BE GREAT!
I recently received an email from a busy attorney that said simply, "Lynnea, help! I need abundance! Contact me." Hmmm. What's wrong with this picture? He's busy, but he doesn't feel like he has abundance in his life. How often do you feel that way? I believe that most of us yearn to feel "filled up" and overflowing with the greatness that life has to offer. If you feel this way, I have a question for you: What would greatness in yourself, your life, and your business, look like?

In order to achieve greatness, and be truly satisfied with yourself and your life, it's important to cultivate abundance thinking.

You see, we can manifest abundance in our lives. "How?", you ask. Well, it's simple, because it's already within us and around us. But, it's difficult, because it means doing some work on ourselves. Below are 10 ways to begin creating abundance in your life.

Creating Abundance

Be grateful for what you have; all of it. Can you see? Can you read? Can you hear? Are there people who love you? Do your legs work? Do you have someplace to sleep tonight? There are myriad things for which we can be grateful; and we need to BE grateful before we can be entrusted with more.

Acknowledge abundance; be open to it as it occurs every day in little ways. Did someone give you free tickets to something, or treat you to lunch? That's abundance. Did you receive an "atta-boy" or a compliment? Did you find a penny on the ground? That's abundance. Look for it, be attuned to it in your life.

Practice being happy for what others have. There's no shortage of success, love, money, possessions. Just because someone else has something doesn't mean there's less for you.

Be generous. Coming from a "scarcity mentality" only creates scarcity. Give others your praise, help others succeed by sharing your knowledge, your network, your caring, your time, talents, and treasures.

Cultivate a positive environment. Norman Vincent Peale said, "Change your thoughts and you change your world". Thoughts are fed by everything around us: what we listen to, read, and watch; and by the people we hang out with.. You have the right to create an environment of abundance thinkers, books, tapes, pictures, words, and thoughts. Do it.

Get rid of what you don't need. Holding onto "stuff" we don't need feeds our fear of scarcity. Open up space in your physical, mental, and emotional environments for good stuff to flow in.

Help others less fortunate. Personally reach out to those who have less than you do...those who can't see, read, hear, or walk, who have nowhere to sleep tonight. This helps put things in a bigger perspective, it expands your experience, it expands your world; it expands your gratitude.

Be gentle with yourself and others. Choose to assume the best-- that you, and others, are doing the best they can, even when they're not. Forgive yourself for what you don't have, for what you haven't done, and move on to the good stuff waiting for you. Being stuck in regret and guilt wastes your energy and talents. Be grateful for the lesson learned, and get over the rest.

Get your personal needs met. We each have individual, personal needs. These are not options. They are as necessary to us as water or air. They keep us emotionally and spiritually alive. If a need is not being met, a void exists within us, and we'll look for things to fill the void. We may end up grasping for many things, feeling that we live in a world of scarcity. There are many assessments to help define your unique set of personal needs (if you are interested in using one of these, contact me). Once you know what you need to be and feel your best, you can start creating ways to have these needs met. The voids will disappear.

Daily affirm that you are a worthy and deserving person, who brings unique gifts and value to the world; and that the things you want are flowing to you. Every day, focus on what you want (NOT on what you don't have!) Visualize it, plan for it, see it in Technicolor®, feel it, talk to it, make it come alive for you. Rev up your passion for it, and in time, you'll joyfully experience "your cup running over".

There truly is an abundance of all we want and need. Believe it, manifest it, be fully open to receive it. Because life's too short to live it half-way!

Copyright 2006, Lynnea Hagen and abundancecoaching.net

WANT TO REPRINT THIS ARTICLE? You may, as long as it remains intact and you include this complete blurb with it: Lynnea J. Hagen, MS, founder of http://www.abundancecoaching.net, and Hagen & Co. Consulting, works with motivated business professionals who want to create outstanding results in business and in life. Specializing in advanced leadership skills and personal business strategies, she supports and inspires her clients to be more productive, be better leaders in business and life, make more money, and ultimately live the life they desire and deserve. For FREE resources, and tips on how to create abundance, visit http://www.abundancecoaching.net.

Author's Bio: 

Lynnea J. Hagen, MS, founder of http://www.abundancecoaching.net, and Hagen & Co. Consulting, works with motivated business professionals who want to create outstanding results in business and in life.