Abundance Surrounds Us

I've been reading a book called The Wealth Diet by Kathy Zant, and going through the exercises. I've also been reading a book about simple living, and going through those exercises. You wouldn't think these two books would have anything in common, but the exercises are similar in each book. I'm thinking about simplicity and abundance in so many different ways, and it hit me the other day how abundance surrounds us.

When we think about abundance, we typically think money. We need more money, we want more money. But abundance is in everything - our home, our family, our joys, our passions. We can be abundant in talent and gifts, happiness and joy.

I had read a section in The Wealth Diet where Kathy mentioned people walking over money found in the street. How many times have you done that? How many times have you passed over a quarter or a dime or even a penny? I found $10 once at a park in the parking lot. We found money on the sidewalk at the mall. On this particular day, I needed a dime so I could have enough money for the vending machine. I started digging through my purse and found three dimes. The next day my husband had mentioned we needed a new mop head. That night, he told me he'd gotten three at work. They were being tossed out during a renovation of the store where he works. And it hit me - this is abundance.

Abundance is God providing all we need and more. I needed a dime - he provided three. We needed a mop head - he provided three. My husband also received a wall locker that he's using to store books and games in in our family room. This is abundance, and if we keep our eyes open we can see it surrounding us.

How have you experienced abundance in your life, no matter how small it may seem?

My $100,000 Check - A Promise to Myself

I don't know if I've written about my $100,000 check before.

When I first read Think and Grow Rich last year, the main point was to have a tangible, set goal for what you wanted to achieve. My goal is to be a successful writer earning $100,000 a year by my 45th birthday. That will be July 16, 2016.

(Yes, I will be 41 on Monday. Happy Birthday to me :) )

I found an image of a blank check online. You can actually find these now on The Secret's website or buy some from TUT as well. But I just used Google Image Search, found a blank check photo and used Paint to edit it.

I made it out to myself, dated it July 16, 2016, and then signed it "Law of Attraction."

Here's a picture:

I carry this with me in my purse. Every now and again when I'm looking for something I'll find it in the side pocket. It reminds me that I'm working toward my dreams and they are coming true.

How are you reminding yourself that your dreams are coming true?

Long Term Travel Continued

I had been affirming and praying over this desire for a few days when my husband found the notes I'd written about my ideas. He asked me about them in a calm way. There wasn't any fighting. I let him know that I still had a desire to travel but I was willing to compromise. Now, I didn't tell him that I would do it on my own if he didn't want to come. I figured I would cross that bridge if it came to it. To my surprise, he was willing to listen to my ideas. He was receptive enough that I asked him to go with me to an RV show. I figured we could find a travel trailer to take on short trips, maybe a camper van to use during a longer trip or a summer trip if we wanted. And he agreed.

We had a wonderful time at the show. It was in a larger city but we found the convention area fine with no fighting about directions. When we can go on a trip without fighting over turn lanes and blinkers and which direction to go, then you know we have become completely different people!

He fell in love with the coaches, of course. But we found two fifth wheels we liked as well, and a travel trailer. I told him again that this didn't mean I wanted to full time for the rest of our lives. I just wanted to do some type of long term travel, maybe a summer, that was all. He agreed and said he understood. I just wanted to come clean about my feelings. And even though I would love to full time in an RV, I was fully prepared to compromise for summer travel - either together or alone.

He surprised me today. He forgot his lunch so I took it to him at work. We talked about a lot of things - how he's unhappy in his job, the books I'm writing, my transcription website, the ideas I have. And he told me that since I'd shared with him the concept of life coaching he'd been thinking about it. I'd had two free session with coaches and enjoyed them a lot.

So now we have more ideas on how to earn money and still be free for work and travel. This is ultimate freedom. This is what we want - to work at something we love, earn a living, and live a life in abundance, affluence and creativity.

He's going to start life coaching training in April. I'm going to follow him, possibly in the fall. And we'll have yet another non traditional income source to add to our possibilities.

We're seeing that $100K a year getting closer and closer than we've ever dreamed. And to top it off - he's agreed that we can do it from an RV, traveling while we're still young enough to enjoy it.

Yes, life is good, and I am blessed.

We live in an abundant world

As manifestors, deliberate creators or just people-who-use-LOA, we believe we live in an abundant world. We already believe that there is enough of everything - money, houses, cars, jobs, clothing, food - anything you can imagine, there is enough. Now economics is starting to back that up.

The definition of traditional economics analyzes the distribution and consumption of goods and services. Economists are also looking at our resources. Traditional economists, though, say that there are only
limited resources. Over the years many of these doomsayer economists have stated we are about to run out of this or that or the other thing. But have we?

No, we haven't. Because every time we believe that we are lacking something we either discover we didn't need it at all or some type of technology is invented to make it better. Either a better process or more efficient way to work.

Abraham Hicks talks about this as well, comparing material wealth or material things to health. They state that we don't think, "Well, I need to be sick for a while so that others can be healthy." Why do we feel that if we are doing well that others must lack? That if we have more than enough then something is being taken from someone else?

I did believe that, but no more. I believe we live in a world where there is more than enough for everyone.

Abundant or Affluent

I listened to a money coaching call from Karin Title the other day, part of the Divine Entrepreneurial Diva Telesummit hosted by Carrie at Deeper Waters Coaching.

One of the distinctions that Karin was making was moving out of abundance and into affluence. That was confusing to me. After all, isn't my affirmation "Enjoying a wonderful, beautiful, abundant and creative life through principles of positive thinking and the Law of Attraction" ? Don't I want to live an abundant life?

So I decided to really break it down and see what those two words mean. What do they mean to me, and what do they REALLY mean. And is there a difference.

Abundant - I am blessed, I am overflowing, I have a full and rich life with money and time and family and everything that gives me peace.

Affluent - Wealth, someone who is influential, a leader.

I have never seen myself as affluent based on my definition above. It's been difficult enough seeing myself as abundant. Of course, I don't only associate abundance with money, although that is a large part of it. Part of having a rich and full life is having enough money to be able to follow dreams, to pursue passions, to travel and experience the world. Living life in everything - that is abundant to me. Regarding money, however, abundant meant enough. It meant not having to worry about my money, to release that attachment, fear and
anxiety I've had for so long.

Now that I defined the words for myself, I decided to see what Webster's had to say.

Abundant - very plentiful, more than sufficient, ample, well supplied, rich, plentiful.

Affluent - flowing freely, plentiful, abundant, wealthy, prosperous, opulence, great plenty, rich, a flowing toward, influx.

Wow.

I thought I knew what the words meant. I thought I knew what I wanted. And I do want that abundant, full life - rich in experiences and opportunities, friends and family, more than sufficient money and time. But doesn't affluent do all of that? All of that -- and more?