Abundance vs scarcity. These two principles can and will shape your life and the way you live it. Living an abundant life is one of fullness, of success, of seeing and doing everything you can to ensure you have no regrets. People who live in scarcity fear more than they live. Every decision they make is a defensive one. Whether it be about money or anything else that could hold them back from experiencing abundance, they take the “safe” route. Both of these choices are mindsets that engulf the overall life you lead. When reading my descriptions of both lifestyle choices, you would think most people choose abundance over scarcity. It would make logical sense; however, you would be wrong. Why is that you ask? Mindset above all else is the reason you choose to live one way or another.
Why Scarcity is so common
Most of the people you come across in day-to-day life will be living in scarcity. Monetary concerns will trump all else, and they will be reliant and solely focused on working their job to feed their families. A noble premise of course, everyone hopes to be able to feed their family, but this approach to life will lead to mere existence rather than living. Scarcity is narrow-minded and thinks that there is only one way to do things in life, and that social mobility is impossible. In reality, there are many ways to feed your family and beyond that aren’t the path you are currently on. A predisposition like this sets you up for mediocrity. Scarcity is passed down through generations. Most of the people with this mindset got it from their parents and then pass it down to their kids. To break a narrow-minded mindset like this once it is established is very hard to do. This is how the poison of scarcity leaks into society today. Overcoming scarcity and reaching abundance is a big leap, and is perceived to be much harder than it actually is. It is taking that step initially to shift perceptions that is the hardest part.
Abundance is life’s great reward
A life lived in abundance is one that each day is better than the last. New and exciting possibilities emerge every day, and staleness does not occur often. Abundance brings passion, and passion brings success. The biggest step to take toward abundance is perceiving yourself worthy of it. This means letting go of your fear and taking life’s proverbial training wheels off by exploring your abilities and having faith in yourself. This change in perception is a powerful thing that can shift the entire trajectory of your life for the better. You’ll notice that this shift in the brain will cause things around you to seem different than before. Where once you saw chaos, you now see opportunity. In response of letting go of your fears, your confidence in yourself will grow. Abundance starts with how you feel about yourself which branches out into your surroundings.
Letting go of perceived insufficiencies
Regret and past mistakes are more reasons people may choose to live in a scarcity mindset. They don’t want to make the same mistake twice, but in turn limit their ability to live life the way it is supposed to be lived. Instead of learning from mistakes, scarcity tells people to wallow in them and that if you fail to never attempt that of which you failed ever again. Abundance sees failure as a reward for trying. This is because these people see the lessons that failure teaches them, and they know that in order to take the next step in doing whatever it is they have previously tried to, they are now better prepared to reach success. Scarcity sees failure as insufficiencies, or in other words convinces people that they aren’t good enough. Letting go of this feeling and seeing failure for what it really is, a learning experience, will lead you to enjoy the abundance everyone should. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. It is how you take those mistakes that reflects which kind of lifestyle you are living, that of scarcity or abundance.
Abundance says yes when scarcity says no
Scarcity causes people to miss out on so many rich experiences. It comes up with reasons to avoid them and say no to them while abundance gives you reasons you should pursue these experiences. The two mindsets are ideologically opposed in every way. When presented with something new like an experience such as travel or trying something such as yoga or working out, scarcity and abundance approach these scenarios in the complete opposite way. Abundance allows you to explore the possibilities of how to make these things you want to do work for you by asking the question “How can I do this?” On the other hand, scarcity completely shuts the door on these opportunities by simply stating, “I can’t do this.” Abundance allows you to explore possibilities and open up your mind by asking open-ended questions while scarcity turns your mind off as soon as it is presented with something that makes it uncomfortable by using close-ended statements.
Audit your mindset
After some exploration into the differences between abundance and scarcity, it is time for you to audit your mindset and see which frame of mind relates to you more. Be honest with yourself here. Which mindset sounds better to you, and what actions can you take to reach this mindset? The answer to this question can only be determined by you, but know the limitless possibilities out there for you when you choose to reach a mindset of abundance.