8 STEPS TO STAY ABUNDANT DURING HARD TIMES

There’s more than enough money in the world to get you through hard times. That’s the first thing to keep in mind during financial troubles. I went through some tough conditions several times in my life and I’m still amazed at how I got through them.

I’ve put together some tips you could use to get you moving forward again.

1. OPERATE FROM THE MINDSET OF ABUNDANCE. This is the best way to set the stage on staying abundant amidst financial crisis. The Abundant Mindset begins by believing that there is more than enough supply of anything and everything for anyone and everyone at anytime, every time.

2. PROCEED BY MAKING A CHECKLIST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO GET YOU THROUGH THE WEEK AND PRIORITIZE. Be specific when you identify the items and include the day you need it the most (e.g. income generating activity by next week, five hundred dollars for electricity by Friday and the like). You may put them in columns for easy reading.

3. FOLLOW IT UP WITH A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO COULD HELP YOU ACCESS THE SPECIFIC ITEMS YOU NEED. The best people who could help you are members of your family and close friends. Include them in the list for they are blessings provided for you. If you know people who may have direct contact with influential individuals whose help you need then include them in the list as well.

4. EXPRESS THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR SITUATION. Communicate with the people on the list and tell them about your present condition. It may not be an easy task for it requires you to be vulnerable. Do it anyway, for the process in itself helps you heal whatever wounds you may have incurred in the recent past. In my case, it healed a broken relationship with a family member.

No matter how uncomfortable it may be, the fact remains that we do need the wisdom and resources of others to help us succeed in life. I’m sure you’ve helped others before and maybe these same people are just waiting for an opportunity to help you in return. Give them that chance.

5. BE OPEN AND WILLING TO TAKE ON NEW WAYS OF GETTING THINGS DONE. Accept whatever these family members or friends can offer. If they can give advice then accept the advice willingly and consider them in your decision making. If they offer more than you expected then by all means receive it with gladness and joy. Dr. Deepak Chopra has said "Receiving is as necessary as giving. To graciously receive is an expression of the dignity of giving".

Be willing to take the necessary actions that go along with the assistance they offer you. If it need be that you learn a new skill or do something beyond your comfort zone then take the challenge with pride. Approach the task as one that brings hope and faith.

6. VIEW EVERY ACTIVITY AS ONE FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITY AND VALUABLE LESSONS. Remember that the power to recreate the self anew comes as more knowledge and wisdom is gained through experience. Notice the abundance of knowledge and skills presented to you with every act you decide to take. The process then becomes an exciting adventure of personal growth and maybe even professional growth.

7. BE GRATEFUL EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. Stay connected to the Source of all abundance by having a grateful heart and more of that which you appreciate will come into your life. Moving with the attitude of gratitude will surely bring in more opportunities to develop, increase, grow and bear fruit.

8. KNOW THAT ALL IS WELL IN LOVE. You are an individual with the power to turn your life around for it is inherent in man to create a better life for himself and his family to express love. Love has motivated you through all the steps. Let it be the strong foundation with which you now live your life.

Be proud of what you’ve accomplished by following the eight steps. Through it all you have learned to stay abundant during hard times. The "hard times" now begin to transform into "growing times" and that is part of what we call living the Abundance Lifestyle.