SCARCITY VS. ABUNDANCE
From the time we are very young we are taught to live according to the theory of scarcity which is the belief that no matter what the human want or need, there simply is never enough of it to go around. For example, when your mother made a cake you were conditioned to operate under the belief that there was never enough for everyone and that you should fight to get your fair share because soon the cake would be gone. Most of us continue to live our lives according to this theory of scarcity. We live according to the belief that there is never enough time, we will never have enough money, we have a finite amount of love to share with the world and we need to fight against everyone on the planet to insure that we get at least our fair share. Living life from this perspective results in a competitive, confrontational, pessimistic outlook of the world. Much of the time our focus is on what we don't have rather than what we do have. We view other individuals in the world as competitors for all of the resources rather than as teammates working towards a common goal. We are reluctant to give of our selves because we believe that there is not enough to go around so we hoard our talents, money, time and love believing that by doing so we will have enough for ourselves, family and true friends.
The alternative to living according to the theory of scarcity is to live according to the law of abundance. Living from this point of view requires a reconditioning of our mind set for most of us. Living according to the law of abundance begins with taking an inventory of all that we possess and developing a pervasive feeling of gratitude within our lives. For most of us we have been blessed to a greater extent than we take the time to appreciate. We look at the glass of life and see it as half empty when in reality it is ninety percent full. One method of developing this habit is to start a gratitude journal. Every night before we go to bed my wife and I write in a journal, three things that we are thankful for that day. I would encourage you to try this because it is very rewarding to take a few minutes each and every day to reflect on what we have and feel gratitude for the people, experiences, relationships, or possessions which we enjoy.
The next step in living according to the law of abundance is to develop the belief that there is and will always be enough. Changing our belief system in this manner is a lot more challenging but there are a few simple ways that I would encourage you to try to get you started. The next time you are in the drive thru line at your favorite coffee or fast food establishment, pay for the car behind you and then just drive off or the next time you are on a street that has parking meters look for any expired meters and put a few coins in them to give someone a little more time. Both of these simple gestures of unconditionally giving someone a little bit of our money will have a dramatically positive effect on the way you think and act. What you will also discover is that by making a habit of creating and distributing this little bit of positive energy, you will become the recipient of an outpouring of positive energy directed into your life.
The two object lessons presented above that involve small monetary gestures of generosity serve as examples to get us started. However, living in accordance with the law of abundance will require us to generously give of our time, money, love and energy to those in need. These deeds often require a faith and understanding that by giving of ourselves we will be rewarded by a flow of positive energy back into our lives. I can assure you from personal experience that when I live according to the law of abundance I have been rewarded with not only a feeling of gratitude and peace, but I have also been blessed in ways that that I did not even imagine. In a sense, by giving someone else my piece of cake I have personally been rewarded by someone else unexplainably giving me an entire cake of my own to enjoy and share with others. Living life in this manner takes faith in a world that doesn't always seem so easy to believe in. It also requires a belief that the whole world is truly on our side and in fact it is at our disposal to tap into its infinite power. As Martin Luther King said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." I encourage you to take the first step and begin to live your life according to the law of abundance rather from a theory of scarcity. I assure you that by living from this more purposeful, optimistic approach you will be blessed in ways you cannot imagine. Within the optimist's creed, Christian D. Larson beautifully summarizes some of these thoughts. "I promise to think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best. I promise to think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds. I promise to live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me."
© Copyright 2010 Steven M. Erickson.
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The Center for Humane Living. |
