During challenging times it can be extremely difficult to maintain a positive mental focus. Perhaps you have wrestled with this yourself. At those times when your resources seem to be evaporating away, do you find it difficult to hold a positive outlook?
Consciously and consistently moving your focus away from lack and scarcity is one of the most effective things you can do to cultivate a mindset of abundance. The problem is, many people are unconsciously focusing on scarcity without even realizing it!
Where is your focus?
How do you know if you are focused on scarcity? Start by doing some self evaluation. Is it your natural tendency to notice your blessings or do you think more about what you don’t have (lack)? When it comes to money, do you find yourself worrying about how the bills will be paid or feeling grateful for the roof over your head?
Do you ever catch yourself feeling envious or jealous of those who seem to have more than you, or are you happy for their blessings? Asking yourself questions like these can quickly expose the nature of your focus.
Challenging times do not call for negative focus
If you are currently in the middle of a challenging situation, you may be thinking: “Well of course I’m focused on scarcity, that’s my reality right now. How can I possibly think of anything else?”
In that case, I know how difficult this suggestion is going to sound, but bear with me a moment. The fact remains that you will be unable to attract abundance into your life until you firmly turn your focus away from lack and scarcity. Remember, what you focus on expands.
Inventory your dominate thoughts
It’s vital that you begin focusing on some facet of abundance in order to maintain a positive mindset. There are many ways to do this, but being aware of our focus is the place to start. Start paying closer attention to the general direction of your thoughts and emotions regarding money, health, and relationships.
How often do you catch yourself worrying, or feeling frustrated or fearful about money and bills? Do you ever feel jealous, angry or resentful toward people who seem to have the kind of life that you want? Once you start noticing these emotional responses within yourself, it’s time to turn them around deliberately.
Replace worry and fear with feelings of abundance
Let’s say you just caught yourself worrying whether you will have enough money to pay the bills that are due next week. The moment you become aware of this focus, you can choose to turn it around. Say to yourself, “I no longer need to worry about money. I always have more than enough money to cover everything I need.”
At first you may feel like you are lying to yourself because you know you are broke. Even if you don’t believe what you are saying, allow yourself to entertain the concept of having an abundance. Get your feelings involved by thinking about how wonderful it is to have all you need and more. Hold this feeling as often as you can, especially when worry or fear enter your mind.
The power of focus
Why should you focus on abundance that doesn‘t exist yet? Because the actions you take, and your confidence in your own ability to produce your intended result are affected by your focus. Additionally, your new attitude will also affect how others respond to you.
Please, do not mislead yourself into thinking that focus alone will change your situation. The power of focus must be expressed in actions for any real change to take place. You must take action! However, with a new mindset you will be motivated to take action that supports abundance rather than acting out of desperation.
Now is the time to focus on abundance
Many people have suffered huge setbacks during this economic downturn. A lot of relationships have become strained under the weight of financial uncertainty. In the face of such challenges it’s easy to start feeling desperate. This will only make things worse.
Manifesting a mindset of abundance can empower you with a renewed sense of optimism and confidence. In turn, you will feel more resourceful and proactive. This shift in mindset will change the way you respond to your environment, and the way it responds to you. Now truly is the perfect time to focus on abundance.
How’s your focus lately?
Do you think focus really matters?
The lines are open!
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{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
THNX! for the reminder
and encouragement Jonathan
I have been coming up with some
creative affirmations lately …it helps.
THNX!
…peace-
Hi Rick, great to see you here my friend. I know some people got whacked pretty hard last year and I felt like they could probably use some encouragement.
I agree with Rick, thank you very much for sharing this advice with us! I think you are completely right. The attitude of abundance actually reminds me of one really great quote I heard by Richard Bandler (the co-creator of NLP), “If you aren’t happy with what you have, then how can you expect to be happy with more of it?”
.-= Steven | The Emotion Machine´s last amazing blog post ..Everyone Needs A Creative Endeavor =-.
Hi Steven, thanks for joining the conversation. Richard Bander’s knowledge has played an influential role in my education so I can really appreciate the reference. Besides, he’s absolutely right.
