How an abundance mindset can make you feel happier 

Thinking abundantly means we view a situation from a positive perspective and harbour hope. To think abundantly is to believe and open ourselves up to the notion that we are deserving of good things, of success, and of positive outcomes. An abundant approach is one that is welcoming of growth, self-evolution, and the potential for improvement. If you have an abundant mindset you reframe failure and view difficulty as a challenge and an opportunity to learn. 

Why is thinking abundantly often difficult?

Our brains are hard-wired to keep us safe. Whenever we perceive fear the amygdala, a small almond-shaped cluster in the temporal lobe of the brain is triggered and we begin to prepare for fight or flight, causing a whole host of bodily changes as well as the release of our stress hormones.

So focused are we on detecting potential threats or dangers that we are five times more likely to hone in on the possibility of negative outcomes than we do on the positive. So, while our ancestors looked for the threat of being eaten by a Saber-tooth tiger, our safer existence means we worry instead about loss of security, fear of failure, not being good enough, etc. 

How does this affect our level of stress?

Historically the threat of fear and the accompanying surge in stress hormones would dilute as we bolted for the hills. This is because physical activity produces endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and also reduce stress in the body. Nowadays, there are not such clear lines indicating the end of our perceived threat. For example, when can we know that we may no longer fail in our business? If we don’t find ways to expel our stress we are left holding onto these active and negative emotions causing us to feel on edge, short-tempered, stressed, or anxious.

Ruminating on these thoughts can also affect our outlook, self-belief, and even our future trajectory. Thankfully there are various things we can do to help such as exercising, meditation, acupuncture, massages, and deep breathing. But the first step begins with a can-do attitude so adopting a positive mindset and thinking abundantly is the foundation that positive change is built upon. 

How to build an abundant mindset and reduce anxiety-induced thinking?

When we open ourselves up to more positive thinking and adopt an abundant mindset, we make space for hope and allow ourselves to notice the opportunities and positive outcomes out there. Also, research tells us that an abundant mindset can help us to increase resilience, positive emotions, and our self-esteem as we begin to feel more confident. The alternative is to live from a place of fear by adopting a lack mentality, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind a sunnier daily disposition. 

If you are ready to leave behind thoughts that do not serve you and beliefs such as I am not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, I am not successful enough, my career is going nowhere, I don’t make enough money, then here are four simple techniques that you can apply immediately. 

1. Add the word YET to the end of your negative thought or belief

For example, I am not making enough money YET, I do not have enough clients YET. I am not fit enough YET. Give it a go with some of your negative beliefs. By adding the word YET we are opening ourselves up to growth, change, and becoming unstuck. This immediately shifts our focus, now we are more open to spotting possibilities and opportunities that can work for us. Remember - where thoughts go, energy flows. 

2. Reframe failure

Before you start berating yourself for things that went wrong, can I suggest viewing it from a different angle? For instance, the end of a past relationship, or job may have you believing that you were not good enough, or that you are difficult to love.

However, reframing it from a positive perspective may highlight that you remained true to your values, to yourself, and that there are some things that you will not negotiate on. What if you are indeed enough but the situation was not enough of what you wanted. Failures are only failures if we don’t learn from them. Sometimes the only chance we get to make something better is when we reflect on why it didn't work. Every failure is a step closer to success. 

3. Clarify your desire

In order to attract what you want, you first need to know what that thing is. It sounds obvious, but you would not believe how many of us are unclear about this. What I am referring to here is being specific with our intention. We all want a happy life, a successful career, a great body. But what does that mean for you? How exactly would that look? Success to one person may not mean the same to another. Get really specific on your ideal outcome, this way you know when you are making progress. 

4. Practice gratitude

I know this is repeated everywhere but that is because the research behind gratitude has proven that it increases resilience, positive emotions, and even reduces depression in some cases. If writing a list of three things every day seems too much for you how about you just think about it. For every negative thought you have, try and balance it out by having a positive thought. This will help you retrain your mind to shift your focus from the negative to the positive. 

If you would like to learn of other ways to master your mindset and clarify your vision or definition of success, then drop me a line and we can have a chat about how Positive Psychology coaching may be helpful to you.