Developing an abundant mindset
Mindset is an extremely powerful tool. It is the motivating force behind the actions and behaviors which will set you up for success or keep you anxious and insecure about the future.
Depending on which mindset you assume, your perceptions will be different. The path of abundance has you looking at the world through the eyes of optimism and gratitude. You will be able to reach your potential for a life filled with happiness, contentment, and well-being.
However, with a scarcity mindset all you see are difficulties, barriers, and no means of change. Your life becomes reduced and you see yourself as having limited choices.
Unfortunately, society is deeply entrenched in scarcity. People live their lives in fear, blaming their situations, completely certain that their condition is permanent.
The good news is this doesn’t have to be your story. It’s your choice. You must decide that you aren’t going to settle for a life of scarcity anymore, but rather move forward in abundance.
You can begin taking actions today to develop an abundance mindset and it’s easier than you might think. Here are 10 simple things you can integrate into daily life that will have you on the life-changing path of abundance in no time. So, let’s go!
1. Your thoughts become your life –The mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts that dictate your perspective on the world. These thoughts truly do change your life and it’s important to be aware of them when making the shift from scarcity to abundance.
“You are transformed into a new person by changing the way you think.” Kenneth Acha, MD
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 suggestions are you telling yourself through those thoughts?
I’m not good enough, smart enough, young enough, old enough. I can’t. What if I fail? What if I’m wrong? Who am I to do something big in the world?
Your thoughts have been holding you back hugely and if you want a more Abundant life, that negativity is one of the first things that must go. Once you become fully aware of what is going on, you regain control, and those thoughts lose their influence over you.
For more information read this article by Kenneth Acha MD. Your Thoughts Run Your Life
2. Remove toxic people –One of THE best things you can do for yourself and your future success is removing toxic people from your life. Identify those relationships that are weighing you down and choose to stop sacrificing your own needs and happiness for those who don’t value you.
Put yourself first. Take a long, hard look at whom you’ve allowed into your sphere. Do they build you up or drag you down?
Toxic people will keep you mired 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 themselves and won’t allow you to thrive and blossom into the person you are meant to be.
Distance yourself from those who make you feel ‘less than’ and seek out those that are more Abundance minded. Find a community of like-minded people who will celebrate your wins and encourage you to be the best possible edition of yourself.
3. Practice gratefulness –One of the most powerful things you can do to attract abundance is by practicing gratitude daily. Be focused. Decide that you are going to look for and seek out the good 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 bounce out of bed.
Smile more. Complain less. Spend quality time with people who help you see the blessings in life.
Begin a journal. Before bedtime, reflect on the good things that transpired that day and write them down. Life is unpredictable and it won’t always be filled with happy moments.
Nevertheless, when you seek to see the good and be grateful for what you have, it makes it much easier to get through those tough times.
“Gratitude builds a bridge to abundance.”
4. Don’t compare yourself to others –Society pushes perfection and plays off of our lack of confidence. It’s no wonder our comparison game is strong. The challenge is, when you compare yourself with another person, much of the time you’re comparing their strengths against your weaknesses.
You’re looking at their highlights and comparing them with your mess behind the scenes. This is a recipe for self-destruction and the quickest path to feeling miserable, bitter, and undeserving. Stop the madness and take steps to eliminate comparison from your life.
Do a social media detox or spend less time online. Accept your quirks and shortcomings –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 contributions, their gains, and their achievements. Rather than feeling like you don’t measure up, appreciate what they have to offer while knowing that there is plenty of room for you to excel as well.
5. Are you living purposefully? -If you desire to cultivate more abundance in your life, the key is to be intentional about how you live. Where do you spend most of your time and energy?
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 want out of life –what are your principles, your objectives, and your aspirations?
What lights you up inside and makes you want to leap out of bed every morning? Until we know what is essential to us, it’s hard to be purposeful with our time and effort. Be mindful of the people you allow into your group 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 terms.
6. Be growth-minded –One of the absolute best gifts you can give yourself is that of knowledge. A person who lives in abundance will make every effort to explore new concepts, learn new skills, and expand their vision 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 concepts, thoughts, and possibilities that keep the juices in your brain flowing.
Consistent learning allows you to endlessly grow and change into a better version of yourself all while you gain a better perspective about the world around you.
7. Give to others –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 add to the abundance in yours.
Become good at being an unconditional giver of your time, energy, money, and resources. Don’t expect something 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. Offer to listen to a co-worker who is going through a hard time.
Be friendly to a stranger and extend them a smile or a few kind words –you never know what someone is going through. It could 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 they deserve it.
8. Leave your comfort zone behind –One of the major mistakes you can make is to allow countless opportunities to pass you by because you refuse to be uncomfortable. Stepping beyond your comfort zone is tough.
It means forcing yourself to do things you’re not accustomed to. It means going into unknown territory. You fear getting burned. You fear disappointment.
It’s so much easier to shrink back and stay unseen than leap into the unfamiliar. But staying hidden isn’t the answer. It won’t help you develop and it’s not stimulating you to reach your full potential.
Up until now, you’ve been blind to all the possibilities which 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 needn’t be difficult –reach out to someone you admire to ask them questions. Make a phone call about that job you’ve been ogling.
Write that blog post and then hit publish! Once you begin taking small steps outside your comfort zone, a world of prospects will reveal themselves.
9. Jettison the excuses –If you want to live with more abundance, you must discard the excuses as to why you can’t have a better life. Excuses are powered by fears and insecurities. They keep you rooted in perfectionism and procrastination so that you don’t tiptoe too far outside your comfort zone.
You make up reasons why you can’t before you’ve tried. Fear of failure. Fear of what others will say. Fear of looking foolish. It’s an endless cycle that keeps you stuck in a rut, never allowing you to grow into the person you are meant to be.
To live a more abundant life, you must decide to ditch excuses from your vocabulary and your life. When you notice yourself making an excuse, go to the core cause. What is preventing you from action?
Frequently overwhelm is the big culprit here. Some projects are so large they seem to have no end. That is when it helps to break down bigger objectives into smaller tasks, so they are easier to achieve.
10. Healthy mind and body habits –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 unchecked. We get so caught up in the daily madness of life that we sometimes tend to put our health on the back burner.
It’s a good idea to look at your daily habits and see which ones might need some adjusting. You don’t have to join a gym and eat lettuce every day. Simply try to start putting yourself first and create a routine that works for you.
Be deliberate 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. Your mind and body will thank you for this.
My final thought
You can, and you should, 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 a weight you’ve carried, you have the power to start over at any given moment.
By acknowledging that you have a choice, that you don’t have to be mired in scarcity for the rest of your life, you can begin to transform your life and create your reality from this day forward. You deserve it. Give yourself patience and grace and enjoy the journey.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you are interested in more information, check out this previous post.