beliefs about what might happen if. Two of the most common criteria used to determine who gets what size portion are: stature or importance; and mental and physical ability. The more important and able persons get bigger or more frequent portions, leaving what is left for the rest of the people who are judged as less important or able.
The struggle that most have is in these Scarcity Mindset or Mentality Mindset beliefs:
There is not enough to go around… there will be a time when there will not be enough… There are good and not-so-good choices; I am afraid of being ignored or determined not worthy enough, so…. I will keep collecting and storing as much as I can, for that day when… I must keep to myself what I have, in case of…. If I have enough, they will like me, or I will be happy.
People with this mindset often have an exceedingly difficult time sharing the spotlight, recognition, credit, power, profit, food, supplies, or resources―even with those who have helped create the spotlight or profit for that person. They often find it difficult to be genuinely happy for the success and happiness of others.
The Abundance Mindset is found in people with a deeper sense of self-worth, faith, trust, compassion, or confidence in knowing who they are and believing they will always have enough of what they need. They tend to have a belief that there is plenty to go around–or more where that came from–gratitude for what they have, and a broader awareness of vision and seeing what is possible. Sharing the spotlight, profit, credit, or resources comes easily to them. They are not in a competition with life or people. They are in appreciation of life and people.
Most of us want abundance. We pray for it. We ask for it. We say affirmations of it. We strategize it. Some of us even demand it. Yet many do not know how to spot it when it is in front of them, because of their limited perceptions and definitions of what it should look like, where it should come from, or their judgement of its capacity. They do not know how to allow it into their lives because of their conditioned habits and thought patterns.
Here is an exercise to demonstrate this.
Stretch your arms out in front of you with your palms open, facing up.
Now, envision how much of something can be placed in each palm, to the point that it will overflow.
Envision that something overflowing, continually, and endlessly.
As you move from one area to another in your life, each need is satisfied by what the Universe supplies, and it moves with you and freely fills the next need you have, as you need it, when you need it, and to the amount you need it. That is abundance—Living your life with unclenched palms open to what the Universe will bring you, until your palms overflow, and your need is satisfied. This is called The Law of Abundance. Like the law of gravity, The Law of Abundance is a universal principle that always is, and that will never allow you to lack what you really need and want in the moment you really need and want it. But the way it works requires trust, faith, and letting go of all constricting and conflicting beliefs and emotion.
What is it that really and truly would make you feel happy, supported by the Universe, and free from worry of lack? What does that vision look like? Describe the scene of your personal version of abundance. Go into as much detail as you want, and be as simple, or as complex as you want to be. Use your imagination, your heart, and your sense of fun.
How do you feel with this scene of abundance? Write anything that comes up for you but focus on feelings and emotions.
Many live their lives with arms stretched out, palms up, and fists quickly closing as soon as they have the things, people, and circumstances they want and think they need, clenching to keep from letting anything—or anyone—get away. Quickly closing fists cannot be filled with what they need when they need it. And when we clutch or hold on too long, we are blinded from noticing that much of what we have been holding onto is no longer serving who we have become and what we now need. Rather than keeping us in abundance, our clenching and long holding causes us conflict, emotional exhaustion, physical harm, and even the devastation and loss that we were trying so hard to avoid.
By releasing our beliefs that we have to control everything, in order to survive, function, or thrive, and by allowing the Universe to bring us what we need in its natural flow and state of abundance, we gain a sense of immense and utter relief. Our relief and release, when combined with trust and faith in an intelligent, intuitive, and abundant Universe will lead us to a place of freedom. Freedom gives us an ability to be in appreciation and awe of all there is. Appreciation enables a deep feeling of peace to take root within us. Inner peace allows our inner joy to rise. Release, trust, faith, freedom, appreciation, peace, joy. That is how to create and maintain a state of abundance.
All of us have the capacity to attract to ourselves what seems to be missing in our lives.
Whether it is a healing, a relationship, a promotion, or whatever form of abundance you want to manifest in your life,
you have much more power to be able to manifest it than you might think.
— Wayne Dyer
Tips to help you develop an Abundance Mindset:
- Learn from everything. Increase your awareness
- Think like a beginner, even if you are not.
