Abundance is
Abundance is a way of seeing life as full of possibilities. Our attitudes and values, more than our material circumstances, determine if we are in scarcity or in abundance. Simply put, how a person perceives a situation defines it. Our outlook sets in motion powerful forces. Even the slightest shift in perspective can change the way events are seen. Creating inner abundance is simply a matter of realizing what is already there.
When I slowly sounded out the word, abundance it became “a bun dance!” This word play has helped to transform my life. Selecting abundance as my primary point of view has given me a powerful new direction. Like a bird in flight, I always have a choice to let gravity pull me down, or to spiral up on the thermals. The feeling of good fortune arises from an attitude that places a high value on inner wealth, beauty and blessings. I love to give. The best place from which to give is an overflow of love. I believe each of us deserve an abundance of love and laughter. I feel a profound commitment to creating abundance, and for me that means a lot of freedom, kindred spirits, time in nature, ways of expressing my creativity, dance and adventure. I devote time each day to creating a world around me that supports my dreams coming true.
We are surrounded by abundance. Our senses instantly deliver to us the flavor of a fresh peach, the sensation of massaging a baby, the colors of a sunrise, the first scents of spring, or the call of wild geese on the fly. Recognizing abundance is an act of connecting to the beauty of everyday life.
We create 100% of our happiness.
Scarcity
Spelling is not one of my greatest strengths so I have invented ways to help me remember how to correctly spell certain words. For instance, I’ve always had trouble spelling the word “scarcity” so finally I broke it down and it became “scar city.” By seeing scarcity as two words I was also able to tease out a new meaning. I did not want to live in “Scar City”!
Scarcity thinking is a false belief that there is not enough. This attitude creates an actual lack of the thing you desire. One of the symptoms of this type of thinking is spending most of your time on problems, rather than devoting energy to your interests and joys. As I mused about the meaning of this word I wondered, what was the opposite of scarcity?
When my mind starts to move into scarcity thinking—” I am too busy today to spend time with my friends,” or “I don’t have enough money to do what I want”— I jump up and do the a bun dance! A great way to get into abundance consciousness is to dance. When I shake my buns and laugh, the scarcity thinking quickly vanishes. Maggie and I like to wiggle buns-to-buns as a reminder to stay lighthearted. Sounds crazy, but it keeps us sane.
Maggie and I go to a dance studio a couple of times every week. I had an embroidery company make a special purple T-shirt with the word “Abundance” in a gorgeous letter style. The “bun” is in bright red letters, while “a” and “dance” are in contrasting colors. It is fun to watch the other dancers suddenly realize that we are dancing our buns off in abundance. The dancers frequently comment that they will never be able to see the word “abundance” quite the same way again. The message was always there to see. A simple change of perspective can shift your reality. Abundance is a virtue by which you create a life full of joy!
Since ancient times, dance has been used to evoke trance for transformation, give expression to our deepest stirrings and as a ritual to celebrate life. Continuing this ancient tradition, I decided to offer a Friday night A Bun Dance class. I had never taught a dance class before and it was interesting to watch my scarcity issues come up: “You are not good enough to teach dance … who do you think you are?” I had to shake those thoughts out with a little “a bun dance” before I could proceed with the project.
The class was a delightful blend of the movement arts, a free dance style in solo, duets and small groups. Dancers were invited to explore the sensation of abundance by using the principles of contact improvisational movement. “Contact improv” is like modern dance without choreography, and it involves touch. Focus on the point of physical contact with the other dancers. Being present, supportive and careful with your partner is a perfect metaphor for how one needs to be in any relationship.
The response to the dance class was tremendous. A sense of community was created as we enjoyed playful loving contact. A spontaneous conversation unfolded as motion released emotion. By using the language of our entire bodies, we gave expression to feelings that were beyond words.
The notion of abundance became so important that I changed my company name from HealthWorks to The Abundance Company, as a reminder that there is no limit to joy and pleasure when you are happy with who you are.
The company that made my T-shirts liked the idea of abundance so much that they hired me to do a presentation for their national sales force. They used the concept of abundance as there marketing theme for the year—a reminder that there are plenty of customers wanting their services.