What is the first thing you think when you hear “abundance?” Money? Love? A large circle of friends and family? While we can apply the concept of abundance to all of those aspects of our lives, the essential meaning of abundance is that you are solidly happy with who you are and no external event or situation—whether good or bad—can add or subtract from that happiness.
No one is happy all the time, but when you are truly in a mindset of abundance, you live with balance, hopefulness, and unlimited possibility.
Our innate nature is one of peace and abundance; it comes from within.
Abundance is a way of thinking and of living, even when you have less money, love, or support than you would like. Life delivers a continually changing set of circumstances. Living in abundance can give you a constant source of stability that isn’t based on external things, but you must change your perspective and believe in all the potential that lies within your reach. Abundance is a state of mind. It can’t be lost, taken, or bestowed on you. It is about what brings you joy and fulfillment, not about what you have.
The pursuit of “more,” which is so common in our culture, is not the road to abundance.
Money can, no doubt, make life easier, but it does not buy happiness, as the saying goes. The obsessive pursuit of money can create an imbalance that stands in the way of the kind of abundance that is genuine. If you focus too narrowly on having more money, deeper love, or a wildly successful career and become convinced that those things will “fix” everything, you’ll lose sight of the bigger picture of abundance.
Abundance that concentrates on one thing is destined to create discontent and disappointment.
You must look at every aspect of your life. Pursuing money without bringing the consciousness of abundance to everything in your life will be a fleeting and empty experience. Everything is connected to everything else, so just making loads of money or finding love won’t bring you abundance in the true sense of the word.
To understand abundance and how it can be yours, you have to grasp how the mindset of lack may be playing a role in your life. Lack is the mentality that there’s a shortage or scarcity of good things in life, and then you create fear around that idea. Operating from a place of lack skews the truth of abundance in life and colors your perspective toward hopelessness and futility. Begin to identify how your own fearful thoughts, actions, and behavior may be driven by a belief that says “there’s not enough for me.” Change that belief system and your actions and behavior will follow.
Authentic abundance comes when you have balanced everything in your life, as best as you can. That includes giving away what you have too much of. If you have a lot of love but not enough money, what should you give away? Love. Do you have more money than other things in life? Give away some money! It takes courage and love to give AND to receive. It is all about balance. The things that you want in your life, you must first give away. If you give more hugs, you will get more kisses! You have to break the fear—that is what is causing the lack. Self-sabotage happens when you have too much of something and you become complacent, disconnected, and, sometimes, even greedy.
When you look at abundance with new meaning and discover it inside yourself, there’s no limitation on the extraordinary life that you can experience.
Derek O’Neill is an internationally acclaimed psychotherapist, motivational speaker, author, martial arts sensei, and humanitarian. He is the author of More Truth Will Set You Free, the “Get a Grip” series of pocket-sized books, several children’s books, and an upcoming book on parenting (Fall 2013 release). Inspired by his worldly travels, he formed SQ Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on helping solve global issues facing humanity today. With charitable projects in twelve countries, the Foundation brings food, medicine, education, shelter, and other basic needs to children, families, and communities in need. In 2012, he was honored as Humanitarian of the Year and named International Celebrity Ambassador for Variety International the Children’s Charity.