- Take the attitude of being open to learning, not closed and already knows.
- Ask, “What am I supposed to learn from this?” in every situation.
- Ask yourself if you feel happiness and ease, or resentment and struggle.
- Clean, Clear, Clarify. Clutter leaves no room for abundance to enter.
Get organized and stay organized. Clean up all the odds and ends that are energy vampires.
Avoid time wasters. Delete all things that do not benefit you or hold you back from what you want. Clear your head, your space, and your life of excess, old stories, damaged goods, and waste.
You attract who you are, so observe yourself by observing those in your circles. Carefully select the company you keep. Release and avoid victim energy people and those who suck your energy, pressure you, or criticize you. Associate with and learn from others who are abundant, joyful, inspired, energized, generous, loving, and appreciative.
Clean your mind, your schedule, your commitments, and your physical space for only what is important and emotionally enlivening for you. This clarifies your energy and tells the Universe, “I’m serious and ready to make room for what really moves and inspires me.”
- Clarify and Cultivate your passion. Express and share what moves you.
Concentrate on growing your awareness of YOU, what moves YOU, and what your biggest passions are. Abundance will follow.
Clarify what you want in your heart and soul first, then in your mind’s vision; then write it down.
Dive into your passion. Focus on feeling good. Cultivate deep, blissful, and meaningful experiences. Then share from them.
- Watch what you say. Words are powerful manifesters.
What the mouth says, the ears hear.
What the ears hear, the mind believes.
What the mind believes, the Universe mirrors back a physical reality reflection.
- Be aware of your thoughts. Your thoughts become your beliefs.
Recognize and be aware of your symptoms of scarcity, fear, pessimism, or unworthiness.
Identify thoughts of plenty versus lack, appreciating versus competing, receiving versus clutching, allowing versus clenching, trusting versus fearing or doubting, feeling good versus feeling worried. Which thoughts come to you first?
- Change your thought patterns. Thought patterns create habits.
Shift from fear of missing out to belief in an unlimited supply from an intelligent, divine timing Universe.
Realize that loss or endings are making space for the new thing or person to enter, to better serve the new you waiting to be realized and come alive.
Focus on what makes you happy and what your vision is that you are dreaming and creating, rather than what is missing in your life.
Start following your hunches, your urges, your intuition. They will always lead you to the right thing, the right time, the right idea, or the right person.
- Practice Gratitude and be in this Moment.
Be grateful for this moment.
Speak words of appreciation aloud to yourself and to others as you feel them in the moment.
Look for the things you appreciate about yourself and who you are inside.
Give from a place of gratitude and give in the moment you feel the urge. Share the wealth. Give because it feels good right now, not with the expectation of receiving. Give from the heart.
Realize the greater value and gift in true, raw happiness, passion, and meaningfulness found in each moment, rather than quantity.
Reflect on what you are thinking, seeing, learning, becoming aware of, and feeling in this moment.
- Believe you deserve good in life. Believe in a wise and loving Universe.
Do not fear change. Open yourself to what the Universe is wanting to bring to you and embrace it.
Look for the positive things in your life and around you that are right, good, happy, fun, bright, and loving.
Notice your progress. Focus on how you have grown, opened, released, and strengthened.
Where do your mindset and actions fall into an Abundance Mindset? Give examples.
Where do they fall into a Scarcity or Fear Mindset? Give examples.
Be specific in your examples. The closer you look at your thoughts, the better picture you will see showing what is behind them.
When you are finished, compare them to realize which ones are false. Yes, false. Lack of self-worth will allow thoughts of lack to slip in. If you do not believe you are worthy of, or able to live an abundant life, you will prevent yourself from living an abundant life. You can only achieve and manifest what you believe to be true. It is time to discern between what is true and what is false in your mindset, so you can manifest what you want.
After you have identified what is true and what is not, begin to catch yourself when you are thinking beliefs that are not true, or do not have to be true. As you start shifting into believing what is true, or can be true for you, you will start to believe you are worthy of an abundant life, and then you will start to create it. Whether you believe you can, or you believe you cannot be abundant, you will prove yourself correct.
The only thing that is keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.
—Tony Robbins
