Moving from Scarcity to Abundance
Finding Joy and Internal Balance
Have you ever found yourself constantly worrying that there isn’t enough—enough time, enough money, enough opportunities, enough love? How can you not…we are living in the year 2025. Unless you are living under a rock, it is almost impossible to avoid these narratives. Everyday, from our left and right before we can even take a deep breath, jobs are being lost, people are being deprived of essential supports, and we are having to learn how to survive on less even though EVERYTHING is costing more.
This reality is VERY real for many people, however in the midst of all this, there still is a VERY real truth… Many of us chose to walk through life wearing scarcity covered glasses not based on the actual experience of deprivation but rather the need to hoard because of unfounded fear of everything that surrounds us will run out.
This is the essence of a scarcity mindset, and it can quietly steal joy from our lives, leaving us feeling exhausted, anxious, and disconnected from what truly matters.
A scarcity mindset is the belief that resources—both tangible and intangible—are limited. It convinces us that we must fight literally and figuratively for what we have, therefore we end up hoarding our energy, and we find ourselves constantly operating in a state of survival. This way of thinking keeps us in a state of stress, fight or flight, and quite frankly it makes it difficult for us to experience gratitude, joy, creativity, and connection. When we constantly believe there isn’t enough, we naturally feel like we aren’t enough.
How Scarcity Thinking Disconnects Us
Scarcity thinking does more than just create stress; it disrupts our internal balance…
It keeps us stuck in fear – When we are always worried about loss, we operate from a place of anxiety rather than possibility.
Shifting our focus from self to others through a comparison mindset– When measure our worth against others, we start believing that their success takes away from our own accomplishments.
Getting stuck in either the past or future—preventing us from celebrating our present – If we’re constantly afraid that things will run out, we will find ourselves struggling to enjoy what we already have and being grateful for what is already in front of us.
Scarcity thinking weakens our relationships – The fear of scarcity can make us believe that we are always in a “Hunger Games” battle, we see our friends, family, or neighbors as our competitors. As a result we are not able to experience the beautiful moments when collaboration is possible. This erodes trust and connection.
But what if we shifted our thinking? What if we embraced an abundance mindset—one that acknowledges that, while resources may not be infinite, opportunities for joy, growth, and connection are? The good news? We can shift away from scarcity thinking and reclaim our sense of joy and balance.
Flipping The Script: Shifting from Scarcity to Abundance
Moving from scarcity to abundance isn’t about ignoring reality or pretending challenges don’t exist. It’s about changing our perspective so we can respond with clarity, hope, and intentionality.
Here are a few ways to begin shifting your mindset:
Practice Gratitude Daily
When we focus on what we have, our brain starts to notice more of it. Keeping a gratitude journal, note cards, colorful post it notes, or simply reflecting on small joys each day rewires our brain…we are able to shift our thinking towards abundance.
Redefine Success: Your Way!
Instead of measuring success by external validation or accumulation of “stuff”, redefine success through the idea of fulfillment, learning, and opportunities to deepen connection.
Replace Your Internal Mantra of “Not Enough” to that of “I Am or I Have More Than Enough”
If you catch yourself thinking, I don’t have enough time/money/support, shift your words to I have exactly what I need for today.
Shift from Competition to Collaboration
Instead of seeing others’ wins as threats to your success, use this as a source of inspiration. There is space for everyone to achieve growth and success. The only competitor we should have is ourselves—however when chasing growth opportunities you should never be left in a state of discouragement…Life is about taking steps forward and steps back—growth is not linear; and as I always say…Life should always provide us opportunity to learn.
Embrace Generosity
A Scarcity mindset makes us hoard our time, energy, and love. Instead of this, try the opposite—be generous with compliments, kindness, and support. I always say, “Operate In Kindness. Giving to others through words of affirmation, our time, and through gifts of support, reinforces this belief. There is always more to go around—and this more, does not have to be monetary in value.
Trust in Cycles
Life moves in cycles—we experience seasons of growth, rest, challenge, and abundance. When we trust that difficult times will pass, we release the need to control everything. We move through the good and through the bad by centering community, our values, the need to connect with others.
Reframe Setbacks as a Chance for Redirection
A scarcity mindset sees failure as proof that opportunities are vanishing. An abundance mindset sees setbacks as lessons, guiding us toward something even better.
Choosing Joy and Balance
Scarcity thinking thrives on fear. Abundance thinking thrives on trust. When we shift our perspective, we open ourselves to joy—not because everything is perfect, but because we choose to see possibilities instead of limitations.
What would change in your life if you believed there was always enough? Enough love, enough time, enough opportunities—enough space for you to thrive exactly as you are?
Abundance starts with a mindset shift, and that shift begins today.