Shifting from Scarcity to Abundance
- Oct 23, 2020
- 7 min read
Pause and take a moment to absorb the space you are in. If you are in your home, take a look at how many items you have that bring you safety, joy, and/or comfort. If you are out in public, look at the spaces, services, and accommodations that you are able to access and utilize while you are outside of your home.
You always have the opportunity to hold space for gratitude when you choose to slow down and appreciate the people, places, or things that create harmony in your life. Whether holding space for gratitude looks like noticing the beauty of sunlight cutting through a tree, a stranger being kind to you in the grocery store, remembering an amazing experience you had in the past, or a life changing lesson you learned from heartbreak - with mindful awareness you can recognize the blessings that come in many forms in your life.
Everyday we are afforded luxuries that make our lives comfortable, safe, and manageable. This often leads us to take for granted what we own and what we're able to accomplish. Capitalism and consumerism in part has affected the way we value material goods. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements and social constructs that feed us the idea that what we have isn’t enough or is quickly going out of style. We become less and less satisfied with what we obtain and in order to continue the satisfaction there is a constant pressure to invest in newer, better things. The popularized version of success in our world is marked by capital.
In order to deconstruct the influence of consumerism and capitalism in our values, we have to recognize how it preys on our needs and desires. Desires have been made into necessities, and our needs have become more and more difficult to fulfill. Capitalism manipulates us in believing that our fundamental needs can be satisfied in the act of investing in our desires. “If I get this thing or do this thing, it will bring me the joy and comfort I’m looking for,” one may think. The trap is that we get caught in the wheel of always looking for more fun, more excitement, more wealth - ultimately more consumption. The choreography of purchasing something new hits every feel-good chemical in the brain, yet somehow after we receive the experience of gaining this newness it is still never enough. That is because the answer for our long-term joy and comfort as individuals is not found and sustained through our never ending pursuits of short-term thrills.
For those who do not want to participate in those “thrills”, they are met with shame and seen as out of touch with modern culture. Even worse, if you don't have the resources (i.e. disposable income) to be able to participate, you are excluded from other opportunities because you don't have necessities deemed required by the society to maintain your place in it at all (i.e. classism). Wherever you fall on the spectrum, there’s nothing shameful in working with what you have within your means; and as all of us are looking to experience the thrills and joys of life, the solution for maintaining those virtues can be found in reconsidering what we value and how we value it. When you direct your focus on the abundance of what you have in your life and utilizing it to the best of your ability, you shift the spotlight from what you lack to what can be created.
When we include moments like in the exercise offered earlier - we cultivate a better awareness of the various ways blessings show up in our lives. Whether we feel our lives are abundant or not, we can start by cultivating as much joy as we can with whatever we have. It does not have to be physical items - it can be your loved ones, cherished memories of the past, talents and skills you have, or deep wisdom you've gained over the course of your life. All of these things add richness to your human experience.
Finding Newness and Opportunity in What We Already Have
Taking the time to reevaluate what is present in your life can bring a new set of opportunities and experiences. My personal encounters with this have shown up in numerous ways but one moment in particular stands out to me.
As a young teenage musician, there were many things I wanted to purchase for myself yet didn't have the financial means to be able to do so. Anything from instruments and their sound enhancing accessories to professional-standard music production tools; I found myself often feeling I never had enough resources to create my own music at the level I aspired to. At one point I had an epiphany in my frustrations. I took the time to survey what I owned and the resources I had connections with. I realized that if I truly tapped into my creativity in an attempt to make the best of the situation, I had the opportunity to do something magical. Even though I didn't have the fanciest equipment or the know-how to pool together my external resources, I remembered that creating was my bottom line and I had enough to accomplish that. I began recording songs using old pill bottles for shakers, household supplies for percussion, editing my guitar to sound like other instruments I didn’t have, and any other varieties of musical substitutions I could think of. I borrowed instrument accessories from my music teachers and friends to record with. Eventually, I also learned to produce with the simple stock music program that came with my computer. The program ended up teaching me much more about the process of music production, and because of its simplicity I excelled. The gaps in knowledge that I had prior were filled in completely. The feeling of lack that I had previously felt about my situation diminished. I understood that although I could have had many things to make the process much easier, the time I spent feeling deflated blocked my view of the amazing resources I already had in front of me. It forced me to get creative in achieving the goals I wanted. As I get older and able to purchase more of what was previously inaccessible, I feel like the items are gifts and a meaningful part of my journey. I had created magic, memories, and strengthened my willpower and wisdom in the meantime, making that chapter of my life more exciting.
Finding ways to have gratitude can slow us down and become explorers when we are in need. It allows us to look at things in a new light and teaches us how to enjoy what we already have while on the journey to what we will ultimately receive. It can be difficult to hold this perspective all of the time when we are living in a system that consistently disenfranchises those of us who may not have everything we need to survive, let alone desire. However, when the practice of gratitude is cultivated, it can help us persevere through unfortunate situations by taking back the joy and magic in our lives that we rightfully deserve to experience. Our richness and strength can be found in us, no matter what the system deems us to be. Being a survivor is being a magician and a creator. It is radical to find joy despite the hardship.
Gratitude gives enough strength to endure life’s obstacles. It helps us look forward to the next set of blessings coming our way. Valuing as many blessings as we can ultimately benefits us in receiving and recognizing more of them in every size, shape, or form they may take.
No more waiting - may you live an abundant life today.
Practices for Integration
A Grounding and Mindful Gratitude Meditation
For your space:
Take 2-5 minutes and physically touch things in your space that you are grateful for. Breathe in deeply, smile, and give your deepest thanks to each individual item. Repeat this as many times as you'd like throughout the week, and try to find new things to be thankful for.
For your heart:
Take 2-5 minutes and think of the best memories and funny moments you've had recently or in the past. Breathe in, smile, and give thanks to those people, places, and things that made those memories so warm. Hold space for that warmth in your body by touching your heart.
For your mind:
Take 2-5 minutes and think of anything that you enjoy doing or you are skillful at. List slowly as many things you want in your mind. Anything from you baking the most delicious cookies to being super talented at leaving your home late regularly and somehow magically showing up on time - think of these things and talk to yourself like a proud parent or friend. Hug yourself if you can and breathe in gratitude for yourself being you.
Morning Gratitude Lists
This exercise creates a habit of embodying gratitude as you begin your day. You can journal for 15-20 minutes and list things you are grateful for, or simply spend some time thinking in bed before getting up. Try to carry these reminders throughout the day and see if you can notice new things that come up during the day that you can smile and be thankful for.
Examining Your Resources Deeply
Make it a practice to research and ask around for resources through and from other people. Try to remove as much shame as you can from the situation, especially if it is something you need. Your loved ones want to help you, friend. You deserve it, and we all need help at some point in our lives. If it is something you simply desire and not necessarily need - try to see the situation as a creative challenge to find a way to bridge the gap between where you are at and what you desire. What can you use to substitute the missing item, situation, or person? Is there something valuable you can gain by finding another option?
Call to Action:
Contact somebody right now that you would like to share your love and gratitude with. It can be a family member, friend, neighbor. Tell them how much you appreciate them and thank them for all that they do or provide.
If you are currently out in public - thank the next service worker you run into for what they do.
(If you happen to be in an establishment that takes tips, try and tip your server a bit more generously if you can.)
Love to you, always.
-Deni.
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