As soon as we enter this world our mind starts getting filled with crap! A new born baby has a clean untouched mind, with no understanding of good and bad or rich and poor, there is no prejudice about anything. It’s easy to see why many of us don’t develop an abundance mindset without having to eventually reprogram our mind.
When we begin to develop, our ability to decide things for our self grows stronger. At this stage our beliefs are influenced by what we’ve been fed and our experiences so far. The problem is that we don’t have anything to gauge them against because of a lack of life experience. That’s why we are very naïve when we’re young.
Naivety is neither good nor bad, but it can make a difference to our abundance mentality. If we’re brought up in an abundant environment, it should mostly have a good influence on us. Unfortunately, most of us aren’t that lucky. We learn from an early age that money doesn’t grow on trees and isn’t easy to come by. We have to work hard and struggle for it. No wonder a mindset of lack is often more prevalent than one of abundance.
Abundance Mindset Definition
The term abundance mindset or abundance mentality has been attributed to Stephen Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He describes it as a mentality where it’s believed there are enough resources or successes to share around for everyone to enjoy.
Unfortunately, most of us develop a scarcity mindset, where we believe everything is limited and there isn’t enough to go around for everyone. Take a look around the world, it’s easy to see why the scarcity mindset is more like the norm. Look at the poverty, starvation and suffering, how can there be an abundance? There is only so much of the pie to go around, when someone wins, someone has to lose. This is not a true or good mindset to have.
An abundance mindset hasn’t really got anything to do with money, but that’s how most of us think of it. It’s more about a belief that there are infinite possibilities and opportunities in life. It also means we must believe that we deserve to be prosperous, although not everything will be plentiful for us. Once you begin to see there is enough of the pie for everyone, it become easier to move from a mindset of scarcity or lack, to one of abundance.
Creating an Abundance Mentality
Once you’re able to define abundance mentality, you’ll begin to understand how there is more than enough for us all. Let’s be honest, the reason why you were drawn to this article is because you assumed it would be about how to get more money into your life. Well it isn’t, but it can be, if that’s what you want. Before you can get it to flow to you, there has to be an understanding that the mindset is not about money.
You’ll need to let go of the feeling of scarcity. Tony Robbins says: “You never get beyond scarcity, you have to start beyond it.” If you look closely you’ll find abundance everywhere: the air we breathe, love, wealth, happiness – there’s plenty. You might not have some of it now, but it’s out there for the taking.
Once you begin thinking “I can” rather than “I can’t”, your world will begin to shift. Saying it and doing it are, of course, two different things, but creating the belief you can, is a good starting point. You should start training the subconscious mind to attract wealth if you want more money, but don’t ignore the steps to align your beliefs with abundance.
Steps to Abundance
Monitor your thoughts
It wouldn’t be possible to think only positive thoughts. They can sometimes be helpful, but you’ll know when you’re thinking in a harmful or destructive way. If you monitor them, kick out negative, unhelpful thoughts and immediately replace them with positive ones. The mind is powerful, but you are in control of what you think about, not your mind, you.
Be careful what you say
Listen to the way you talk, is it aligned with a mentality of abundance? Our words are powerful, they reflect and reinforce our thoughts. They are part of the process that shapes our reality. The glass should always be half full, not half empty!
Recognize your achievements
It’s common to concentrate on what isn’t going right for us, it comes from our mind looking out for threats, so it can protect us. The problem is that concentrating on the “bad”, invites more of it in. Think about what you’ve achieved and what’s positive in your life. As Brian sang in the Life of Brian – Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!
Understand possibilities are limitless
There really is no shortage of possibilities, they’re all around us. Whilst it’s good to focus on something, there can be a danger of missing other possibilities or opportunities because the mind is too wrapped up on one thing. If, for example you want to manifest more money into your life, don’t just consider the cash. You should also look at your attitude towards it and see opportunities that can help to bring it into your life.
Practice gratitude
You have much to be grateful for, we all do. Think about your life, you’ll soon become aware of many good things about it, being grateful for them will shift your mind towards an abundance mindset. It was Oprah Winfrey who famously said: “If you look at what you have in life you will always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life you will never have enough.”
Be aware of negativity around you
We live in a world filled with negativity, particularly from the media, because that’s what sells. Be aware of what you’re watching or reading. Try to hang out with positive people who are like minded. Whatever you surround yourself with, will have an effect on you, so you may as well make sure it’s positive and abundant focused.
Don’t be afraid to share
If you live in the scarcity world, there won’t be enough for you, so you’ll hang on to what you can. If, however, you live in the abundant world, there will be plenty for everyone and that which you give away can be easily replaced. If you’re giving things (including money) away, it isn’t possible to feel scarcity.
Mindset is Everything
I know of a man who throughout his life didn’t spend very much money, he put what he made into the bank. He lived a comfortable but very thrifty life, always penny pinching here and there. He was generous but very careful with cash.
When he died, he had thousands and thousands in the bank, he’d not got to spend his life savings. Why? Because he’d lived his life with a scarcity mindset and what good did that do him? Well, it’s the main reason he’d amassed a fortune, but he’d died rich after living like a fairly poor man.
The steps to an abundance mindset above won’t make you wealthy, but they will help to shift your focus and beliefs together with the power of thought. It takes time and can be scary, but once you start to feel the change it will open up your world to new possibilities – embrace them!