Learning how to have an abundance mindset versus a lack mindset is one of the things that has transformed my life. I will be talking about both, and how changing your mindset will open opportunities you never knew were there.
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What is a lack mindset?
A lack mindset is the core belief that there is never enough to go around, or that something will inevitably run out. This applies to anything from relationships, resources, money, or opportunities. The key thing to remember is that most of this is subconscious, meaning most people don’t think about having a lack mindset. This becomes apparent in one’s thoughts, conversations, and actions.
An example of someone having a lack mindset is in the dating world. On one hand, this could mean someone stays in a bad relationship because they don’t believe they could ever find a better match. On the other hand, people saying there’s no one out there to date and the gender they date are all deeply flawed is a way in which a lack mindset persists.
Another common example of a lack mindset is with money. In someone’s personal finances, hoarding money and refusing to spend any of it shows a lack mindset. Compulsive spending is as well because people believe if they don’t spend their money right away, it will disappear. Also, the way people talk and think about money is crucial. Someone with a lack mindset will rant about how expensive things are or that there’s never enough.
Where does a lack mindset come from?
Remember that a lack mindset is both subconscious and a core belief. This primarily comes from childhood and the way you were taught to think. Societal rules and norms run deep. Most people are raised to believe that resources are finite and will run dry if you’re not careful. Again, this includes everything from basic needs, to love, money, and opportunities.
If you grew up constantly hearing about how there are no viable career options out there or no good men to date, you will likely carry that limiting belief with you throughout your whole life.
Another way a lack mindset is a manifestation of childhood learning is with core beliefs about yourself. If you were insulted as a kid with words like, “You’re bad at making friends.” Or, “You’re irresponsible with your belongings.” Then guess what? You may develop a lack mindset with yourself! Throughout life, you might find yourself with few friends or the fear of taking on too many responsibilities, holding yourself back.
What happens when you have a lack mindset?
What you focus on increases. So if you’re constantly focused on not feeling like you’re good enough because that’s what you learned from your caregivers, teachers, and the media growing up, that belief will perpetuate itself.
A great example that I notice lately is old jokes. Many people make geriatric jokes the moment they turn 30. If you continually walk around making self-deprecating jokes about how old you look and feel, that’s going to increase. You’ll notice yourself feeling more tired than usual. Even more shockingly, you’ll notice yourself looking more haggard and feeling old.
You create how you want to feel with your mind. This in turn becomes your reality.
How can you switch from a lack mindset to an abundance mindset?
It’s quite easy to switch from a lack mindset to an abundance mindset, but it’s important to be patient with yourself. Your core beliefs about yourself, the world, and other people around you were likely ingrained in your mind since birth. Just remember it’s exactly that: old programming. It doesn’t have to be your reality. Every single belief is made up. Someone made up the phrase “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” This means it comes from someone else’s mind and became so ingrained in our society and culture.
The first step is to train yourself into an abundance mindset slowly and over time. My favorite way to do this is to focus on gratitude. Remember, what you focus on increases.
Here is an easy practice you can do. When you pay for a service, instead of looping into the old thoughts of, “Ugh. This is too expensive. I don’t deserve it anyway.” Be grateful for the service! Now you have an amazing haircut, or your car is fixed and you didn’t have to do it yourself. Allow yourself to receive the service and believe you deserve it. Then, sincerely thank the person who gave it to you. Feel gratitude while paying them. An abundance mindset says the money will come right back to you anyway!
This probably won’t feel natural at first, but remember you’re nurturing yourself into more productive ways of being, and this takes time. So be patient! Once you’re used to starting small, you can apply an abundance mindset to every area of your life. For me, instead of making horrible jokes about my body and my health, I speak to my cells and thank them for my health. I stopped calling it “budgeting” and started calling it “financial guidance.”
Another way to grow into an abundance mindset is to avoid those circles where you sit around and complain about the economy, how there are no good men anymore, or how horrible the world is. Once you are in an abundance mindset, you’ll notice these conversations lower your energy. So trust your intuition and don’t participate just to be agreeable. Definitely don’t cut everyone off, but having strong boundaries about what you choose to talk about is key.
Lastly, be informed but not immersed. The news exists to keep everyone in a state of panic. But the world around you has its own faults to work out. They don’t have to become your faults. So turn off the news and stop doomscrolling on TikTok. Find creative outlets to express yourself.
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In closing, you do not have to subscribe to toxic positivity. There’s a difference between a lack mindset and being human with human emotions and experiences. This post is not to say you need to be “happy and high vibe all the time” because that isn’t real. You can choose to see the endless opportunities for yourself and also feel all your feelings. In fact, feeling your feelings and using them as a guide can help you in your journey, but that’s another post for another day 😉