by Linda-Ann Stewart

As a child, I never took my health, abilities, toys, or love for granted. I took to heart the old Persian proverb, “I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” I don’t know whether my attitude originated from the times I spent in the hospital around those much sicker than I was, or because I had a couple of disabled people in my family. But I was always grateful for my mobility, intelligence, talents, and friends. Even to this day, whenever I watch a television program or see someone with fewer advantages, my first response is compassion and my next is to be thankful for what I have.

Studies are piling up that being grateful for the small and large things in life makes a person more optimistic, healthier, sleep better and increases their sense of well being. Additional research is showing that by practicing an attitude of gratitude, you can significantly increase your overall level of happiness within a couple of months. A sense of appreciation can actually reduce stress and increase success in your personal and professional life.

Gratitude can also reduce addiction to materialistic accumulation. There’s less impulse and pressure to “Keep up with the Jones’” because of envy or competition. You no longer need to feel inferior because you don’t have the Mercedes that Joe has. Instead, you can experience more freedom to discover what will truly meet your needs. And it may be a Toyota Camry. It doesn’t mean that you have to settle for a reduced quality of life, but you may find that you’re happier with more value and less quantity.

When you take your attention off of what is lacking in your life or what you’re dissatisfied with, and instead, put your focus on what you appreciate, positive energy begins to flow. You begin to attract more of what you’re thankful for. It’s a cycle that keeps on giving. You’re connecting to the flow of good from the Universe and tapping into the Law of Attraction. Your desire for prosperity arises from wanting to expand into a greater experience of Life. When you focus more on the abundance of good that you have, you feel more abundant, therefore you attract more into your life to be grateful for.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude takes discipline and practice. To begin, keep a gratitude journal. At least once a week, list seven things that you’re grateful for. I’d even recommend listing one thing you’re thankful for each night. It can be a simple as the fact that you’re safely home and have completed another day. Reconnect with saying Grace at each meal, to be thankful for the food. Believe it or not, it will help your digestion.

During the day, whenever you feel frustrated or upset, find one thing you can count as a blessing. For instance, if someone cuts you off in traffic, instead of giving into your irritation, be grateful that there wasn’t an accident and you’re safe. When your bills come due, be thankful for the services that you’ve received from them and that you have the money to pay for them.

Just because you’re thankful for what you have doesn’t mean that you can’t desire more health, prosperity, better relationships, and harmony. Being grateful for what you have already manifested, no matter how miniscule, focuses energy to expand into a greater abundance of all good things. All it takes is consciously choosing to count your blessings to have more happiness and abundance in your life.

Affirmation
I recognize that an attitude of gratitude not only increases my sense of well-being, but also connects to the flow of good from the Universe. I now take my attention off of what I feel I lack, and focus on the blessings in my life. Appreciating all the good I have attracts more of the same. As I feel thankful, I expand into a greater understanding and acceptance of Divine love and abundance.

Copyright 2008 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

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by Michele Pariza Wacek

I love Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday. Family, food, friends and football thrown in for good measure. But I digress.

What I REALLY like about Thanksgiving is it’s about giving thanks. And I think gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions out there. Why is it so powerful? Because it has the capacity to change your life.

My business and life are going great right now, better than I had planned, but it hasn’t always been that way. There were plenty of times where things were looking pretty bleak. During one particularly bleak time, a friend told me to just start listing everything I had in my life to be grateful for. Now, when things are looking pretty bad, it can be easy to say “everything sucks, I have nothing to be grateful for.” But, if we’re honest, we know that isn’t true. There’s always something, no matter how small, that is in your life you can be grateful for, and sometimes you just need to take a step back to see it.

What’s so amazing about gratitude is it’s so simple yet it has so much power – in fact, it’s so powerful it can start turning things around for you. Now, granted, being grateful all by itself will probably not turn a sinking business into a profitable one. But, it CAN be the catalyst to a transformation.

