Abundance is not something we acquire; it’s something we tune into.

— Wayne Dyer

One summer, we decided to go rafting on the Arkansas River. The water was flowing well from the snow melt and there were several rapids that were rated at a Level 4. I’m not sure that that means except to say that the ride was more thrilling than I imagined.

After Randy, our guide, trained us to paddle at his signal, we took off. There was no effort required by us to move down the river — it simply carried us in the flow while the guide chose the direction.

Until we hit our first rapid. His barked commands to the left side of the raft to “pull forward” while the right side was to “pull back” had us scrambling to comply. We were no longer tourists enjoying the experience…we were actually helping create the experience.

We cheered when we were on the other side of the turbulent water, feeling quite accomplished. I glanced back at Randy and he was smiling, knowing that there was more to come.

It came much sooner than I anticipated. Randy began barking again and we pulled or pushed as hard as we could. But it wasn’t enough. The raft turned sideways and we “high sided.”

When Randy casually mentioned at the beginning of the trip that “we never want to high side,” I didn’t know what he meant. Now, with tons of snow melt forcing us against a huge boulder to the point that the right side of the boat was climbing up the hard surface, I understood. I was sitting on the left side and was trapped underneath a pile of people.

Randy stayed calm and managed somehow to get us off that boulder. None of us fell into the river but we all had a great story to tell. We experienced the power of the water and survived.

What does a Rafting Story Have to do with Abundance?

I shared that story with you to set up the following metaphor:

* Abundance is like water that flows constantly;

* You choose your direction in every moment;

* No matter how hard you try, sometimes you can’t miss the boulder; and

* When you run into a boulder, you always have a choice…to give up or get up.

Abundance is available to every person living on this planet. Abundance means so much more than money or possessions. The concept of abundance changes with each individual, according to their needs and desires.

Think of abundance as a mindset that you practice every day, until it becomes who you are in every moment.

Living the Abundance Mindset

How do you learn the Abundance Mindset? It all begins with your thoughts, beliefs and the stories you tell yourself.

When you think you are abundance, you will see more of that. When you believe you are poor (however you define it), that is all you will see. The key here is to become aware of your thoughts, beliefs and stories, then deliberately and consistently transform scarcity into abundance.

Abundance is there, waiting for you to be part of it. It is there for anyone and everyone, no matter your background, culture or abilities. If you are breathing and you can think — you can have abundance.

Because it all begins in your mind, then moves to your heart.

Three Simple Steps

Step 1: Surrender to the fact that you cannot control the outcome; you can only direct the flow. When we sat down in that raft and began our adventure, none of us know how it would turn out. We basically surrendered to the power of the river, but we did impact it by our own efforts.

Step 2: Pay attention to the abundance that is already in your life. Gratitude is a powerful attitude that keeps you in the energy flow. When you are grateful what for you already have, a door opens in your mind to accept even more abundance. As you shift your thinking to appreciation, you will notice more things to appreciate. Your heart will come alive with the energy of gratitude, and something will shift inside of you.

Step 3: When you hit the boulder of fear, remember that it is just part of the journey. It may not be what you expected or anticipated, but when you can see fear as “Forgetting to Express Abundant Reality,” you can choose to move around or through it. You never have to stay high-sided, unless that is your choice.

The Secret in Abundance

As you move into an abundant mindset, you will notice that the world seems brighter, you laugh more and you worry less. You may discover that you no longer see other people as barriers to what you desire. Giving becomes as easy as receiving and you see your life with different eyes.

Instead of grasping for abundance, you become tuned in.

What is the secret? It’s hidden in the very letters that make up the word “Abundance.” Do you see it? Can you feel it?

Dance.

When you have cultivated an Abundance Mindset, you dance with life. You allow the energy of abundance to flow through you and you choose how to express it in your thoughts and daily activities. Happiness becomes the norm instead of the exception.

Fair warning: You may dance when no one is watching!

To Your Prosperity,

Kathryn

P. S. Continue this conversation by learning more about abundance. And what better teacher could there be, if not The Money Tree? Discover her deep insights as she navigates in our world with the consciousness of Divine Love.

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