There’s Abundance in life, if you know how to look for it.

Have you ever heard of the scarcity mind set? No?

Well it’s a term used to describe a pattern of thinking that is part of many people’s psychology. It’s the negative voice in our heads that says, “Kate was given a pay rise, that means there’s less chance of me getting one,” or “if I tell everyone about this great sale, then I might miss the best bargains,” or “my friend was lucky enough to meet a new man, what chance do I have.” This attitude, that there is only a finite amount of everything to go around, was first described by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Covey writes: “Some people see life as if there is only one pie out there, and if someone were to get a big piece of the pie, it would mean less for everyone else.”
This thinking is adopted at an early age and has some practical uses. It ensures we don’t run out of food or time or petrol. But it can also cause emotional conflict, such as when siblings believe their parents have a limited amount of love to share amongst them.

As we get older the scarcity mind set can deeply affect the way we behave. Claire is a single mother juggling career and family life. When she hears about a friend who has got a promotion, she panics and thinks she’ll never reach her potential or find her dream job? She believes there are only a limited number of people who can succeed and if someone else has, then maybe she can’t? Her panic leads to anxiety and stress.

Although this pattern of thinking may have become ingrained and habitual, it is still only a pattern of thinking and can be changed with time and practise.

The opposite of scarcity is abundance. If we believe that love, success, and opportunity are abundant, then we can be genuinely pleased for friends and colleagues when they achieve great things. And we can avoid that downward spiral of negativity and comparison.

Here are some tips to move from a life of scarcity to a life of abundance.

· Challenge yourself. When you find yourself feeling jealous about what someone else has achieved, ask yourself how this person getting what he or she wants prevents you from getting what you want?

· Practise visualising abundance. Imagine there is a deadline approaching but you have an abundance of time to complete it. How does it feel? Visualise yourself going for a walk and hundreds of creative ideas popping into your head. Do you feel excited?

· Compliment others. And congratulate them when they get what they want.

· Develop a sense of gratitude. Be aware of what you already have in your life.

· Share credit for successes with others. There’s never a shortage of credit to go around!

· Share ideas and information. The more open you are, the more open other people will be.

Since Claire has strived to change her mind set to believe in abundance rather than scarcity, she feels calmer. She’s stopped worrying about what others have and consequently she has more time to focus on her own goals. With a positive mind set, she is more likely to achieve them.

If you recognise yourself in this style of thinking and would like some support please contact me for a chat.

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