Scarcity is a state of mind, a loop of negative thoughts rooted in fear. It stalks all of us. Not only do we fear not having enough, but we also fear not being enough. We may even fear our own perfectly Divine Self. Fear causes anxiety, and we don’t like how it makes us feel. We take action to suppress the sense that something’s not quite right. Whether we prefer shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, or fighting, our “drug of choice” numbs our physical or emotional pain and the nagging we feel inside. We find temporary relief and mistake it for happiness. But the absence of pain doesn’t equal joy. These fear-based thoughts can blur our ability to make sound choices. Poor choices ultimately lead to negative outcomes, which generate more fear . . . and around and around it goes. We get trapped in the Scarcity Loop. 

Are You Suffering from Symptoms of Scarcity?

Surely you don’t want to live the majority of your life in scarcity. An important part of getting out of scarcity is recognizing you are in it. Here are some of the common signs that you or someone you love might be suffering from scarcity and stuck in a pattern of behavior that needs to change.
 

• Hoarding. Do you impulsively shop and collect yet another item that takes up more space—space that you probably don’t have? As you find peace with yourself, it is easier to curb the shopping addiction.

• Attachment to Old Possessions. Do you hang on stubbornly to threadbare or unworn clothing and barely used equipment? Time to let go of what no longer serves you and make space for what does.

• Hanging Out with Exhausting People. Do you spend too much time with people who exhaust you and make you feel bad about yourself? Time to wean yourself off these so-called friends and find a more personally supportive group.

• Overworking. Do you work extremely long hours on a regular basis at the expense of time with your family or taking care of your health? Time to reassess what’s truly important to you.

• Complaining. Do you often voice your dissatisfaction about what you lack, what didn’t go right, and what bothers you? This is a habit you can change once you’re aware of it and reset your life for fulfillment.

• Wasting Time. Do you get easily distracted by texts, e-mails, housework, or other nonessential activities? Channel your time and energy into what you actually want to manifest.

• Clutter. Do you live in chaos and complain about not being able to find anything? Reclaim your power over your stuff and make space that you truly appreciate.

• Lack of Follow-through. When opportunities come your way, do you neglect to follow up and instead come up with excuses? This also manifests as starting projects but not seeing them through to completion.

• Inability to Say No. Whether it’s regarding food, drugs, sex, or alcohol, do you lack self-control and allow your addictions to get the best of you? And do you always want to please others, and therefore find yourself just unable to say no to anybody, regardless of what is asked of you?

• Depriving Yourself. Do you deprive yourself of small pleasures in your life? Even if you’re feeling poor, when you deny yourself every pleasurable thing, it doesn’t help you save more money; it just reinforces your scarcity mind-set.
 

This is just a checklist for you to become aware of some of the ways in which scarcity might be manifesting in your daily life. My book, The Abundance Loop covers these and many more signs of scarcity and shares different ways to rise above it. Read more in my book, The Abundance Loop: 8 Steps to Manifest Conscious Wealth.