On Friday this thought came to mind: “I think I am living in abundance”. It is the first time I have ever “heard” this thought. It has to be said the day (in the South of France) had been exceptionally beautiful. The sky was blue, the sea was full of life and energy, the sun was sending glitter on the surface of the water and the lines between mountains and sky at the back were sharp and clear. The air was warm and I had nice plans for the weekend. My mood was high.
As I thought more about living in abundance today I wanted to understand what it actually means to me. Below is what I found.
What I see and notice externally: I am surrounded by bright, vibrant colours. Not only from the nature around me, but also from the fruits and vegetables I shop and eat, the clothes I see in the window displays. The days are getting longer and there is more warmth. The sky is mostly blue. I am experiencing a lot of kindness, with people offering their help without it being too much of a deal. I see people taking their time to enjoy their lunch outside, sit on a bench or walk their dogs slowly alongside the seashore. In the building where I live I feel surrounded by calmness and space. Although there can be traffic outside I find that the sea “wins” with its presence. I can choose to listen to the waves rather than the cars. I can choose to look at the sea and forget about the cars. It is up to me where I place my attention. Although I believe happiness is generated from within, I know my current external circumstances help shape…
… what I am feeling internally. Here is what I realised: Most of the time I feel uplifted! There are less things around that are dragging me down, so to speak. I feel so grateful for having the opportunity to be here. There are uncertainties in my life going forward and I know challenges might come up at any time. I know what I would like to have happen but right now I don’t really worry about it happening or not. Maybe I have finally learned there is no point in forcing things to go my way? With the beauty of nature around and the less agitated world I am experiencing, I have come to better understand appreciation and the joy and freedom it offers. It is like, everything is fine, and how amazing is that! I am experiencing more gratitude than ever before. While I would feel drained in the past when giving my time and energy to others, I am now experiencing the opposite: I can give out attention and love and still feel complete.
I know that nothing stays the same forever. That is one of the laws in life! It is natural to be afraid of our situation changing when we feel we are on the top of a wave and everything seems to be going our way. How long will that top last? Well, instead of spending (wasting) energy worrying about the future I’d rather appreciate how life is going right now and live as best I can. My keywords are appreciation, presence and enjoyment of life. Maybe what living in abundance actually is is a change in perspective (going from lack to fullness) and being kind to oneself (treating yourself as your best friend).
I wish you well! Annette X