Why does this work? Well, if you’re a fan of the Secret and law of attraction, you’ve heard the phrase “what you focus on expands.” So if you focus on all the things you’re grateful for instead of all the things that aren’t working, the universe will bring you more things to be grateful for and less of the things that aren’t working.

Now, while I do think this is true, I also know a lot of people do not believe this or don’t think it’s true for them. So, might I suggest another, more practical reason, for why gratitude works — because it makes you feel better.

Yes, if you start to think about all the wonderful things that are in your life and that you have to be grateful for, things don’t look quite so bleak. You’re able to break, even for just a few moments, the funk you might have sunk into. And, with that improved mindset, you most likely can see your situation a bit more clearer and start coming up with some solutions (and maybe even take some actions) to get yourself out of it.

But gratitude isn’t just about when things are going wrong, it’s also powerful when things are going right. When you’re on top of the world, it’s still an amazing practice to give thanks. If nothing else, it gives you a moment to fully appreciate how wonderful things are right now. (And isn’t that a nice feeling to enjoy?)

So, how do you start adding a practice of gratitude to your life? Here are 3 tips to get you started:

1. Feelings are important. It’s not enough to just think about being grateful, you have to feel grateful as well. When you think about all the things you’re grateful for, really feel that gratitude throughout your body. Focus on it, and feel it radiate everywhere, from your fingers to your toes. Another tip is to imagine you have a dial in front of you, and when you turn up that dial you’re amplifying that emotion. It only takes a few moments to do, but the results are amazing. Try it and see if you don’t feel so much better afterwards.

2. Write it down. My coach, Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections, has a great daily journal which includes a space to write 5 things you’re grateful for each day. Writing is a physical activity, so again you’re anchoring that gratitude feeling in your body. If you’re really struggling right now, I would suggest taking a few minutes and writing down everything you’re grateful for each day.

3. Put out a reminder. My grandfather gave me a stuffed bear. But not just any stuffed bear, this bear has a little button on it and a story. The story is a bit longer than what I want to get into now, but the gist of it is this — the bear comes from a magical land and represents an emotion. When you push the button and give it a hug, the emotion is released. My particular bear is about love. I’ve put the bear out so I can see it every day, and when I see it, it reminds me to be grateful. (And yes, sometimes I push the button and give it a hug as well.)

I agree, it’s a little silly. But it works. And if there’s something you can put out that reminds you to be grateful, then it’s an easy way to make being grateful a daily part of your routine.

It only takes a few minutes, but the results can be amazing. I challenge all of you to try it for 30 days and see if your business and your life start to improve.

Copyright 2007 Michele Pariza Wacek

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting, marketing communications and creativity agency. She helps people become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.writingusa.com.

Source: www.isnare.com

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How to Create an Abundance Mentality from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit.

Much of society seems to be built on a scarcity mentality. It’s a mentality that tells people that there is a lack in life, that opportunities are few and far between. This is, of course, useful for society because if people feel that there is a lack, then you can get them to buy stuff. And so the economy and society can continue to live and prosper by reinforcing a scarcity mentality in people.

The scarcity mentality can be quite painful for the individual and create a lot of unnecessary fear, anxiety and desperation. An abundance mentality, on the other hand, tells you that there are always new chances and opportunities. This relieves much of the pressure you may feel if you have a scarcity mentality that makes you think that you’ve only got one shot right now. Or it makes you feel like an utter failure just because you stumbled and things didn’t work out. An abundance mentality can help you improve your performance since with it, you’re creating a lot less pressure and anxieties within your own mind.

Here are a few tips to create and reinforce your own abundance mentality.

