A few weeks ago, we talked about the feeling of scarcity and how that feeling is detrimental to experiencing a joyful life.
So today, I want to talk about abundance. Don’t you love the sound of that word? It sounds just as rich and full as it’s definition.
Abundance: An extremely plentiful or over-sufficient quantity or supply.
ie. I have all that I want, more than I can use, plenty to share.
The feeling of abundance makes me feel generous, and able to expand not only my own life, but also the lives of others!
So, if abundance is a feeling, guess how we create it? You guessed it!
It is our thoughts.
So many people believe that it’s the number on their bank account, the real estate they own, the cars they drive, or the liquid assets they hold, that determines the abundance they can feel.
But if this were true, how do we explain that the happiest people on earth live on tiny islands and live well below income levels that we consider poor?
Abundance, is created by our thoughts.
So why does this matter? Well, if we can think thoughts that create abundant feelings, the actions we take will create an abundant result!
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT!
This is the magic of faith; believing without seeing.
I experience this with my consults on a regular basis. They come to me wanting help, they believe that coaching is the key to helping them create the marriage they want, but their same scarcity mindset around money, keeps them from creating abundance in their relationship as well.
This is so fascinating (and heartbreaking!) to me.
When our brains offer the thought, “I can’t do this, I don’t have enough.”
We feel disappointed. Think about how we act when we feel disappointed!
But when we choose to feel abundant by thinking thoughts like:
I always find a way.
There is always a solution.
I always have everything I need.
I am resourceful and creative, I can figure it out.”
Think of the actions we take!
We DO find a way.
There IS always a solution.
We DO have everything we need.
We ARE resourceful and creative, and WE FIGURE THINGS OUT!
We look around and discover new possibilities. We find items of value in closets, we get creative about how we can earn more, we re-think the best use of our savings, or our 401k etc..
Wouldn’t it be great if this was just our default thinking? Of course we know why it’s not, our lower brains, designed to look for problems and not solutions, are in control, – until we learn to tame them.
Our lower brains like ease, so if they think something will be hard, they will offer up all of the reasons why we shouldn’t even try.
So now that we know this, what do we do???
The key is to show gratitude ahead of time.
My husband and I had planned a trip last summer to visit his parent’s homeland of Holland, but due to Covid, we had to cancel.
We’ve re-booked for this coming September. Will we be able to go? Maybe.
But I promise you, I won’t spend one moment thinking about staying home. Every day, I feel so grateful for the gift of travel. For airplanes that I didn’t have to build, that can miraculously haul me and my husband, and all of our luggage, across the ocean so amazingly fast!
I’m grateful to be able to work, and for the incredible clients who were meant to be mine.
Because I know that everything is ALWAYS working out for me, I’m not afraid of troubles that may come, because I know they are the heavy weights that help me build bigger muscles!
Because I believe that God ALWAYS has my back, I’m not afraid to invest in anything that will help me grow, both personally and professionally.
Because I believe I will always have more than enough, I’m not afraid to give to others, or donate to my church.
That trust, that abundance, that gratitude, drives me to act in an abundant manner.
Some people like to argue, “Isn’t it greedy or selfish to want more?”
For them, desire feels a little negative.
So I like to offer this analogy.
When we’re raising a family, we don’t want another baby because we’re not happy with the one we already have, adding another is a way of increasing our joy.
We don’t stop looking forward to another delicious meal, simply because we already ate last Thanksgiving!
I can dream of going to Fiji even if I’ve been to Hawaii. There is more than one dream possible per person!
It’s natural to desire more. We were all meant for more!
We were created to evolve and become MORE.
What is YOUR more?
What tugs at your heart? Do you want to learn a new skill or have a new experience? Don’t let your lower brain drive the bus! Send it to the back where it belongs, and believe that the Universe is conspiring for your good.