The Benefits of an Abundance Mindset & How to Cultivate One

Since ancient times people have recognised the importance of having an abundant mindset. Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu wrote: “When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” The Greek philosopher Epicurus said: "Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."

Despite earlier revelations, it took time for the importance of an abundance mindset to gain widespread adoption. Today, after many studies confirmed that our view on life determines our mental and physical health, people are finally starting to take a more considered approach to their thoughts and life. As they should. The benefits of having an abundant mindset are numerous while on the other hand; a scarcity mindset can set you back.

So, what is an abundant mindset? People with an abundance mindset believe that there are enough resources to share with others. Those who practice this ideology try to feel joy whenever someone is successful. They can be genuinely happy for other people’s success because they believe there is enough to go around for everyone. An abundant outlook has been recognised as a lifestyle choice that will lead to personal and spiritual development and having higher self-worth and confidence. Without it, you will likely miss out on joy and worthy opportunities. Oprah Winfrey quite aptly said: "If you look at what you have in your life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough."

So, what is a scarcity mindset? A scarcity mindset is a zero-sum approach to life typically packed with anxious feelings and unnecessary competition. The belief is that if someone else wins, you lose. People following this approach are under high amounts of stress and negativity. Being in a constant race with other people is a tiring process and leads to greater stress and lower energy levels.

The benefits of an abundant mindset:

-Helping others whenever possible makes the world a better place for everyone

-An abundant mindset does not revolve only around the material goods, but around the individual's knowledge and expertise too. Sharing is caring, and caring for others gives people fulfilment and purpose

-People following this ideology: feel more inspired and creative, have a higher self-worth and respect towards others, find positivity and overcome difficult situations easily, take more significant leaps in life with ease, feeling confident that if that doesn't work out something else will, create priceless memories and experiences, feel more confident and brave, are more generous, less risk averse and more likely to invest in break-through businesses that often result in excellent outcomes

While it is clear that an abundant mindset is desirable, most people aren't born with an innate sense of it. Luckily, it is something that we can work on.

How to cultivate an abundance mindset:

Developing an abundant mindset starts with becoming aware of what you think. Even if thoughts of abundance don't come naturally to you, there are a variety of exercises you can do to retrain your mind to think more optimistically and abundantly.

One exercise towards living a more abundant life is practicing gratitude. American life-coach and author Tony Robbins said: "When you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears." Cultivating the act of being thankful for what you have has numerous benefits. It will open your mind, and improve your physical and psychological health, self-worth and sleep, to name a few. Practice gratitude by starting and ending each day thinking of three things you’re grateful for. They can be as obvious as your loving family and as trivial as the delicious coffee you had that day. Try as much as possible to include new ones to your lists to encourage your mind to look for things to be grateful for in as many situations as possible.

Life becomes filled with possibilities when you start practicing gratitude and learn to have an open mind. On the other hand, an enemy of the abundant mind are words said when annoyed or angry. Be mindful of what you say when you are in a bad mood. By remembering that words shape your reality, you will be more inclined to choose to speak from the perspective of a positive thinking person living in abundance. To quote the legendary Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continually. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude."

Another exercise to consider introducing in to your life to cultivate a more abundant mindset is the act of saying positive affirmations. Positive thoughts help heal and can bring a higher purpose in life. It is easy to slip back into negativity due to different circumstances, but using positive affirmations can improve your perspective, help you forgive yourself when necessary and move forward quicker. You don't even need to believe them for them to work. Mantras and abundance affirmations are typically most effective when you simplify them. To get the most out of positive affirmations, say them to yourself for 2-5 minutes every day for a week and see how it improves your mood. Or counteract any negative thought that arises with 2 minutes of repeating a positive affirmation.

Here are a few examples of affirmations you can introduce into your daily routine:

-My dreams are coming true

-I live an abundant life

-Thank you

-Everything is working out for me

By consistently practising these simple exercises, you will see a change in your mood and outlook on life in a short time and be on your way to living a more abundant life.

#abundance #mindset #goals #achievement