Weekend Coffee Share.....
It's time for another Weekend Coffee Share, I thought I'd grab a post I shared for this series on 31 Days of Living Inside Out. We are in Texas for the next week so I wanted to be able to get something ready quick.
I read an article in an Outdoor Photography magazine of all places that jumped out and made me go "WOW"! I don't often read through the articles, but something about this one caused me to take notice. The article was written by Dewitt Jones. I tried finding the article on Outdoor Photography site but you must be a member to read it. But I cut it out and saved it, it was that good.
You see, we live in an age of crazy technology where we are always aware of the constant change of trends, the newest products, the bigger and the better, the haves and the have nots, the who's and the "who-nots". From Facebook to Instagram; From Twitter to whatever else is out there. From thousands and thousands of blogs and websites and don't forget Pinterest!
Sufficiency (or even Insufficiency) and Scarcity are two words that seem to constantly be thrown at us in one form or another. Two words that jumped out of this article at me. I'm revisiting that article today and asking myself am I living life in Sufficiency or Scarcity, more-so in my mind than in the actual, tangible parts of my life.
I believe that even more than being tangible realities, these are mindsets that we choose to adopt. As someone wholoves enjoys technology, computers, my camera and the internet, if I'm not careful, the first can rear its ugly head and make me forget the second! Someone else has something better or bigger than I have...Updated: when I went down to photograph eagles a few days ago with my nice Nikon DSLR and my 28-300mm lens, I was excited, then up from the bank comes a guy with a HUGE monstrosity of a lens. I immediately felt almost "unworthy" to stop and take photos. WOW. Where did that come from!
When we live with a scarcity mindset, we forget to enjoy life. We don't have people over because we're afraid our house or our food isn't good enough. We miss all the amazingness around us because we are focused on what we don't have. We don't enjoy our "staycation" or the beauty in our own cities because we wish we were in Hawaii.
Another word found in this article Dewitt Jones was FOMO: the Fear of Missing Out! Ouch! Below are a few quotes from the article that I thought were very powerful. He also quotes Lynne Twist from her book "The Soul of Money"
How about changing FOMO into JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out)
So as you go about your weekend and into the next week ask yourself which mindset you're resourcing. The next time you are afraid of missing out on something because maybe the finances just aren't there or you're afraid of having someone over because you don't feel your home is adequate. The next time you compare your home decor or your clothes closet, your camera lens (cough cough...that's me) to someone elses, give scarcity a swift quick in the rear!
Sufficiency (or even Insufficiency) and Scarcity are two words that seem to constantly be thrown at us in one form or another. Two words that jumped out of this article at me. I'm revisiting that article today and asking myself am I living life in Sufficiency or Scarcity, more-so in my mind than in the actual, tangible parts of my life.
Scarcity = Lack, want, insufficiency, shortness of supply
Sufficiency = meet ones needs, adequate, the quality of being enough.
I believe that even more than being tangible realities, these are mindsets that we choose to adopt. As someone who
When we live with a scarcity mindset, we forget to enjoy life. We don't have people over because we're afraid our house or our food isn't good enough. We miss all the amazingness around us because we are focused on what we don't have. We don't enjoy our "staycation" or the beauty in our own cities because we wish we were in Hawaii.
Another word found in this article Dewitt Jones was FOMO: the Fear of Missing Out! Ouch! Below are a few quotes from the article that I thought were very powerful. He also quotes Lynne Twist from her book "The Soul of Money"
"When we hit abundance with a scarcity mentality, that's what we all slam into. There's more around us than we could ever use, yet we keep on grasping, grabbing, fearful that we'll miss the next new thing." Dewitt Jones
"Once we let go of scarcity, we discover the surprising truth of sufficiency...sufficiency is an experience, a context we generate, a declaration, a knowing that there is enough, and that we are enough." Lynne Twist
How about changing FOMO into JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out)
"to be content with what I have and where I am and who I am, knowing there was more (more technology, more gear, more images, more love, more gratitude, more _______) always out there waiting." Dewitt Jones
"Sufficiency resides inside each of us, and we can call it forward. It is a consciousness, an attention, an intentional choosing of the way that we think about our circumstances". Lynne Twist
So as you go about your weekend and into the next week ask yourself which mindset you're resourcing. The next time you are afraid of missing out on something because maybe the finances just aren't there or you're afraid of having someone over because you don't feel your home is adequate. The next time you compare your home decor or your clothes closet, your camera lens (cough cough...that's me) to someone elses, give scarcity a swift quick in the rear!
