Much of my life, I have looked at life from a place of scarcity feeling like either there was not enough time, money, gadgets, knowledge or love available. And it seemed the more I focused on what I didn’t have it caused me to feel less satisfied in life.

I would dare to say that most people live with a scarcity mindset.  In certain parts of the world, people, in light of their surroundings, have good reason to feel this way. There is a shortage of food, clean water, and housing that many face on a daily basis. But, this is certainly not my case or the case for many of my clients and women I know.

Much of our thinking is driven by advertisers and the media who see dollars signs on our backs and opportunity in their eyes. They encourage us to consume and achieve more because of the spirit of want, versus the reality of need.  And according to experts, this mindset can create an unhealthy obsession that leads to tunnel vision where your lack becomes your main focus. A mindset of scarcity can cause you live in fear and bondage.

This mindset focuses on void and can prevent you from experiencing greater success and fulfillment in life. God, who owns it all and provides well, doesn’t want to us to live our lives this way. He wants us to see our abundance. We are enough! We have full access to resources when needed.

I’m learning to view life from this perspective so I choose to live a life of abundance – full, meaningful, and one that lacks absolutely nothing.

Fighting my way back from scarcity is a battle of taking many small steps. I’m no longer willing to allow scarcity to be a part of my brand identity or voice, and I refuse to see any other women continue to fall prey or stay stuck in this trap. No. Not on my watch as The Remarkable Woman!

Are you looking to live and lead from a place of abundance? Then grab a cup of tea, while I share seven quick strategies I have implemented and I hope you find them helpful too:

1. Live in the Present with the Future in Mind. You can’t afford to just make fulfillment of immediate needs and desires your focus and lose sight of your future goals and dreams. Remember to stay true to your priorities. It takes time to build a life, with grace and ease, that leads to a remarkable future.  

• Overeating or overspending can be symptoms of a scarcity mindset. “Better eat it or spend it now before it’s gone” is a poor way to view the God’s ability to provide for your needs. Exodus 16 reminds us when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, they relied on God’s steadfast provision of manna to meet their food needs. They were asked to gather the “bread from heaven” that they needed and not keep any beyond that day’s provision, for it would be no good in the coming day. God would be faithful to provide new bread for them. Those who listened obeyed the Lord; those who didn’t were met with the undesirable company of worms in their rotting bread. The lesson here: enjoy and consume what you need in the moments you need them. Don’t live in a gluttonous and reckless way, mismanaging your provision. Your choices will speak to your faith and trust in God or your struggle and lack of faith to believe.

2. Focus on what you already have. For most of us, scarcity usually relates to money. But, chances are you already have enough to live the life God has called you to. Convince yourself that there is enough for everyone by sharing what you have.

• The more you’re willing to share, the more others are willing to share with you.
• Generosity includes sharing your time.

Sometimes we create the false belief that everything will be a greater challenge than it really is. When you imagine that something is difficult, you’re more likely to procrastinate or discourage yourself altogether.

3. Avoid people that complain often and are jealous of others. A shortage and lack of healthy friendships can cause you to connect with the wrong kind of friends. Complainers have a scarcity mindset. Stay away from them! And, if you happen to be one who complains a lot, ask a trusted friend to help you grow in this area by speaking the truth in love to you when lean more into complaining and less into positive thinking.

• You’re more susceptible to the mindset of others than you think.
• Find at least five positive people to include in your social circle.
• There are so many people in the world, why spend time with those that make your life harder?

4. Focus on what you can have in the future. Instead of worrying about what you might lose, spend some time thinking about what you can gain in the days ahead.

• Look forward to the future rather than fear it.
• Visualize an exciting future. Develop positive feelings about the future by writing down what you want your future to look like in one year, five years, and beyond. Isn’t this the foundation of an abundance mindset?

5. Avoid wasting time. By taking part in frivolous activities, you waste your most valuable resource – your time. Time is not an unlimited resource. Think of it like money and choose to spend it well.

• Value your time and you’ll have more of it.

• Watch your media intake

• Be careful of mindlessly watching too much TV

6. Keep a journal. Keep it positive. List the things in your life that make you feel grateful. Be sure to mention all the people in your life who cultivate life and goodness in your soul.

• You probably have a home, a job, a car, family, friends, and so on. That’s a good start to journaling about a wonderful life.
• Write about your relationship with God and how this relationship brings balance and encouragement to you.

7. Get organized. Getting organized can greatly hasten your move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Create a system that helps you see what you have, need, or owe.

• Organize your closet, garage, or attic. You’ll be surprised by how many things you own. Getting organized will also free up more time. If your car is the biggest source of disorganization, take some time to clean it up, inside and out!
• When you realize that you have more things and time than you thought, you’ll think more abundantly.

8. Be generous. Embracing an abundance mindset will allow you to enthusiastically take the necessary steps to make the types of changes in your life that move you towards remarkable living and position you to be a blessing to others in this world. How will you think differently today and who will bless through your abundance?

When you are committed to living a life of abundance, you realize that there is no such thing as a shortage in the kingdom of God.