Well hello and welcome to another Thursday on the blog. Setting aside the lifestyle content for a moment, I really wanted to talk about the mindset that is holding a lot of people back. It’s amazing how many people are actually living this programmed behavior and not even realizing it; just like I did for a very long time! The old saying is quite true; you don’t know what you don’t know. But through books and the fairly easily accessible information at our fingertips nowadays, I have stumbled across some information that has completely turned my life around.
So do you often feel like you’re chasing success but not catching it? This feeling of scarcity, where you think there’s not enough of anything you need? These feelings can weigh you down. But changing your thinking can open up a new world of possibilities.
I’ve been there. Thinking I never had enough, envying those with more, and being scared to make a move. It was so tiring. But I learned that seeing the world as full of opportunities changes everything and I’m going to tell you how.
When you focus on what you do have rather than what’s missing; doors start to open. Instead of barriers, you see chances to grow and succeed. You’ll be more willing to try new things and take on challenges. And, you develop a strong feeling of thankfulness and belief in your power to shape your future. So like yeah, getting this mindset right is kind of a big deal, besties.
What is a scarcity mindset?
A scarcity mindset is a belief that there will never be enough, resulting in feelings of fear, stress, and anxiety. Scarcity mindset keeps so many people from reaching their full potential in life. We truly are capable of so much, so choose the mindset that will create a life you love.
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
William James, American Psychologist and Philosopher
So how do you know if you have a scarcity mindset?
If you spend more time in your life thinking about the negative things that are happening, worried to spend money out of fear you’ll go broke, telling yourself that this life you’re living (that isn’t even lighting you the f**k up) is “good enough” because it’s comfortable, telling yourself your income is capped because you didn’t go to college? Scarcity mindset can manifest as procrastination, low self-worth, skepticism toward opportunities, and fear of change. The list is endless of how a scarcity mindset manifests. And the list wreaks nothing but havoc on your life and self when stuck in this mindset perpetually.
What is an abundance mindset?
Now that we’ve learned what a scarcity mindset is, let’s take a look at what its opposite is – the abundance mindset. An abundance mindset is all about how you see the world. It means not letting what you’re missing hold you back. Instead, you focus on what you can do with the chances you have. This mindset is about believing you can get the skills or things you need. It’s also about being open to new ways to reach your goals. It’s key to know the difference to escape the scarcity cycle and reach your full potential.
How can you ditch your scarcity mindset for an abundance mindset?
Choosing between an abundance and a scarcity mindset can massively shape your life and what you do in this lifetime. In Dr. Joe Dispenza’s book “Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself”, he explains the process of changing your literal brain by unwiring old circuits and wiring new ones. The circuits meaning the learned behavior that already exists, and the new behavior you want to wire. For this article’s purpose; we want to unwire the scarcity mindset and wire a mindset of abundance. So how can we do that? Well let’s begin with unwiring old circuits.
Unwiring Old Circuits
- Awareness: The first step is becoming aware of the thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that are part of the old, unwanted scarcity mindset. These are the “hardwired” circuits that have been reinforced over time. These thoughts, behaviors, and emotions can be sneaky. Consistently practice observing your thoughts and you will start to catch on to those thoughts and feelings of scarcity.
- Observing without Judgment: Instead of reacting to these thoughts and emotions, observe them without judgment. This helps to weaken the old neural connections because you’re not reinforcing them with the usual emotional energy.
- Interrupting the Pattern: By consciously choosing to interrupt these patterns, such as by pausing and taking a deep breath instead of reacting, or even replace those thoughts with the thought that the abundant version of yourself would think, you start to break down that old circuit or story you tell yourself that reinforces that scarcity mindset.
Wiring New Circuits
- Setting Clear Intentions: Define the new thoughts, behaviors, and emotions you want to cultivate. Be specific about how you want to think, feel, and act. In this case, we want to cultivate an abundance mindset! We want to think, feel, and act as though there is plenty to go around and room for everyone to reach their full potential and succeed. There is so much money in circulation, there is most definitely enough for every person to have their desired amount to live the life that speaks to them and makes them happy.
- Mental Rehearsal: Regularly visualize yourself thinking, feeling, and acting in the new way. This mental rehearsal helps to create new neural pathways in the brain, similar to how practicing a sport improves performance. There are countless studies done on mental rehearsals that prove how beneficial mental rehearsal can be in trying to foster a new mindset, therefore life. One of my favorite studies was Guillot & Collet (2008): A comprehensive study that indicates mental rehearsal can enhance performance in various sports, including gymnastics, tennis, and basketball, by improving skills, strategies, and confidence.
- Practicing Mindfulness and Meditation: Engage in mindfulness and meditate to make it easier to install new habits. Dr. Dispenza’s book “Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself” that I mentioned earlier delves deeper into the meditation practice that you can use to accomplish unwiring and wiring of new neural connections. Just remember, it does take practice. So if you find your mind wandering or are finding it hard to sit still, don’t feel discouraged, just keep trying. You will learn through repetition to get to the meditative state that you want.
- Emotional Engagement: Combine your intentions with elevated emotions such as joy, love, or gratitude. This emotional engagement strengthens the new neural connections and makes the new habits more ingrained. When you’re having a hard time feeling positive, think of what it would feel like to have everything you’ve ever wanted. Think of your health, wealth, relationships, and career being perfect for you in every way. How does that feel? Sit in that feeling to give a charge to your intentions.
- Consistent Practice: Repetition is key. By consistently practicing these new thoughts and behaviors, the new neural circuits become stronger and eventually become your new default patterns. Remember to be patient with yourself. You’re literally going against your own programming, and that’s no easy feat. It takes time and effort and consistency at first. The more you do it, the easier it will become until it’s your new wiring.
Remember, cultivating an abundance mindset is not easy. It’s about changing how your brain works. Some more ways that you can reprogram your mindset is by regularly doing things like:
- Keep a gratitude journal – Reflecting on what you’re grateful for on a daily basis can set you up for success on this journey of rewiring your brain by making you more hopeful and opening your eyes to the things that are good in your life.
- Pick wisely who you spend your time with – I’m sure you have heard some type of rendition of “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn and he isn’t kidding. Just like if you strike a tuning fork and hold it next to another tuning fork; the unstruck fork will start vibrating at the same frequency as the other one without ever having been struck. It’s the same with people. We are transmitters and receivers of the frequencies we are putting out there. So hanging around with low vibrating people all the time, well you can expect to reflect who they are in your own life. So choose your friends wisely.
- Write down your goals – Writing down goals can be incredibly powerful. It clarifies your intentions and solidifies your commitment, making your objectives more tangible. This process engages your brain more actively, enhancing focus and motivation. Additionally, seeing your goals on paper helps track progress and boosts accountability, increasing the likelihood of achieving them.
“Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.”
Wayne Dyer