Why Having an Abundance Mindset Pays Off
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We’ve heard that thoughts become words, words become actions and your daily actions make up the course of how you live your days. It would only make sense that having a mindset geared toward abundance rather than one that focuses on what you lack would have a positive impact on your life. The challenge when deciding to adopt this radical mindset–because let’s face it, the world is built on making people want more–is that you have to unlearn old patterns, trust that the thing you’re seeking is already on its way to you and know that there are unlimited resources out there, so you don’t have to take anyone else’s good thing to have your own.
For a planner like myself, viewing life through this lens hasn’t always been easy. I like to have an idea, even a formula, of how I’ll reach my goals. In my mind, if I follow the steps in sequential order things will work out. The reality is that life doesn’t work like an equation– but is rather a mix of planning and possibility. Deploying an abundance vs scarcity mindset all comes down to balancing the art of having faith in a positive outcome and recognizing the science behind the actions you take responsibility for to help move you toward your goal.
Over the past few years, I’ve shifted from a scarcity mindset to one that welcomes abundance with open arms. How did I arrive at this place? A turning point for me was when we moved from Florida to Alabama back in 2019. At the time, I had a great career, making great money, with colleagues I really enjoyed. My husband and I lived in a quaint beach town with our nearly two-year-old daughter and six week old newborn son. That’s when life (abundance!) knocked on our door and he was offered an incredible promotion out of state. Mixed in with the feelings of excitement for his opportunity and a chance to be closer to our families was a kernel of doubt, worry and anxiety about giving up a life we had built—but mostly the security of it all. Beyond saying goodbye to great friends and a place we loved, we also had to deal with all of the logistics of a cross-state move: finding somewhere new to live, selling our current home and hardest for me, resigning from my job, thus eliminating my income from our financial equation. To say that there was a lot of uncertainty and change in a short amount of time is an understatement.
Once we got to Alabama, reality set in pretty quickly–and so did my scarcity mindset. When would our Florida house sell and how long would we have two mortgages? What if his new job didn’t work out and we moved for nothing? What if I hated it in Alabama? What if after maternity leave, I didn’t find a job I liked and I gave up my comfortable career for nothing?
I had a lot of questions–none of which my human brain could rationally answer without starting down a doubt spiral. So how did I get through it? I finally realized I couldn’t do it on my own and gave up control. I acknowledged that no amount of planning is ever 100 percent guaranteed to help you achieve your desired outcome because life always has other plans. And looking back now, I can so clearly see the challenges and lessons I was presented were opportunities for me to learn to trust in my bigger plan, which has beautifully unfolded in its own time.
So, let’s jump into how having an abundance mindset paid off for me and can for you, too.
You’ll be smarter
I’ve gained some knowledge along my journey so far–although I could chalk it up to more life experience, reading a lot of books and learning to lean into my newfound superpowers after becoming a mom. But according to a whole host of research that has been conducted on this topic, having an abundance mindset could also raise your IQ by 13 points. According to the study, “A sense of scarcity, it turns out, makes you distracted, defensive, less rational, and effectively dumber. The opposite -- what scientists term an abundance mindset -- improves performance by a similar amount.” Why wouldn’t you want to gain a couple IQ points simply by focusing on what you have rather than what you lack?
Your health will improve
When living in a state of lack, you’re automatically assuming you’re missing out or are falling behind in some area. This can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety (see above example from my life) which over time wreaks havoc on your health and wellbeing. Your body naturally wants to live in a state of harmony–one of balanced highs and lows. But if you’re constantly in fight or flight mode, you’ll make more of a hormone called cortisol, which can increase inflammation in your body, increase chances of heart issues and other stress-related health problems. Trading the good “what if” thoughts with the negative ones will begin to train your brain to spot an opportunity rather than a problem. Over time, this will lead to less stress and more inner peace.
You’ll see the world in a different light
It’s impossible to have an abundance mindset without being grateful. And gratitude helps you live in the moment, which is the opposite of anxiety– worrying about the past or future. See how it’s all connected?
According to Harvard Health, gratitude, “helps people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.” When you look at your life as a series of opportunities to grow, you’ll see how even (maybe especially) in the hard times, there is something to be thankful for and a lesson to be learned. Having this mindset shift can allow you room to welcome in abundance in any situation or circumstance.
Your faith will deepen
I saved the best for last–having an abundance mindset aligns us with our faith. As Christians, we are actually called to expect God to provide abundantly for all of our needs:
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:19
“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”- Psalm 23:1
“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”- Luke 12:24
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”- Corinthians 9:8
It can be hard to live in a world that is always trying to sell you something you lack. Lack of money, lack of love, lack of self worth–it goes on and on. What the Bible tells us is radically different— that everything we need can be supplied by God. Leaning into this truth has helped me deepen my faith and strengthened my relationship with God.
Like I mentioned earlier, adopting an abundance mindset is both an art and a science. We can use our top-notch planning skills to help set us up for success, but we also have to balance it with a deep knowing that God has us covered. And these two two approaches together—smarts and surrender— sound like a winning combination to me.
