Dismantling the Myth of Scarcity
It has been said love and prosperity are less about romantic relationships or the state of your finances and more about a state of mind. This is true when it comes to scarcity.
The perception of a lack of anything, be it love, romantic options, money, or even the lack of good health, can be so overwhelmingly stressful and frightening, that the obstacles appear insurmountable.
Not surprisingly, scarcity is a particularly sensitive topic for women over 60. Many are convinced there is a lack of time and options for love, security, prosperity, and happiness.
Despite the pervasive nature of scarcity, there is a solution for it, and it’s easier than you may have been led to believe. In fact, the very idea of scarcity is a myth.
As you will come to see in this article, scarcity is not a fixed state of existence nor is it solved in your outer world. It is something you can permanently change within yourself.
This is the first of a seven-part series on The Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™ for Sixty and Me readers. My intention with each article is to guide you into a new, more empowered state of mind by reframing your perception of these myths.
What Is the Myth of Scarcity?
Scarcity blankets all facets of society, making it the most powerful and difficult of all The Seven Myths of Love & Happiness™ to break free of. The narrative is that you cannot have all you want because there is not enough love, happiness, money, or success available for everyone.
What makes it hard to untangle yourself from the perceived reality of scarcity is the deep-seated emotional trauma surrounding humanity’s daily experience with it.
For generations, the media has bombarded society with messaging and visuals about scarcity that tug at the very core of your fears and survival instincts. The narrative is maintained through authority figures, who reinforce the notion that there is a lack of resources and, therefore, not enough of what you desire to go around.
Beyond the media, people you speak with, especially via social media, beat the drum of scarcity on a daily basis, further exacerbating its effects.
It is understandable, then, why scarcity is not seen as a myth, but an all too real reality. All of this, however, can be changed.
What Do You Expect from Your Reality?
Growing up, most of us heard the phrase, “seeing is believing.” Dating back to ancient Greece, it is a proverb that sets the foundation for how we perceive reality.
Modern-day cognitive psychology describes perception as, “the ability to capture, process, and actively make sense of the information that our senses receive.”
So, are you stuck with what you have been told is real? No. By reframing and improving your perception with cognitive stimulation, you can change your perception of life.
According to CogniFit Research, “…we are not only directed by the stimuli that we receive (passive, bottom-up processing) but that we expect and anticipate certain stimuli that control perception (active, top-up processing).”
The telling statement from this is, “…we expect and anticipate stimuli that control perception.” To change your outer reality, you must be willing to first change what you expect from your reality. Let’s apply this to the Myth of Scarcity.
A Change of Perception
Your mind creates your outer reality based on what you believe is real.
If you remain in a fixed mindset about scarcity, you will expect it in areas of your life where you believe it exists. Your outer world conforms to this inner belief and thus, you see evidence of scarcity everywhere.
When you transition into a growth mindset you reframe your perception of scarcity from within.
It does not mean scarcity no longer exists in the perceptions of others, it means you are no longer beholden to its destructive nature. Therefore, no matter what anyone else says about scarcity, it is only as real as you personally choose to make it.
Overwriting the Myth of Scarcity
There are many ways to change your perception of scarcity. Three of the simpler and proven methods are:
- Overwrite the myth of scarcity
- Reframe your perception of scarcity from within
- Integrate your new perception in your outer world
When you feel the influence of scarcity, these empowering affirmations will help you begin overwriting its effect on you:
- I am abundant
- I am prosperous
- I am safe
- I love my life
- I feel secure
- I am stable
- I am grounded
- I have all that I need
- I am always connected to true love
- Everything always works out for me
Affirmations are just the start of changing your perception of scarcity. Journaling is another important part of integrating a new, inner perception into your outer life. In my video for this article, I will guide you through some journal prompts.
In the meantime, be sure to write out these affirmations in your journal and begin integrating them into your daily behaviors.
What do you think you lack in your life? Do you think this mindset of scarcity controls you in some way? Are you ready to rewrite your mindset?
