“No dream is too big when you truly understand abundance is your birthright.”
Struggle.
That’s the one word I’d use to describe my childhood.
My mom struggled to make ends meet. She struggled to balance parenting three kids solo while working full-time. She struggled to manage a crumbling house and a broken car. And most of all, she struggled to provide for us.
As a child, I remember how exhausted and defeated she was at the end of each day. There never seemed to be enough food, hours, money or resources for her to create stability for us.
Money was scarce. Time was scarce. Food was scarce. Resources were scarce.
Scarcity was our norm. So much so that when we did get something like groceries, my older sister and I would take some of the food and hide it away for later. We believed if we didn’t save some of it, there’d be nothing left for us to eat in the days to come. We lived and breathed scarcity. And as an adult, scarcity was a hard belief to unlearn.
Scarcity mindset impacts millions of people worldwide. It keeps people trapped, and living a life of limit. That’s why this article is so important because if you’re one of the millions, it’s time to “unstuck” yourself!
Ready to begin? Let’s do this!
Here are 5 things that will keep you trapped in a scarcity mindset, and how to overcome them:
1.) Believing you can’t change your life
Regardless of who you are, where you’re from, or what family you were born into, you have the power to change your life. But, do you believe in yourself and your ability to change? Or do you believe your life is what it is, and there’s nothing you can do about it?
As Tom Bilyeu said, if you don’t believe in yourself, then you won’t even bother trying. Instead, you’ll give yourself an eternal excuse for why you ‘can’t’ do something. That means every time you have an idea or are presented with a new opportunity you won’t action it or be willing to take the leap because you’ll be trapped by your limiting beliefs. And since your thoughts shape your reality, you’ll end up stuck right where you are — unable to grow and thrive to your fullest potential.
Lack of belief keeps you stuck in a scarcity mindset because it prevents you from taking action and changing your life for the better. One of the best ways to begin the process of unlearning your limiting beliefs about yourself is to start by identifying what they are, and where they come from so you can reprogram your mind for success.
For the next few days, listen to your self-talk (try to be nonjudgemental as you do this because you don’t want to make yourself feel bad – you just want to become aware of where you’re holding yourself back). Where do you put yourself down and why? What does this internal voice say? Take notes.
Once you’re aware of your internal voice, begin to consciously correct it.
For example, if you have an idea such as, “I’d love to write a book!” but your internal voice says, “Write a book?! You can’t do that. You barely passed English class. Besides, no one would read your book anyways.”
You can correct it by following this negative statement with something empowering such as, “Of course you can write a book! Your life has been rich with tons of surprising and interesting experiences. What do you want readers to take away from your book?”
Follow your corrective, empowering thought with a question because this will create a new thought for your mind to ponder which will lead to another one and another one. And before you know it you’re busy thinking about all of the ways you can write a book and what your book will be about!
2.) Chronic worrying
Do you constantly feel stressed out, anxious, or overwhelmed when you think about having enough time, money or resources?
Do you constantly worry about what will happen next?
Chronic worrying is not only unproductive, but it’s also unhealthy. People who worry a lot are more susceptible to health conditions such as depression, irritable bowel syndrome, heart issues and more.
Worrying keeps your mind distracted by all of the worst-case scenarios and “what ifs” rather than doing what it was meant to do – problem solve. When you find yourself worrying about everything you don’t have, shift your internal dialogue to something more empowering and open-ended. For example:
Previous mindset:
“What if I don’t have enough money to pay for my rent!? Then I’ll get evicted from my house. I’ll lose all my belonging. I’ll have to live in my car! Then I’ll get fired from my job for not looking presentable, and I’ll have to live on the streets! I just don’t know what I’m going to do! This is horrible!”
Shifted mindset:
“How can I ensure I have enough money to make rent this month? I can start by creating a budget for myself. Then I can look for additional work or opportunities. I can also (insert thing).”
By asking yourself an open-ended question, rather than just panicking and stressing out about every worst-case scenario that probably wouldn’t happen anyways, you’ll empower your mind to problem solve and come up with solutions. This will allow you to create an action plan for yourself, and begin the process of changing your life for the better!
3.) Having a victim mentality
Many people who grow up in poverty, or in a state of lack, use their child experiences as an excuse for why they can’t progress in life. And for a long time, I was one of those people.
I had a victim mentality – believing I was a culmination of my past experiences, what happened to me and nothing more. I spent all of my time feeling slighted by life and thinking about what I wished my childhood would have been like. I rarely lived in or appreciated the present moment. Because of this, I made it impossible for myself to progress forward.
And if you’ve adopted a victim mentality due to growing up with lack, then you’re also keeping yourself stuck where you are.
In order to move forward, start by accepting what was and releasing it. Only then can you move into the present moment and create a new life for yourself. To begin, click here to subscribe to CAJ Spirituality and download our FREE 7-day Mindset Journal. It will help you work through past issues, and create an abundant present and future for yourself.
4.) Complaining about lack
Do you frequently find yourself saying, “There’s not enough?”
Do you always see the glass as half empty rather than half full?
If you constantly complain about what you don’t have, you’ll miss out on everything you DO have. What’s more – you’ll feel disgruntled, slighted and unhappy with your life because everything will seem so limited and negative!
To break free from this scarcity-inducing thought pattern, exchange your complaints for thanks. By focusing on what you do have, rather than what you don’t, you’ll create a positive-focused mindset that will allow you to see, experience and welcome blessings into your life.
If you don’t know where to begin, use this list as your guide. It contains 101 things to be grateful for and is an excellent launching pad for shifting your mindset from scarcity to abundance.
5.) Making fear-based decisions
Do you feel stuck by your job or current position in life but feel too afraid to make a change because you worry that if you do, you’ll screw yourself over in the process?
Does the unknown terrify you so much that you’d rather stay right where you are (struggle and all) then make a change and step outside of your comfort zone?
If you answered yes, then this is a tell-tale sign your scarcity mindset is keeping you trapped by the fear of failure, or the fear of the unknown.
Here’s the thing: if you let your fears run your life, you’ll never reach your full potential. You’ll always live a life of limit because you’ll never have the courage to try something new, action your ideas, and become the painter of your own canvas.
Starting today you can stop making fear-based decisions, and start seizing the limitless opportunities all around you. If you’re ready to do that, click here to read a FREE step-by-step guide about how you can overcome your fears and lead a more fulfilling, carefree life!
Above all remember, struggle doesn’t have to be your norm. You can break free from these 5 things but shifting your mindset so you’re no longer trapped in a perpetual state f lack!
Which of these 5 things resonated the most with you and why? Leave your answer in the comments below!
Xx,
Antasha
About Antasha Durbin: Antasha is a spiritual writer, life-long student of the universe, and psychic tarot card reader. Her website, cajspirituality.com, is dedicated to casualizing the spiritual experience and making it attainable for anyone, anywhere, anytime. Follow her for free, easy-to-digest and highly actionable advice on spirituality, mindfulness and empowered living.
Isn't it time you started living the life you've always imagined?
This is a great article! Thank you for sharing and hope it reaches many struggling
So happy you found it useful! I, too, hope it reaches those who are struggling to overcome this mindset!
Xx,
Antasha