Effective Ways to Develop an Abundance Mindset

There's a profound quote by Rumi that goes, 'Live life as if everything is rigged in your favor.' This quote embodies the essence of the abundance mindset - a belief that there's plenty for everyone.

Mindset is an incredibly powerful tool. It is the driving force behind the actions and behaviors which will set us up for success or keep us fearful and unsure about the future. Depending on which mindset we adopt, our perspectives will be very different. The path of abundance has us looking at the world through a lens of optimism and gratitude. However, with a scarcity mindset, all we see are obstacles, problems, and no way out.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that is deeply rooted in scarcity. People live their lives in fear, blaming their circumstances, others, or themselves, entirely sure that their situation is permanent. The good news is it doesn't have to be this way, but it requires you to decide. You have to decide that you aren't going to settle for a life of scarcity anymore but rather move forward in abundance.

You can begin taking steps today to develop an abundance mindset, and it's easier than you might think.

Here are 10 simple things you can incorporate into your daily life that will have you on the life-changing path of abundance in no time. Let's dig in!

Tune Into Your Thoughts: Practice Mindful Awareness

The mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts dictating our perspective on the world. These thoughts truly run our lives, and it's important to be aware of them when transitioning from scarcity to abundance. Pay attention to the things going on inside your head. What thoughts monopolize your time? Are they positive or negative?

Take one day and track as many thoughts as you possibly can. Write down anything that comes to mind.

What message are you telling yourself through those thoughts? I'm not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough. I can't. What if I fail? Who am I to do something big in this world? Your thoughts have been holding you back in a big way, and if you want a more Abundant life, that is one of the first things that has to change. Once you become fully aware of what is happening, you regain control, and those thoughts start to lose power over you.

Reflection: Challenge yourself to observe your thoughts for a whole day. Get curious about them and ask where they come from and if they are mine? Write down any negative self-talk you notice.

How can you reframe these thoughts in a positive way?

Detox Your Social Circle: Say Goodbye to Toxic Relationships

One of THE best things you can do for yourself and your future success is to eliminate toxic people from your life. Identify those relationships weighing you down and decide to stop sacrificing your own needs and happiness for those that don't value you. Put yourself first. Take a long, hard look at who you've allowed into your circle. Do they build you up or bring you down? Toxic people will keep you in a cycle of drama and negativity because it suits them and their selfish agenda. They don't want you to do any better than them and won't allow you to grow and flourish into the person you are meant to be. Make an effort to distance yourself from those who make you feel 'less than' and seek out those that are more abundance-minded. Find a community of like-minded people who will celebrate your wins and encourage you to be the best possible version of yourself.

Reflection: Reflect on your relationships. Are there people consistently bringing you down or making you feel less than others? How might you set boundaries with these individuals or distance yourself from them?

Count Your Blessings: The Power of Daily Gratitude

One of the most powerful things you can do to attract abundance is to practice gratitude daily. Be purposeful. Decide what you will look for and seek out the good every day. Notice even the smallest blessings as you go through your daily routine. Instead of dreading the day when you wake up, immediately think of reasons why you are excited and grateful to jump out of bed. Smile more. Complain less. Spend quality time with people who help you see the blessings in life. Start a journal. Before you go to bed, reflect on the good things that happened that day and write them down. Life is unpredictable and won't always be filled with happy moments. However, when you try to see the good and be grateful for what you have, it is much easier to get through those tough times.

Reflection: Start a gratitude journal. Every night before bed, write down three things you were grateful for that day. Notice any changes in your mindset after a week.

End the Comparison Game: Embrace Your Unique Journey

We live in a society that pushes perfection and plays off of our insecurities – it's no wonder our comparison game is strong. The problem is that when you compare yourself with another person, you usually place their strengths against your perceived weaknesses. You're looking at their highlight reel and comparing it with your mess behind the scenes. This is a recipe for self-destruction and the quickest path to feeling depressed, resentful, and unworthy. Stop the madness and take steps to eliminate comparison from your life. Do a social media detox or spend less time online. Embrace your quirks and imperfections – they make you, YOU. Remember that there are 7 billion people on this planet – not one of them is perfect (no matter what Instagram says). Turn the tables and let others inspire you with their strengths, wins, and accomplishments. Rather than feeling like you don't measure up, appreciate what they have to offer while knowing there is plenty of space for you to shine.

Reflection: Think about the social media accounts or people that make you feel inadequate or envious. Can you unfollow or spend less time focused on them? Who inspires you instead?

Live with Purpose: The Key to an Abundant Life

If you want to develop more abundance in your life, the key is to be intentional about how you live. Where is most of your time and energy being spent? Are you working towards something you are proud of or just counting the days until Friday? Make time for self-reflection and clarify what you want out of life – your values, goals, and dreams? What really lights you up inside and makes you want to jump out of bed every morning? Until we know what is truly important to us, it's hard to be intentional with our time and effort. Be mindful of the people you allow into your circle and the information you consume through social media, television, etc. Make time to do things that bring you joy, and choose to be kind to yourself and others. Take small steps to start embracing life on your own terms.

