Abundance. Lots of people are talking about it. Many say that they can teach you how to manifest an “abundant life”. Making promises, but blaming you if it doesn’t happen. And I do believe our lives are a reflection of our inner reality, but that doesn’t feel good, right, helpful or compassionate. Yet, I know they are doing their part, being a tool of the divine to teach a needed lesson that brings us one step closer to true abundance.

Abundance. It conjures up images of wealth, homes, travel, huge sums of $$$, having some bling, material possessions, etc. These images can expose our feelings of lack and scarcity. When we think of abundance we tend to think of having more. We are remindeed of what we do not have and can be left to stew in our feelings of lack. There is nothing wrong with wanting more. I am a firm believer in dreaming. What is important is to observe our feelings and beliefs around the concept of abundance.

5 years ago I divorced. I choose to walk away from the financial safety net of my marriage and I was terrified. I had a moment where I felt the Divine break through my fear and say, “you will see my provision. It has always been My provision, he was My conduit.” This knowing was so strong that I felt infused with faith, but transcending fear of lack in my outward reality has been a rocky road, an on going inner battle of undoing agreements with lack and limitation. So, the first thing I had to do was change my beliefs about myself and money.

Recently, I traveled across the United States. I moved from South Carolina to Washington state. A whopping 2,608 miles! Once again, I left the comfortable life I knew to step into an exciting new uncharted chapter. Before leaving, I kept saying, there is nothing for me here, but the truth is, I had everything. Everything of importance; my health, home, family, friends and a business that supported me. So, why move? Deep inside I had a feeling, a knowing, it was time for me to expand beyond what I had known and experienced. There was more. I wanted more. They say if you can imagine it, then you can create it. The Universe was saying to me, “there is a world of limitless possibilities. It is when you let go and have “nothing” that anything is possible. Take the risk.” In understanding that, I felt so rich. It was time to begin a new chapter, to leap, and I felt poised and ready. Was I scared. Yes, but I am learning to “do it afraid” as my good friend Kimberly reminds me.

As I become more connected to feelings of abundance, my focus has become about quality not quantity.

Over the last 5 years I have learned that abundance is not a number, nor possessions, but a mindset. When I practice gratitude, I feel abundant, because I am being aware of all that I already have. When I give to others of my time, talents, gifts, love and money, I feel abundant, because I am experiencing overflow. Abundance has become about quality of life more than quantity of money or things. Abundance mindset understands the Laws of the Universe and the flow of energy. We are to be conduits through which love and blessings flow. Flow is the law of nature; stagnation leads to toxicity.

Jesus tells a story about a man who gathers wealth and keeps it in a store house. By holding onto his riches he isn’t enjoying his abundance. Instead of enjoying it, he is busy working hard to have more and hordes it away. He misses out on the experience and joy of seeing others filled up and blessed. Jesus says the man is foolish and goes on to say, that tomorrow his life will be taken from him. We can never see around the corner. Only the moment we are experiencing is the one we know for certain. This story teaches us to allow the flow of the Law of Giving and Receiving to be present in our lives. It is sacred to give and sacred to receive. Practice both. Know you are abundant.

When you move and clear out a home, you take stock of the life you have been living. I thought I had been clearing it out over the last 5 years, but there was still SO much stuff. Having to choose what to take and what to leave behind, had new revelation of my abundance. I literally saw the overflow of abundance. I had been blind. For years I unnecessarily lived with a feeling of lack. I had hung onto too much stuff which creates stagnant energy and takes up space physically and energetically, which blocks us from being able to receive and give.

When I traveled across the country; a friend volunteered to journey with me, another opened up their home on a serene ranch in Montana and a third welcomed me into her life. All three blessed me with their love, support and gifts. I observed how I struggled receiving and kept feeling the Universe challenging me, “it is a season to receive”. There is a season for everything, do you know the rhythms of the Universe in your life? Can you sense it’s ebbs and flows? I noted how generous these three people were. I respected how they created lives that they enjoy and allow them to be generous. I was honored that they bestowed their generosity upon me. Through their gifts, I felt the Universe whisper, “Accept with gratitude, ease, receive, enjoy and feel your abundance.”

It has taken time, reflection and self-work, but I am beginning to connect with BEING abundant. It is a feeling of gratitude, trust, flow and excess knowing the Universe is abundant and meeting my needs. It is experiencing the connection and oneness I have with the Universe. I feel like I am on the precipice of new discoveries and understanding. I feel scared and excited. Knowing that there is MORE.

Are you feeling lack? Here are a few simple action steps that can help you combat old beliefs and feelings of lack.

1. Start a gratitude practice. Keep it simple. Do it daily. Keep a gratitude journal or short list of what you are thankful for. Allow yourself to connect with the feeling of gratitude. If keeping a journal isn’t your thing do a voice recording on your phone or light a candle and visualize the things you are grateful for.
2. Take a walk in outside. Slow down. Connect. The earth is grounding, calming and abundant by nature. When we allow ourselves to connect with Gaia, we connect to the abundant flow of all that is.
3. Go through your home. Do you have extra items you no longer need? Things that have outgrown their purpose in your life? Ask the Universe to show you someone who would be blessed by those items and give them away.
4. Ask yourself what abundance is for you and write it down. For example: Abundance is: having my physical needs met, having a loving supporting community, having a few close, loyal, trustworthy sister-friends, having healthy relationships, having a rich spirituality, having a dynamic love relationship, following my dreams and knowing they are supported by the Divine.

True abundance knows the provision of the Universe, allows things and money to flow to and through them with grace and ease. It is being able to receive and to give. It is understanding that the Universe desires to fill your cup to overflowing so you can pour out upon others, but first you must receive. Where I have lacked is in being generous to myself and in learning to receive from others.

It is time the collective “we” change how we think about, use, relate to and interact with money. Money is not evil, it is only a vehicle that we use. We have given money too much power. Money is something we created and made agreements around, so we get to choose how we use it and what meaning it has in our lives. We can change our beliefs and agreements around money.