I was first introduced to the concept of abundance and what an abundant mindset is, when a friend gifted me a special bar of soap with the word “Abundance” carved into its smooth surface. On the attached tag, the soap artisan claimed the hand-crafted product would attract abundance and prosperity for the user. I confess, as someone who at the time, was a few pounds shy of being uncomfortable in my own body, the idea of lathering myself with something that could call forth “abundance” spooked me. I left the soap to gather dust on a shelf, thinking my plumpness was safely prevented!
How silly I was! The first thing I needed to learn about an abundant mindset is that abundance does not mean excess. Abundance means plentiful. Maintaining an abundant mindset allows you to remove the obstacles that prevent you from having a plentiful life. A life plentiful in health, wealth and prosperity. A life with all the happiness, fortune and success you deserve.
We are each on our own journey and for me, this superstitious beginning with abundance was replaced by hope and desire when a change of circumstance forced me to take a hard look at my life and ask myself the question, “What do I want.” It’s easy to be lulled into the idea that life is something that happens to us.
Before starting my abundance mindset work back in 2010, I often believed that life “happened to me” and that I had little control over what situations I experienced. I think many of us tend to find ourselves on a sort of conveyor belt, being moved along from one experience to the next, defined by something outside of us.
We form our lives around a relationship, a job, or a living situation that is safe, familiar, or expected. We believe we are content in being a passenger in the journey that is our life. However, I know for me, I always felt an underlying unhappiness, an unease, a nagging sense that I was settling when I could have so much more.
The Abundant Mindset
The concept behind nurturing an abundant mindset is largely about:
- being positive vs. being negative,
- staying active vs. staying passive, and
- thinking big vs. thinking small.
What Kind of Thinker Are You?
The idea is that there are two basic types of thinkers in the world.
- Those who believe there will always be enough for everyone and
- Those who believe there will never be enough resources in the world to go around.
Those who think there isn’t enough, believe they must fight to get their share. They are focused only on themselves. They hoard their knowledge and experience to give themselves an edge on their competition. While those who believe there will always be enough for everyone become leaders. They freely share their knowledge and experience for the benefit of all.
The power of our thoughts is immense. Dr. Wayne Dyer puts it this way: “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” He used this statement almost daily as a reminder to pay attention to your thoughts. Check out his “Success Secrets” article to learn more about this super power!
The table below is a combination of information found in a simple Internet search describing the traits most associated with each mindset.
| Abundant Mindset – VS. – | Scarcity Mindset |
|---|---|
| Have an optimistic outlook | Have a pessimistic outlook |
| Collaborate with others | Compete with others |
| Are confident | Are fearful |
| Trust others | Are suspicious of others |
| Show forgiveness to others | Criticize others |
| Make a bigger pie | Try to get their share of the pie |
| Think the best is yet to come | Think it will never be as good as it was |
| Want others to succeed | Secretly hope others will fail |
| Embrace change | Fear change |
| Exude joy and gratitude | Exude anger and entitlement |
Don’t be alarmed if you read this list and recognize yourself in some of the scarcity mindset traits. For example, all of us have likely experienced some anxiety when faced with change. And while most of us try to avoid being critical or judging others, we probably are doing just that from time to time.
One chart I found suggested that people with an abundant mindset read daily while people with a scarcity mindset watch TV every day. In another chart abundant thinkers were said to journal every day while scarcity thinkers only told people they journal…but the two mindsets are not that black and white. It’s not a situation of this or that. There are scarcity thinkers who are avid readers and there are abundance thinkers who take pleasure in binge-watching their favorite show (um…yup, that’s me! ;).
You don’t have to express every item on the abundant mindset list to bring abundance into your life. Rather, it is simply understanding that the abundant mindset traits can help you reach your goals and bring more happiness into your life, while the scarcity mindset traits work against you and make it harder for you to reach your goals.
Choice – What Will You Decide?
Your experiences and circumstances to this point in your life have developed your attitude and thinking to align more closely with either an abundant mindset or a scarcity mindset. What you do now, is a matter of choice.
Cultivating an abundant mindset will touch every aspect of your life. Thinking too small is often the barrier between those who truly succeed in life and those who spend their lives trying to accept that what they have is good enough.
Do you struggle with self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness, or prefer to let others shine because you fear the attention success will bring? Allowing abundance into your life will help you live your best life with all the potential it holds for you. So think big! Set the goals you really want, not just the ones you’re willing to settle for.
3 Beginner Steps to an Abundant Mindset
- Understand the difference between an abundant mindset and a scarcity mindset. This is key to moving on to the next step.
- Pay closer attention to your persistent thoughts and feelings. If you catch yourself expressing a scarcity thought, quickly change that thought to one of abundance…or, at least offer up a more neutral thought. This is called a “mental diet.” I won’t lie, this takes A LOT of consistent work, but it is key to developing abundance thinking.
- Begin incorporating abundance affirmations into your daily routine. This doesn’t have to be some big meditation session. Keep it simple. Start with just 1 to 5 affirmations that resonate with you. Say them out loud with conviction and passion. Use the examples below or view our list of 111 Abundance Affirmations for more ideas:
- “I am worthy of all the good things life has to offer.”
- “There is more than enough success and prosperity for everyone, including me.”
- “I have an abundance of creativity, talent, and potential within me.”
- “My needs are always met with ease and grace.”
- “I live in a universe overflowing with opportunity.”
Abundance for All – Are you Ready?
One of the most remarkable effects of an abundant mindset is the influence on those around us. The very sociable and inter-reliant nature of human beings means we are affected by the moods and attitudes of those around us. Therefore:
- laziness begets laziness,
- negative energy attracts more negative energy, and
- indifference leads to more indifference.
However, the same is true for inspiring qualities, like:
- happiness attracts more happiness
- enthusiasm begets enthusiasm and
- joy leads to more joy.
As you begin to exhibit greater positivity and gratitude you will be astounded at how much your relationships and life will improve. Soon the success and prosperity you attract will inspire your natural leadership abilities and give you a front-row seat to see the success of those around you unfold – how amazing is that! The rippling power of all this abundance is truly endless.
Are you ready to grow your abundant mindset? Take small steps each day, and pay attention to your thoughts using the “mental diet” technique. Begin your day with abundance affirmations to rev up your vibration and manifesting powers. If you’d like to learn more about abundance, check out our in-depth article titled “Overcoming Scarcity Mindset: 11 Proven Daily Practices For Lasting Wealth & Prosperity”