Steps

1. Look for the symptoms of a scarcity mentality. If you have a scarcity mentality then you will probably take things too seriously. You may think to yourself: “If I fail, the sky will fall”. It won’t, though, and you know that and need to remind yourself. But you think it will, you become overly nervous and POOF! you have invited that failure because your negativity becomes an obstacle on your path to success. If it’s a game, then you may fumble with the ball. If it’s an exam, then you may not have been able to sleep and will perform poorly on the test. If it’s a date, you may come over as too needy and nervous and not as your usual, more relaxed self. Regain your empowerment by remembering all the opportunities you have been afforded and know that it is all a flow that will always continue.
2. Focus on the abundance, not on the lack. What you focus on, you will see in your world. Since you can’t take in everything around you, your reticular activation system – your focus system in the mind – will bring into focus what you focus your thoughts on.This will allow you to see the abundance in your world that you may be missing right now. If you, for instance, have a lack of money, then don’t focus on your lack. Focus and think about the abundance of possibilities in the world to make money. Soon ideas and opportunities to make that happen will start to “pop up” in your world. It’s almost a bit freaky how things that hold solutions for you – perhaps books or acquaintances – that have been there in the background for quite a while just one day suddenly jump out at you.
3. Appreciate. One quick way to revert from the pretty normal habit of thinking about what you don’t have is simply to appreciate. Appreciate your food, life, your roof, your friends and family and so on. This can not only turn a sour mood into a more positive one within minutes, but it can also help you notice opportunities you have missed or forgotten about. And it’ll create a more open vibe within you, a vibe that makes it easier to focus on the abundance. So, make a habit of appreciating something in your life for a few minutes each day.
4. Get an abundance vibe from other people. Since you get a scarcity mentality from, say, advertising and media, then you can change your input to change your mentality. Cut down on watching the news. Record your favourite shows and skip the commercials. Or just cut down on your TV and media consumption, period. Replace the scarcity vibe you get from that input. How do you do that? “Hang out” with people that have an abundance mentality. Read, listen to and watch personal development material. Besides reading your favourite personal development blogs, read success stories in books and magazines. Have a positive attitude to the abundance and success of your friends, family and co-workers. Hang out with people in real life who have more of an abundance mentality and less of a scarcity mentality. Be selective with what you put into your mind. Create your own environment of abundance.
5. Share the wealth. One very good way to acknowledge how much you have is to share it. Do you feel like you’re not making enough money? Give some away. Not enough love? Give some away. Not enough validation, appreciation, recognition? Give it all away. It’s hard for something to feel scarce when you’re giving it away.
6. Create win-win situations. People with a scarcity mentality tend to see every relationship is win-lose, as in: “It’s either you or me, buddy, and I want it to be me.” People with an abundance mentality, on the other hand, try to create mutually beneficial relationships in which both parties can win.[1] Instead of winning an argument, for example, try to reach a consensus that you both can be happy with. Instead of competing, collaborate.
7. Remind yourself. It’s very easy to slip back into your old thought patterns. You just forget about what you should be thinking about. A useful tool to keep yourself from slipping is to use external reminders. You can, for example, use written notes posted at places you can’t avoid seeing several times each day – your workspace, fridge and mirrors – or put a bracelet on your wrist. Seeing words or quotes that remind you of your new abundance mentality can help your mind snap back into the right headspace once again.

Tips

• When the feeling of scarcity is strong, remember previous times when you had an abundance. Realize that you can recreate similar circumstances once again.
• A real-world example of the abundance mentality is the “copyleft” movement, which focuses on loosening the restrictions of traditional copyrights.[2] More and more people are licensing their work with GFDL, Creative Commons, or even releasing it into the public domain. For example, Leo Babauta, founder of the popular Zen Habits blog, decided to release all of his content into the public domain.[3] Many programmers share software and programs freely in the spirit of open source.[4]
• Learn to face the reality of living within your means. Many people have the habit of copying and envying others with greater means. Doing so can ruin your day or your life. It is therefore important to live within your resources while hoping that something better will come along your way. You will be free from stress and undue competition without any satisfaction.

Warnings

• Don’t get so carried away with an abundance mentality that you become a people pleaser who lets people take advantage of your generosity. Remember to surround yourself with people who also have an abundance mentality, who give as much as they take, or else “parasites” will drain you and eventually leave you with a scarcity mentality.
• Be sure also to not reach a point where you find youself coasting through life with no goal or purpose for yourself. Remember to “seize the day”.