I loved this post, Jonathan and you are so right, if we first become aware of our thoughts and feelings and then consciously focus them on what is good in or lives, we can all easily manifest whatever we want more of. The problem is that lots of people never become aware of their thoughts and live on autopilot.
It does take some practice and effort in the beginning to refocus your mind but then it becomes easier and easier until hopefully one day abundance mindset becomes automatic.
.-= Lana – DreamFollowers Blog´s last blog ..My 2010 Goals and 2 Awesome Techniques I Used to Set Them. =-.
Hi Lana, I know this is right up your alley. I really appreciate your comment because you practice what you preach. Thanks.
I have found that a positive feeling of abundance in one area will stimulate positive actions, producing abundance in other areas.
So if we are short of money for instance, it helps to focus on the abundance we believe we have; a great relationship; maybe we live in a beautiful part of the world; or we have close friends. Whatever it is that we are truly thankful for can become a powerfully positive motivator. That focus will energize our actions towards producing more income — if we intentionally use it in this way.
I find this approach is a better fit for me, than telling myself I have abundance where I know I don’t. I personally find it difficult to get past the inner conflict when I say something to myself that isn’t currently true.
We all have an immense abundance potential within us. It may not show up where we want it, but as you say, if we focus on our abundance (wherever we find it) it will expand.
John
.-= John – Zen-Moments´s last blog ..Satisfaction For Sale =-.
Excellent point John. I like the concept of allowing abundance to spread from one area of life to another. I now realize that I do this, but have never really recognized it in myself before. Really appreciate your insight here John, thanks.
Hi,
An inspiring post.This reinforced my affirmation for this week-”I attract to me unlimited abundance” .Also I have chosen ‘Abundance’ as the word to focus on this year and am looking out for ways to create abundance in my life and in others life too!
Thank you,
sema
.-= sema´s last blog ..My Squidoo lenses on Gemstone Pendants =-.
Hi Sema, I like the fact that the word abundance has the word dance in it. That’s how I like to see life, as a dance.
Jonathan, this was a wonderful article. I truly appreciated the tight focus and to-the-point composition. But more important was the idea contained here that what you focus on is what you get. I think this is true in actual fact and also in changing your perspective. Even if you don’t have as much as you wish you had, you can make it better immediately by just changing your perspective. There is inherent abundance in the perspective of being thankful for what we already have.
I think there have been a number of studies that show that people care more about their relative situation compared to other people rather than their absolute situation. Certainly this seems to be born out by the fact that by historical standards most people have health and convenience options that could not have even been imagined in the past, and yet we are not happier.
We need to overcome this part of our human nature and we can surely do this best by focusing on what we have and what we should be grateful for having. I try not to be envious of others and instead look at their situation as something that shows me what is possible.
Thanks for the great article!
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Unconscious Decision Making =-.
Nice points Stephen. Our personal definition of abundance really is dictated by our perspective and attitude. To someone who has a lot, but lacks gratitude, there is never an abundance. On the other hand, a person who has an attitude of gratitude requires very little to feel as though they have an abundance.
I like to think of perception as the window through which we view our world. If we don’t like what we see, all we need to do is chose a different window. Insightful comment Stephen, thanks!
Jonathan I loved this article, I read it this morning and saved it for tonight to savour, strange I know.
It can be difficult sometimes to focus on the positive when something bad is happening in your life but I truly believe there is abundance in every situation. I also agree with John about the knock on effect of focusing on the positive in one area in your life and it having an effect on other areas.
I have found that the simple act of gratitude has a domino affect and the more we practice gratitude the more areas of our lives it touches and the more abundance we create.
Thank you.
.-= Steven Aitchison´s last [amazing blog post] ..The Most Profound Lesson In Life =-.
Hi Steve, it’s ironic that I wrote this while I was in the middle of a challenging situation. We thought that my wife had broken her wrist, and it required three days of 60 mile trips to finally verify that is was just a bad sprain.