Reflection: Consider your values and long-term goals. How do your daily actions align with these? What is one thing you can do tomorrow to bring you closer to your goals?

Expand Your Horizons: The Joy of Lifelong Learning

One of the very best gifts you can give yourself is that of knowledge. A person who lives in abundance will make every effort to explore new ideas, learn new skills, and broaden their perspective to see things in a new light. There is always something new to be discovered. Decide that you will be a life-long learner and take full advantage of all the resources you have at your fingertips today – podcasts, Ted Talks, online courses, audiobooks, etc. The list is endless and will provide you with a world of new ideas, thoughts, and possibilities that keep the juices in your brain flowing. Consistent learning allows you to continuously grow and change into a better version of yourself while gaining a better perspective about the world around you.

Reflection: Pick a topic or skill you've been wanting to learn. Spend 20 minutes each day researching it or practicing it. What have you learned after a week?

Become a Joyful Giver: How Generosity Fosters Abundance

There are billions of people on this planet, but we are all connected when it comes to giving and receiving. When you add value to someone else's life, it will always increase the abundance in yours. Become an unconditional giver of your time, energy, money, and resources. When you give, don't expect things in return - just let it be. There are so many ways to be of value to another person. Go through your house or garage and donate things you don't use anymore. Give away bags of clothing or toys that your kids no longer play with. You get to help someone else and declutter your space at the same time – that's a win-win, in my book. Buy groceries for a needy family, or volunteer your time or services to someone who may need it.

Remember, it doesn't always have to be about money or material things. Offer a helping hand when you know someone is struggling. Lend your ear to someone who is going through a hard time. Be friendly to a stranger and offer them a smile or a few kind words – you never know what someone is going through. It might be the one thing that gets them through the rest of their day. Don't take that for granted. Just love people without judging whether or not they deserve it.

Reflection: Reflect on how you can contribute to your community or the lives of those around you. Plan and execute one act of service this week.

Step Beyond Comfort: Embrace Growth and New Opportunities

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to allow countless opportunities to pass you by because you refuse to be uncomfortable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is tough.

It means pushing yourself to do things you're not used to. It means going into unfamiliar territory. You fear getting hurt. You fear failure. I get it. It's so much easier to shrink back and stay hidden than take a leap of faith into the unknown. But staying hidden isn't helping you grow, and it's not challenging you to reach your full potential. Up until now, you've been blind to all the possibilities life has to offer. Developing an abundance mindset is about taking off those blinders and waking up to all the things you've been missing. It doesn't have to be complicated – reach out to someone you admire to ask them questions. Make a phone call about that job you've been eyeballing. Write that blog post - and then hit publish! Once you start taking baby steps outside your comfort zone, a world of possibilities will begin to open up.

Reflection: Identify one thing you've been avoiding due to fear or discomfort. Plan to tackle this task or challenge and take the first step.

Say No to Excuses: Overcoming Fear and Procrastination

If you want to live in more abundance, you must let go of the excuses for not having a better life. Excuses are driven by our fears and insecurities. They keep us rooted in perfectionism and procrastination so we don't tip-toe too far outside our comfort zone. We make up reasons why we can't before we even try. Fear of failure. Fear of what others will say. Fear of looking stupid. It's an endless cycle that keeps us stuck in a rut, never allowing us to grow into the person we are meant to be. To live a more abundant life, we have to decide to eliminate excuses from our vocabulary and life. When you notice yourself making an excuse, go to the root cause. What is keeping you from taking action? Sometimes overwhelm can play a big part, and it helps to break down bigger goals into smaller tasks so they are easier to achieve.

Reflection: Pay attention to the excuses you make that prevent you from reaching your goals. Can you replace these excuses with empowering statements?

Prioritize Healthy Habits: Nurturing Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Having a healthy mindset is impossible if you don't take care of your body too. We live in a microwave society where unhealthy habits run rampant. We get so caught up in the daily chaos of life that we sometimes tend to put our health on the back burner. It's a good idea to look at your daily habits and see which ones might need some tweaking. You don't have to join a gym and eat lettuce every day. Simply try to start putting yourself first and create a routine that works for you. Be conscious about what you are putting into your body. Make time for self-care. Eat more veggies. Get outside in nature, breathe the fresh air, and make sure you're getting enough sleep. Decrease your stress by learning to say a firm no to the things that don't serve you. Love yourself enough to put your health and wellness at the top of the priority list.

Reflection: Reflect on your current health habits. Identify one thing you want to improve and make a plan to implement this change over the next week.

You can quickly develop an abundance mindset today by incorporating some of these tips into your daily routine. No matter how long your scarcity mentality has weighed you down, or you have been stuck hitting the snooze button or looping negative thoughts, you can start over at any moment. By recognizing that you have a choice and that you don't have to be stuck in scarcity for the rest of your life, you can begin to transform your life and create your own reality from this day forward. Give yourself patience, compassion, and grace, and enjoy the journey ahead.