It’s easy to feel like resources are scarce in this day and age, however, we must challenge this mindset – regardless of our actual situation. Although a “scarcity mindset” is not a mental illness, per se, the grim thought patterns that tend to go along with this mindset can lead down a road we don’t care to travel.
It may seem logical – if you don’t have much spending money or other resources, the first related thought on that is usually about saving or something relating to not having enough. However, if this kind of thinking becomes a trend, it can lead down the path of feeling hopeless and perhaps even allow some depression symptoms to set in. It’s time to battle our mindset.
What Are We Even Talking About?
When it comes to common mindsets, most people seem to fall into one of two camps. The scarcity mindset, or the abundance mindset…. and the former mindset is a trap.
Let’s start here: God is NOT a genie, and does NOT grant “wishes”, but He does choose to answer prayers as He sees fit. You don’t have to believe in God or any deity for this conversation, but it’s where my awareness of my scarcity mindset started.
When I Realized My Scarcity Mindset
My husband and I would like at least four children, but after two children, I found myself holding back my prayers, feeling cautious… because someone I knew who wanted children remained childless. How could it be that I’d have child after child, while this other person prayed and yet had none?
It took a conversation in Bible study at church one night to drive the point home.
A person in the Bible study group was telling a personal story about how they had come to realize that God did not run out of blessings. Just because *they* were being blessed, did not mean God could not still choose to bless someone else, too.
And soon after it hit me.
Just because *I* am being blessed with children does not prevent God from blessing anyone else with children. God does not run out of blessings; that’s MY scarcity mindset speaking… but we serve a God of abundance. A God who will have mercy whom He chooses, and also have compassion on whom He chooses. (Romans 9:15)
Be Careful How You Think About Resources
A scarcity mindset can feel insurmountable – I still struggle with mine – but it’s important to realize that the negative thoughts that surround scarcity are hurting you more than they are helping you.
If lack of spending money leads to thoughts like, “we can’t afford to do anything” (broad and vague), it can feel hopeless and like something you cannot recover from.
Although it makes sense to be careful with our money and resources, we need to be careful how we THINK about our money and our resources.
When it comes to resources, my mindset (scarcity) leads me to hoard things like special Trim Healthy Mama ingredients and “save” them for a special occasion that never actually comes. Sometimes the ingredients will be expired before I even open them due to this mindset… which means that all of the money spent on those ingredients – and the ingredients themselves – were wasted.
Challenge the Scarcity Mindset
Challenge time.
Are you tired of living below your means simply because you are afraid you won’t have enough? Sick of “special” items or resources never being used because you are waiting for that special occasion or moment (that never comes)?
It’s time to step into abundance.
This almost certainly easier if you are a born again Christian or have belief in a higher power, but still doable if not.
If you are a Christian, it’s time to start praying for faith to trust that God will provide. If you put your tithe in the offering plate each paycheck, before even checking if your remaining paycheck will cover bases, that’s one way to help you grow in your faith that God will provide for you and your family. We have always found this to be true, if we tithe like the Bible directs (Leviticus 27:30-33) and put our trust in God – even when money was extremely tight.
Along with having faith, USE your resources. If you are blessed with food, enjoy it (in moderation, and reasonably) – don’t let it spoil and the blessing be wasted. If you are blessed with family, spend time with them instead of being glued to a screen.
If you are blessed with the ability to walk, exercise that amazing ability. The list could continue forever…. but eventually, it can help you realize that there is enough.
Your challenge: step into abundance by trying to find gratitude in everything, even what we usually take for granted – like our next breath, or even the ability to speak.
TL;DR
Not only can a scarcity mindset hinder you and lead down into hopelessness and even depression, it can lead to wasted resources. An abundance mindset, alternatively, can help you live life to the fullest, enjoy what you have, and feel happier and less prone to feel depressed.
Challenge a scarcity or negative mindset, and step into abundance (it won’t always *feel* like abundance, but being content with what you have and where you are is a great first step).
NOTE: this article is NOT referring to manifestation, but rather gratitude and trust in God if you are a believer.
Christian, wife, “hybrid” mama, I run the site All Behind A Smile to help others like me.
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