The entire experience could have been a real bummer, but I was feeling really grateful the whole time. Why was I grateful? Because of the nature of her accident, things could have been much, much more serious (she hit her head really hard and compressed the vertebrae in her neck). So even if it would have been a broken wrist (glad it wasn’t), we still felt like she was getting off easy and that it was a real blessing. It’s all about perspective!
You’re spot on Jonathan and in addition to that it’s important for people to remember that getting results from that shift does take time. Things don’t transform overnight and in fact, in my experience, it’s only when you let go of that strong desire that things really start coming to you as a result of that focus shift.
.-= Amit Sodha – The Power Of Choice´s last [amazing blog post] ..This Film Is Going To Be The Next ‘Secret’ And I’m In It =-.
Hey Amit, you are absolutely right. Learning to “let go” is really important, but most people don’t understand why. The whole concept of “wanting” is anchored in lack or scarcity. When we want it’s because we don’t have.
Letting go of wanting releases the “lacking” and opens the door for having. Being focused on abundance means actually experiencing “having” on an emotional level. It has nothing to do with wanting or scarcity. Thanks for you insight.
Jonathan,
I agree that focusing on what you want rather than what you don’t is what attracts that “want” to you. I also believe, however, that there is a lesson to be learned in times where we our usual resources are diminished. It is at these times when we can get a better view of what is really important in our lives and thus focus on more of that rather than on the transitory things we once chased.
.-= Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.´s last amazing blog post ..Get Your Head Out of the Sand =-.
Hi Flora, thanks for joining the conversation. I totally agree that we learn valuable lessons during times of diminished resources. Such times help restore a sense of balance and remind us of what is really important. Thank you so much for bringing that to our attention.
Hey Jonathan. I agree with your article. When we focus on what we don’t have, we will continue feeling as if there is no way out of it. When we focus on the idea that we have enough, then we start to come up with solutions to bringing more of enough into our existence. Thank your for sharing this.
Hi Hulbert, that’s exactly how it works, thanks for joining us.
Hi Jonathan…Happy New Year. Great blog!
Yes, these times are easy to get caught up in the negative news or even in our own difficult reality in the moment. Knowing that the Universe has not gotten less abundant helps us. If we allow ourselves to be aware of our not-so-constructive-thoughts, relax the fear around them and then remember the truth about existence, we can more easily create and manifest the abundance that is always available.
Dr. Jennifer Howard
http://www.drjenniferhoward.com/free-gift.asp
.-= Dr. Jennifer Howard´s last amazing blog post ..Hasten Slowly by Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks =-.
Very nicely said Jennifer. I really appreciate the reminder that the universe is not lacking in abundance. The thought of “relax the fear” puts it in a perfect light. Takes away any feeling of struggle. Thanks for you insights Jennifer, appreciated as always.
I really loved this post, thanks for the reminders. I have found for myself that the less time I spend focusing on something that I really want the faster it comes to me, I even started calling the process “the set it and forget” method. I ask for what I want and then spend my time and energy focusing on things and people that I love and appreciate, thus “forgetting” the intention, then it tends to show up naturally.
.-= Carol King´s last amazing blog post ..Where Do Law of Attraction Blogs Go To Die? =-.
Hi Carol, and welcome to Advanced Life Skills. You make and excellent point about set it and forget it. Some things are better left to our subconscious mind. Too much thinking can easily complicate and delay the process. Thanks for all your recent comments Carol, I really appreciate having you here.
Hi Jonathan,
=-.
This was such a wonderfully empowering post ! I could actually visualize you saying all that on a stage….you would be great at it too….:)
Focusing on abundance is a kind of a natural high for me personally. It helps me when i am down..it helps me when i am feeling any negative emotion. Somehow focusing on abundance has a calming effect.
Youve really written a superb post here…and a much needed one!
Thank you.
Much Love
Z~
.-= Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last amazing blog post ..RAOKA:My Pursuit of Wackiness
Hi Z, thanks for joining in. I think the reason that focusing on abundance is both calming and motivating is because it helps us center. Worry and stress can throw us way out of balance. When we focus on blessings and abundance it counter acts that negative energy and restores our perspective. It also reminds us that there are endless possibilities and opportunities waiting for us. This is the opposite of scarcity. Abundance is a good mindset all the way around.
