Many of us view living in abundance as one of those allusive goals that we enjoy dreaming about but never see manifested in our lives. The good news is, since our thoughts and perceptions are extremely powerful factors, we can actually optimize the benefits of abundance simply by making a decision to consciously observe its existence.

Too often, we equate abundance or prosperity with money, and measure our success by the size of our bank accounts or the value of our possessions. By this standard, we maintain a tenuous hold at best, knowing that in the blink of an eye, the good life could dissipate like the morning fog. Abundance clutched with a fearful, white knuckled grip, is not really abundance at all. Prosperity that exists only as a future goal is not really prosperity at all. And giving the power to external things, putting our faith and trust in money, possessions, or social status, actually diminishes our own power to access the abundance inside ourselves and recognize its reality in the world around us. Put simply, abundance does not come from the outside, but begins within. It is either nurtured or neglected by our thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and expectations. Seeing ourselves as abundant and determining to live like it is an undeniable truth will consequently attract even more abundance. It is an amazing, life-changing cycle!

In order to enjoy true abundance, we must first accept the basic truth that money is not the source, people are not the supply, and circumstances are not the conduit. It is not found in the temporal, static, or fleeting, but survives even the most negative of situations. Living in abundance is not just about the future but about counting our blessings, finding love and joy in the here and now, and valuing the little things that inconspicuously enriches our lives. It is about appreciating the gifts we have been given, taking nothing for granted and believing hope can come from the hopeless. It is not about sacrificing our dreams for the future but about remembering to be thankful for all those things that make the journey beautiful. It is not about burying our heads in the sand and denying the possibility of problems, but about viewing these difficulties as challenges to overcome rather than trials to endure. It is about enthusiastically embracing life despite the problems because we know there is always something worth celebrating. The way we see life will ultimately affect the way we live life. It is really all about our state of mind and our point of view.

Perhaps abundant living can be summarized with the phrase, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift." Holding onto the failures of yesterday can prevent us from embracing a new beginning; living only for the hope of a better future can blind us to the blessings that surround us right now; and sacrificing celebration for scarcity can truly rob us of the gift of today. Whether it’s a beautiful sunset, the hug of a good friend, the laugh of a child, or a new romantic comedy, our lives are saturated with abundance. Deciding to live in this awareness will bring all those things that money cannot buy - peace, joy, contentment, success, power, and overall well-being.