Do you ever look around and wonder how other people find so much success in life, while you struggle to get through the day? It’s hard to understand why you can’t get that job and make piles of money while living happy and confident in a relationship that goes the distance. Everyone else seems to have no problem. What is wrong with you? You tend to blame everything from your childhood to your current situation, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re stuck in a big, fat rut.
Over the last four decades of my life, I’ve felt that way ALOT. I never realized how important my thoughts were. In fact, I had zero idea that those thoughts had so much power and that mine were guiding me into one of those big, fat ruts.
I started to do my own research on abundant living, law of attraction, and how those daily thoughts really become things that decide our path. Along the way, I fell upon a book which I HIGHLY recommend called Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley. If you’re interested in this sort of thing and want to learn more, it’s a winner. It’s one of those books that opened my mind to all things abundance…and I was hooked.
When you start to understand that thoughts become things, you realize that most people go through life settling and blaming the cards they’ve been dealt. They never once take the time to look inward at the source of the problem that keeps them stuck – their mindset.
Your mindset is the sum of every thought, belief and opinion that you inherited over time from your family, friends and even your own experiences. It’s the driving force behind every action and inaction that we take. The mindset we choose to have, determines the path we take in life.
One path will have you living and abundant, fulfilling life while the other with keep you struggling in scarcity. The most important thing to remember is that YOU decide which path you take. Which one will you place in the driver’s seat of your life?
There are some key differences between abundance and scarcity when it comes to how they impact your life and success. Let’s jump in!
Abundant Mindset
Abundance allows you to find excitement in the small things and more easily be able to look at life through a lens of gratitude and joy. Here are a few ways that developing an abundant mindset will allow you to live a happier, more fulfilling and successful life.
There is More Than Enough: Living with an abundant mindset revolves around the idea that there is always plenty for everyone. There is no limit to the amount of money, opportunities, resources, love, success, and time that is out there waiting for you (and everyone else).
You Welcome Change: With an abundant mindset, you truly believe change is necessary for growth and you welcome it as a part of life. You will actively seek out opportunities to step outside your comfort zone and embrace new adventures both in your personal and professional life. Failure is simply a lesson that you learn rather than an obstacle that stops you in your tracks.
You are Happy for Others: Someone else’s success doesn’t threaten your own when you have an abundant mindset. You know there is more than enough to go around and it’s easier to be genuinely happy and supportive of them as they win at life.
Optimism is a Part of Life: Abundance brings about a sense of optimism when it comes your outlook on life. You can see limitless possibilities for your future and choose to look on the bright side of life. No matter what your current situation, you are able to move forward more easily and focus on what is going well rather than what isn’t.
Grateful Heart: A big part of the abundance mentality is being able to notice even the smallest blessings that fill your day. Instead of putting the focus on what you lack, you are able to see how much you really have to be thankful for each and every day.
Scarcity Mindset
A Scarcity mindset can keep you stuck and hold you back from being the best version of yourself. Here are a few ways that living in lack can affect your life and success.
Fear: If you maintain a scarcity mindset, you will constantly be rooted in fear – fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of change. It will be hard, if not impossible to leave the safety of your comfort zone because the risk of failure is too high. This puts a huge damper on any opportunities that come your way and can impact your job, your money situation and your relationships.
Lack Mentality: A scarcity mindset will tell you that there is a limit on anything good in life – money, time, love, success, you name it. There is only so much to go around and you feel the more people that succeed, the less chance you have of claiming your piece of the pie. You may find it hard to give and share with others because you worry there won’t be enough for you.
Comparison: Instead of being confident in your own gifts and abilities, scarcity will have you comparing yourself to everyone else. It’s a vicious cycle that leaves you feeling unworthy and bitter towards those who seem to have more than you in any area of your life. Comparison truly is the thief of joy and you will always fall short when you base your self-worth on how you measure up with other people.
Glass Half Empty Outlook: Negative thinking will guide your life when you have a scarcity mentality. Your outlook will be bleak as you place the focus on what is wrong with your life. It’s hard to see anything other than the worst in any given situation and makes it nearly impossible to see positive opportunities that come your way. This keeps you stuck in a continuous pity party.
Jealous Bone: A scarcity mindset will make it very hard to control those icky feelings of jealousy and envy. You’ll find it hard to be happy for others because you see their success as a threat to your own. Because you lack confidence in your own ability to succeed, you won’t want anyone to either.
These two mindsets couldn’t be more different, but they both play a huge role in the path you take now and in the future.
Up until the last few years, I had no idea how much i was allowing scarcity to control and guide my life. As I became more aware of this, I started to pay attention to my daily thoughts and habits. Awareness is key when it comes to flipping the switch from scarcity to abundance and deciding which life you want to live.
Which mindset do you resonate with the most? Comment below! Talk to you soon! 🙂