Thanks Jonathan for this great post!
It’s a challenge for most people to think in terms of abundance.
The world around us insists on thinking in terms of limits. It is this attitude that leads to so much competition and aggression in the world. People believe that they must fight for their share of a limited pie.
Only when we all understand that our neighbors are not a threat, but a precious asset, will our approach to the world lighten up. Only then will we understand that what hurts my neighbor hurts me as well.
Thinking in terms of abundance is liberating! And it is not wishful thinking. Whenever I give thanks for all that I have I feel lifted and free. I come back to the present – to the Now. It’s a fantastic feeling.
Thanks again!
Hugh DeBurgh
“The Passionate Warrior”
You said that beautifully Hugh. The pie illustration really works. Once we realize that we all get our own pie it puts an end to the mentality of scarcity. By the way, you now have 36,298 followers on twitter and I am pleased to be among them. Thanks for sharing your insights with us!
What a wonderful article! You were sensitive to the fact that it can indeed be difficult to maintain positive thinking during rough times. But you made it very clear that it is possible.
I always say–just because something is going wrong in your life, doesn’t mean you have to let your thoughts and outlook make it easy for things to get worse.
.-= Nea | Self Improvement Saga´s last amazing blog post ..Happiness: By Chance or By Choice? =-.
Nice to have you here Nea. Some people feel that if life weren’t full of challenges, self-improvement and personal growth would be easy. But then again, easy isn’t always the most rewarding course.
When we overcome adversity we gain strength, perspective, and empathy. In turn, these qualities put us in line for continued growth. We can only develop strength in the presence of resistance.
Steve Pavlina did an interesting video post on the topic of creating abundance recently. The most useful thing I got from it was the idea that when the abundance opportunities start to appear in your life you have to use your courage to take them. Otherwise you will reject the new life you have asked for.
Hey Jarrod, I agree with Steve (big surprise, right). Without some follow through on our part, the rest is meaningless. That’s why I wrote: “The power of focus must be expressed in actions for any real change to take place. You must take action!”
The truth is, many more people would be living a much more satisfying life if they were just willing take action. Thanks for your input, really appreciate it.
I really liked the message about what you focus on you must act on even if it hasn’t happened.
.-= Josue Cano´s last amazing blog post ..Muhammad Ali – Fail =-.
Hi Josue, thanks man! I enjoyed your last post. Snappy comeback!
Great message! Focusing on abundance will inevitably create abundance!
.-= Oscar – freestyle mind´s last amazing blog post ..Interview With Dragos Roua =-.
Hi Oscar, thanks for stopping by. I just read your interview with Dragos, nicely done. Appreciate having you here.
I definitely want to turn my focus around to abundance, because I know when I do, things look much better than when I am focused on the things that I don’t have right now. And anything that boosts the mental perception of how things are is a good thing, as it leaves you more energetic and able to pursue your goals.
.-= Kikolani´s last amazing blog post ..Blogging and Social Media Goals for 2010 =-.
Hi Kristi, one thing’s for sure, you are producing abundantly. I just looked at your post on goals for this year. WOW! You are like the queen of productivity. I’m totally impressed.
Great post. I’ve realized that when I stopped focusing so much on what I don’t have and what I can’t do and started investing more mental real estate on opportunity and growth, my life completely turned around. Thanks!
Ibrahim | TwentiesLife.com recently posted..5 Ways To Be A Hero
Good article, Jonathan.
En masse, we humans can so easily talk each other into a hole. We must keep the upbeat conversations alive, to increase energy and rise above circumstances.
“Indecision is a disintegrating factor. A minute’s faltering may turn back the current of success. Men who are afraid to decide quickly for fear of making a mistake, nearly always makes a mistake when they do act. The quickest, in thought and action, are less liable to blunder, and it is better to act with decision and make a mistake than to act with indecision and make a mistake than to act with indecision and make a mistake, for in the former case there is but error, but in the latter, weakness is added to error.” – James Allen [http://freemindpowerbooks.com]
Cheers,
Thea