2 Steps to Living Abundantly

W

e all want to live more abundantly, but how do we actually get there? We can spend most of our conscious and unconscious energy in the mindset of waiting for our dreams to come true, frustrated with the moment, or the day, or the life we have currently. The process of living abundantly does require envisioning the future and striving to accomplish goals, but there is a very important step that people skip in trying to create the lives they want. We skip this step because it is the harder step. Living more abundantly is rooted in being present in the now. It means actually finding the richness already present even if  your life has major challenges.

If you’re not the kind of person who naturally sees life as a glass half full, then doing this can feel like learning a foreign language. Bringing your attention to the abundance already present won’t come easily at first, but don’t ditch the practice because  it seems ackward or too simple. It will become easier the longer you practice. Here are two steps to begin to live more abundantly now and not wait until everything falls into place in your future. Getting into the now and seeing the abundance you already have, no matter how small or seemingly trivial, will allow more adundance to come into your life.

1. Pause and Notice Abundant Moments

Take notice of moments of beauty, love, kindness, prosperity or generosity in your day. Right now, as I write this, my dog and cat sleep next to each other on the bed. The light through the window makes their fur shiny and their eyes sparkle. I pause and take in the kindness and generosity they have for each other in the beauty of the light. This is a small moment of abundance.

2. Breathe in the Moment and Open Your Heart

When you pause and are aware of the moment of abundance, then breathe intentionally. Take in larger and smoother breaths. As you are breathing, feel your heart open by bringing your attention to how the moment feels. Feel your heart open while you are noticing the moment. Let it sink in. Notice the beauty of a flower. Stop, breathe, and feel the beauty. The breath is the highway for your intentions, and the heart is the palace of wealth for your being.

These two steps begin the process of creating more abundance. They are simple and cost nothing, but they may not be what you want to do. It is easier to complain or stay stuck in the feeling that your life is too difficult to find abundance.

Living abundantly is really not a mysterious secret. It is actually very clear ways of thinking, being and specific actions. It is, however, like learning a foreign language with different vocabulary, grammar rules and inflections. You can give up at the beginning because  it feels cumbersome and awkward, but the more you do it, the more you start to be able to navigate the new language. Eventually you can make your way around, and that’s when you start to see results from your efforts.

“Abundance beckons as a state of mind, beginning with gratitude for what you already have and followed by a vision of what you want to create in your life,” writes Gail McMeekin in The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor. ”Prosperity consciousness demands that you look beyond the energy of money and own up to what truly nourishes you.”