Problems can be opportunities in disguise. Choose an abundance mindset

Choosing an abundance mindset over a scarcity mindset allows us to be more resilient. Pessimism is nothing but a failure of imagination. A scarcity mindset is a manifestation of pessimism that makes us closed to opportunities because we view them as problems.

Some manifestations of a scarcity mindset and how it affects our lives are as follows:

• When we believe there is not enough for everyone, including ourselves.
• When we think we must “be right” in any given situation.
• When we think asking for help is a sign of weakness.
• When we feel victimized by the actions of others, sometimes even by inanimate things.
• When we feel that nothing can help improve a situation, and it’s better to give up.

To break from a scarcity mindset and adopt an abundant mindset, we must reprogram two key aspects:

• Our attention – what we choose to focus on
• Our intention – what we want to feel in the moment

We must redirect our attention to celebrate what is working well, instead of obsessing over what is not. Similarly, we must reorient our intention to learn, instead of being right. All this must be done and experienced, instead of just being thought about. Abundance can be visualized as something that is flowing, instead of being stagnant. Action or movement is an inherent characteristic of abundance. 

Scarcity, on the other hand, is like an addiction. It prefers the status quo and cannot be overcome purely by thinking our way out of it.

So, how do we take small actions to help us beat the addiction to scarcity? Let us see the actions a person who wants to reprogram their attention and intention will take when confronted with situations of a scarcity mindset:

Scarcity trigger	Reprogramming Action	Abundance mindset
There is not enough for me, let alone others	Give something of value without expecting anything in return	I have more than enough, and I can share
I must be ‘right’	Ask a question with the phrase “What do I not know that can be better?”	I must learn. Being ‘right’ is limiting
I cannot ask for help because I will become weak	Offer help to someone who needs it on a related or unrelated topic.	I have something to offer others and others have something to offer me
I am being victimized by the actions or existence of…	Write down five things you are grateful for in your day. Even include a reason you are grateful to the person or actions that are victimizing you	Reaffirm the belief that there is some force in the world that is on my side
Nothing can help improve this situation. I should give up…	Do the very next task, however inconsequential it is. Then ask for help from someone, even if they think it’s a problem too.   Take an unimportant decision and flip a coin to decide which way to do it. Follow the coin toss, irrespective of your inclinations.	Motivation comes from action. Solutions are found when we see progress, however incremental.

Finally, a non-obvious way to reinforce abundance mindset is to celebrate one’s quirks and uniqueness. Play is critical to help elevate our energy levels, which can in turn put us in an optimistic and more open mindset. Play with those who have abundant mindsets, and you will be on a path to cure your addiction to scarcity.