Sources and Citations

positivityblog.com/index.php/2008/01/30/how-to-create-an-abundance-mentality/ – Original source, shared with permission.

1. thinkexist.com/quotation/people_with_a_scarcity_mentality_tend_to_see/346862.html
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft
3. zenhabits.net/2008/01/open-source-blogging-feel-free-to-steal-my-content/
4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Create an Abundance Mentality. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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by Linda-Ann Stewart

When I was six, my family went on vacation, traveling 1500 miles. My mom highlighted the route on a map for me and listed approximate times when we would reach each stopping point along the way. During the day, she kept me informed as to our progress, pointing out where were on the map. Because it was visual, right there in front of me, I didn’t keep pestering her with, “When will we get there?” As a result of this early education, reading a map is second nature to me. This ability has also been very useful in other areas. Life is a journey that needs to have some direction and goals to reach.

Some people prefer to drift through life without any conscious aim. They want to be Divinely guided, which is beneficial to a point. What they don’t realize is that Universal guidance has to filter through their subconscious mind, with its filter of limitations, experiences, and preconceptions. As a result, they generally wander aimlessly, sometimes in a circle, rarely traveling far from their starting point.

Being open to Divine guidance can direct you along different byways and deliver information, contacts, and all sorts of things that enrich your life and help you to your goal. Sometimes, just for fun, you could get distracted from your destination, detouring to something enjoyable or interesting. This could be beneficial as long as you don’t travel too far off track.

When you want to travel from point A to point B, or coast-to-coast, it’s easiest to accomplish that by deciding the route you want to take. First, figure out where you are, at the present time. For instance, imagine you want to reduce weight. Your starting point would be your current weight. Or suppose you want more income. In that case, your existing income is where you’d begin. Sometimes, it takes some internal investigation to find out where you truly are starting from, because you might have hidden it from yourself.

Once you’ve recognized where you are, you can begin to assess all the different routes you can take. You can go directly from one point to another, take the scenic route, or detour to visit friends or family. It doesn’t matter how you plan your route, as long as you begin to plan. For weight loss, it might be learning new eating behaviors and getting exercise. Increased income might mean getting more training and education or looking for another job.

Without a plan, and the action accompanying it, you’re stalled and may drift whichever way the wind, or the average of the ideas in your subconscious, blows. You may want to reduce weight, improve your health, eat better, increase your income, but if you don’t move decisively in a direction, the Universe can’t guide you because your subconscious doesn’t believe you truly want to arrive at the destination.

With the general route decided upon, you can decide how far you want to go each day, and where you want to stop each night. During your trip, there might be unexpected detours, or delays due to weather, but overall, you keep going in the direction of your destination. This translates into a life strategy of creating a series of steps, which will eventually lead you to accomplishing your objective.

Break each goal down into smaller steps, sometimes even baby steps. Smokers can begin cutting down their cigarette intake. When you want to start exercising, initially commit just five minutes a day to get used to it. If you need to clean the piles off your desk, take fifteen minutes a day to chip away at it.

That’s why it’s helpful to have a map, or steps, to refer to. It keeps you upbeat and allows you to chart your advancement. The difference between a long distance vacation and life is that life is a journey, not a destination. When you’ve dedicated yourself to improve your life, the changes you make are permanent. To maintain a healthy weight, you can’t go back to the old way of eating. You have to continue your new eating patterns.

Keeping your desk cleared off means taking care of things as they come in. You can’t exercise one day and expect that to build and keep muscle. Even a smoker quitting the habit has to hold onto their new mindset to remain a nonsmoker. It’s a continuous process of applying what you’ve learned to your life experience. You decide on the direction and steps, put them into action, and one mile at a time, you’ll reach your goal.

Affirmation
The Universe wants me to have a greater experience of Life. It’s up to me to open my awareness to accept more good in. I now map out the steps that will take me to a goal that will improve my quality of life. I dedicate myself to take action and each step I accomplish brings me closer to my objective. The Universe guides me along the way, inspiring me, bringing me everything I need to reach my destination.

Copyright 2008 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

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