April 26, 2026

Do you believe there are enough resources? Do you believe there are opportunities and success for you and others? Are you generous in giving your time, energy and sharing contacts and resources? Are you grateful for the things that you have in your life? Do you look forward to collaborating with others?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, you may just have an abundance mindset.

What is an abundance mindset?

According to Shannon Jamail of Mind & Body Complete, an abundance mindset is the belief that there is plenty for everyone. It fosters feelings of gratitude, joy, and collaboration. If you have an abundance mindset, you are more likely to think, “There’s plenty out there,” “I can,” and “Opportunities are limitless.” 

Here are some key traits and behaviors of those with an abundance mindset:

• You see challenges as temporary; situations will improve.
• There is more than enough; you can have or create what you need.
• View mistakes as learning opportunities.
• You invest in long-term relationships and personal growth.
• You genuinely celebrate others’ achievements and wins.

Dr. Sue Varma, author of Practical Optimism, shared on “The Today Show” that individuals with an abundance mindset believe that they deserve good things and others deserve good things. They are willing to share those good things. Overall, research shows that those with this mindset have less anxiety and depression.

An abundance mindset is one focused on positivity, possibilities, collaboration, and gratitude rather than fear, competition, and scarcity. It is about being generous. There are many opportunities to share knowledge, time, and resources. These acts of kindness can positively impact you as well as those that you help.

Camille Cook, life coach, podcaster, and writer, commented that abundance was never something that naturally came to her. Initially, she tended to have thoughts of “not enough” and scarcity. She learned along the way that you can learn to channel abundance.

“Why is an abundant mindset important?” asked Cook. “Simply put: our thoughts become things.”

I must concur with Cook and admit there are times that I have one foot in the scarcity mindset area and my other foot is stretching as far as I can tipping my toes into the area of abundance. Yet, I fear that I will lose grip and fall into the chasm in between.

I honestly struggle to overcome my negative thinking. The anxiety that I struggle with over the years plays a bigger role in what I think than I would like to admit. One of the things suggested is to acknowledge when those scarcity thoughts pop up in my mind and challenge them. Face them down.

“Having an Abundance Mindset means not feeling limited by the things that you don’t have, but instead, focusing on the opportunities you do have in order to gain what you want in life,” wrote Elissa Burdick, editorial team at Headspace.com.

One benefit of developing an abundance mindset is it can develop and strengthen your self-belief and self-trust. Other benefits include:

• Enhanced creativity and innovation
• Improved mental and emotional well-being.
• Strengthening relationships.
• An openness to possibilities that can lead to greater success and fulfilment.
• Increased resilience

We can choose to create an abundance mindset: to understand that life is not a zero-sum game, that our every joy does not have to come from another’s loss, that there is more than enough to go around wrote Ingrid Fetell Lee.

“Thinking abundantly is an inside job,” wrote Kris Vallotton, author.

There are different strategies that can help shift your mindset from lack and scarcity to that of abundance:

• Embrace the act of gratitude. As you practice gratitude, the joy that you find in things will increase.
• Start your day reflecting on positive things around you.
• Savor the good.
• Show and practice appreciation for others. Celebrate others’ wins.
• Look back and notice how far you have come.
• Give from the heart. Giving is a practice of abundance. Finding ways to give that feels meaningful.
• Stop chasing status. Any time that you have status, you are at risk of losing it.
• Possibilities instead of limitations. Opportunities instead of restrictions.

“Abundance is not something we acquire; it is something we tune into.” – Wayne Dyer

Resources:

Image by photoangel retrieved from Freepik.com Retrieved on https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/girl-lift-her-hands-sky-feel-freedom_1253903.htm

Burdick, Elissa. “There will always be more: overcoming Scarcity Mindset.”  10/23/2023. Retrieved on 4/14/2026 from https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/there-will-always-be-more-overcoming-scarcity-mindset

Cook, Camille. “Channeling Abundance (Even When You’re Stuck in Lack” 7/8/2025. Retrieve on 4/14/2026 from https://medium.com/@camcook6/channeling-abundance-even-when-youre-stuck-in-lack-a11075e93383

Jamail, Shannon. “Cultivating an Abundance Mindset Over a Lack Mindset: Strategies and Benefits.” Mind & Body Complete.com  Retrieved on 4/14/2026 from https://mindbodycomplete.com/cultivating-an-abundance-mindset-over-a-lack-mindset-strategies-and-benefits/

Lee, Ingrid Fetell. “How to Cultivate an Abundance Mindset.” Originally published 11/5/2022. Retrieved on 4/14/2026 from https://aestheticsofjoy.com/how-to-cultivate-an-abundance-mindset/

Lee, Ingrid Fetell. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. Little, Brown, Spark ©September 2018.

Valloton, Kris. “8 Signs You Have an Abundance Mindset in All Areas of Life.” 12/6/2019. Retrieved on 4/14/2026 from https://www.krisvallotton.com/8-signs-you-have-an-abundance-mindset-in-all-areas-of-life

Varma, MD, Sue. Practical Optimism: Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being. Avery Publishing Group. ©February 2024.