How to Create an Abundance Mentality

Lately, I have been focusing quite a bit on creating and strengthening an abundance mentality for myself. It’s not so easy to maintain it though.

Much of society seems to be built on a scarcity mentality. A mentality that tells people that there is a lack in life. That opportunities are few and far between.

This is of course useful for society because if people feel that there is a lack, then you can get them to buy stuff. And so the economy and society can continue to live and prosper by reinforcing a scarcity mentality in people.

But the scarcity mentality can be quite painful for the individual and create a lot of unnecessary fear, anxiety and desperation.

An abundance mentality, on the other hand, tells you that there are always new chances and opportunities. This relieves much of the pressure you may feel if you have a scarcity mentality that makes you think that you only got this shot right now. Or makes you feel like an utter failure just because you just stumbled and things didn’t work out.

An abundance mentality allows you to see life in a more long-term perspective. And it can help you improve your performance since with it you’re creating a lot less pressure and anxieties within your own mind.

If you have a scarcity mentality then you will probably take things too seriously. You may think to yourself: “If I fail, the sky will fall”. It probably won’t, though. But you think it will, you become overly nervous and POOF! you have created a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure because your inner, self-created negativity puts obstacles on your path to success.

If it’s a game, then you may fumble with the ball. If it’s an exam, then you may not have been able to sleep and will perform poorly on the test. If it’s a date, you may come of as too needy and nervous and not as your usual, more relaxed and confident self.

Here are a few tips that I’ve found to be useful to create and reinforce your own abundance mentality.

Focus on the abundance, not on the lack.

What you focus on, you will see in your world. Since you can’t take in all impressions around you, your reticular activation system – your focus system in the mind – will bring into focus what you focus your thoughts on.

This will allow you to see the abundance in your world that you may be missing right now. If you for instance have a lack of money, then don’t focus on your lack. Focus and think about the abundance of possibilities in the world to make money.

Focus your mind on that and soon ideas and opportunities to make that happen will start to “pop up” in your world. It’s almost a bit freaky how things that holds solutions for you – perhaps books or acquaintances – that have been there in the background for quite a while just one day suddenly jumps out at you.

Appreciate.

One quick way to revert from the pretty normal habit of thinking about what you don’t have is simply to appreciate. Appreciate your food, life, your roof, your friends and family and so on.

This can not only turn a sour mood into a more positive one within minutes but also help you notice possibilities you have missed or forgotten. And create a more open vibe within you, a vibe that makes it easier to focus on the abundance. So, make habit of appreciating for a few minutes each day.

Get an abundance vibe from other people.

Since you get a scarcity mentality from the input from, for instance, advertising and media then you can change your input to change your mentality.

Cut down on watching the news. Tivo your favourite shows and skip the commercials. Or just cut down on your TV and media consumption, period.

Replace the scarcity vibe your get from that input. How do you do that? “Hang out” with people that have an abundance mentality.

Read, listen to and watch personal development material. Besides reading your favourite personal development blogs, check out products by people like Brian Tracy and Wayne Dyer. Read success stories in books and magazines. Have a positive attitude to the abundance and success of your friends, family and co-workers. Hang out with people in real life that has more of an abundance mentality and less of a scarcity mentality.

Be selective with what you put into your mind. Create your own environment of abundance.

Remind yourself.

Even if it feels like you have a scarcity right now, you can turn that around by reminding yourself of all the things to appreciate in your life.

Or you may remember previous times when you had an abundance. Perhaps you had several business or job opportunities lined up. Remind yourself of such times. Realize that you can recreate similar circumstances once again.

Remind yourself on a daily basis.

It’s very easy to slip back into your old thought patterns. You just forget about what you should be thinking about.

A useful tool to keep yourself from slipping is to use external reminders. You can for example use written notes posted at places you can’t avoid seeing several times each day – your workspace, fridge and mirrors – or put a bracelet on your wrist. Seeing encouraging words or quotes that reminds you of your new abundance mentality can help your mind snap back into the right headspace once again.

Finally, try to adopt a more positive mindset in general. Without such a mindset, if you are bogged down with negative thoughts all the time, then it will be hard to create and believe in an abundance mentality.

One starting point for positive thinking with practical tips can be found in Take the Positivity Challenge!