On Creating More Abundance

 

“We must be the change we wish to see.” - Mahatma Gandhi

There are two basic mindsets that are available to all of us in this life. One is scarcity. The other is abundance.

What’s scarcity?  It's about limitations. There's never enough. Not enough time. Not enough money. Not enough resources. Not enough support. You would have thought the internet would have put this one to bed forever, but strangely it still lingers around.

Abundance is about thriving. It's about having more of the good stuff. Having wealth. Having health. Happiness. Good friends. A loving family.

So, if we understand that where we place our focus, is where our energy goes, then putting our focus on abundance will bring more energy to creating abundance. This translates into bringing more abundance into our lives. We can begin to consciously cultivate an abundance mindset!

A good first step to cultivating the abundance mindset is self-care, the process of tending to your own well-being.

How? It can be as simple as starting the day with a simple reflection on the fact that we live in a miracle. That everything you do this day matters. You can add in a short reading from an inspirational book (I like the Psalms) to get your mind and heart in the right place. A few quiet moments alone, to get centered and grounded. That's all you need.

Are you willing to forget about scarcity and begin to cultivate an abundance mindset? Can you see where this can take you?

Does the idea of a self-care practice resonate with you?

You Either Surf or You Fight

 

"You either surf or you fight."  LTC Kilgore, Apocalypse Now

Everyone is better than us at something. Think about that.

I have a friend who is an accomplished surfer. He travels the world to catch the big waves. He's invited me to go along many times. I held back. I didn't go. Why? Because, as I told him,  "I don't know how to surf."

It's as if I believed surfing was a skill that some people are born with and others are not. Of course, this is not true. Surfers become surfers by surfing. Writers become writers by writing. Lovers become lovers by loving.

Is there something you've always wanted to do but don't know how to do? Could you "buy the surfboard" first, then start learning to surf? 

I believe that what Emerson said is true, "enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with might. Put your whole soul into it.  Stamp it with your own personality.  Be active, be energetic. Be enthusiastic and faithful and you will accomplish your object. Nothing good was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

Here's to bringing more enthusiasm to our goals, to trying new things that we've yet to master.

The Daily Boxes

 

That which gets measured gets done.  ~ Peter Drucker

Measuring anything makes sure we'll get more of it!  An effective tool to help us get more of the good stuff is something I first learned about in an 10-week leadership intensive over 10 years ago (shout out to CultureSync).  The tool? It's called the Daily Boxes.

The daily boxes are designed to help you keep track of how you’re doing in important parts of your life. Using it regularly can give you insights on areas you want to work on.

The focus was on Money, Exercise, Attitude, Rejuvenation, Nutrition and Support (The $EARNS model). We tracked these categories every day for weeks, using a rating scale of 1 to 5, with 5 meaning we were really getting it done. It’s fun. It’s something you can make a game out of, if others are doing it with you.

While most of the categories are obvious, support may need a brief introduction. What does support mean? It's synonymous with service. Giving it freely to others and being able to ask for and receive it yourself.  When we get into service, all kinds of good things begin to happen.

How does the idea of tracking the Daily Boxes resonate with you? Are you challenged in any of the areas?