Check out all the other posts on Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. I'm off to go visit some now. #weekendcoffeeshare
Kirstin
Hi Kirstin - it's interesting that you're talking about scarcity and abundance because it's something I write about too (I even mention scarcity thinking in the post I linked up today). Waking up to the fact that I carried a scarcity mindset around with me for far too long was an eye opener for me and the beginning of really learning to appreciate what I have and to realize how blessed I am - I no longer feel like I don't have enough (and that's a great way to be!)
ReplyDeleteI know. When I saw your post, I just knew I made the right choice!! Loved your post. And yes, it can be so easy to get in a scarcity mindset on many levels and areas of our lives.
DeleteWe embraced a mind set of living in the moment without comparing ourselves to others several years ago when we began homeschooling. It was tough living on just one income but what we were giving up was not worth nearly as much as getting to spend every day with my boys. It certainly isn't something that we never stumble with but I try really hard to remind them we don't need to live like kings to have an enjoyable life.
ReplyDeleteSo true Joanne. We homeschooled and I loved being home with our girls. My husband worked full time at our church but thankfully he was really good with our money. But boy can it be easy to slip into that mindset, but you just get back on track right!
DeleteVery good article. I've never been one to have FOMO but one of my close relatives does. She changes her decor frequently to keep up with the trends. It must cost her a fortune. My husband and I prefer the sturdy solid wooden furniture we own even if it's not stylish. Regards Christina
ReplyDeleteI am not one who needs to keep with trends either. If I like it I might buy it. I don't think I struggle much with FOMO all the time, but definitely know I have moments.
DeleteKirstin, I've learned early on to differentiate needs vs wants and have chosen to enrich my life with experiences that I deem important. I feel that I live a very fulfilling and satisfying life and I'm grateful. I don't pay attention to the Joneses out there. Thanks for linking up with #WeekendCoffeeShare. I hope you have a wonderful time in Texas.
ReplyDeleteSo true Natalie. My thought is always "they're either really great with managing their money, or they are in massive debt." lol.
DeleteA good thought roving post. There will always be someone with "more" of whatever it is you perceive they have more of...and that perception changes by the day. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteSo true Jo. Thank you for visiting.
DeleteI have been thinking about the scarcity mindset lately too. Brene Brown writes about it in some of her books. I think the way FOMO rears it's ugly head most for me is when I read about other runners doing things (mostly traveling to races) I wish I was doing. You are so right - we need to focus on JOMO. Cultivating a grateful attitude goes a long way toward increasing our happiness.
ReplyDeleteI need to read more of Brene's books. I'm working on one right now "Daring Greatly" but my reading has slacked so I haven't done as much as I'd like.
DeleteWhat an interesting place to find such an article - thank you for sharing it with us. We Singaporeans are famous for exhibiting FOMO; we even have a term for it: "kiasu". I think "sufficiency" doesn't come naturally to most of us because it's been drummed into us that "we can do better" and perhaps that has generalised into unhealthy attitudes.
ReplyDeleteYEs.....very true...we are surrounded by voices telling us we need more, better, keep up with everyone else...and sometimes, we don't see their behind the scenes...maybe they have a lot of debt, or maybe they were smart with their money...we need to be able to enjoy where we are at and love the life we have.
DeleteHi Kirstin, the scarcity mindset is very interesting and isn't it funny how it popped up in the video I shared in my #shoutoursaturday post too? I enjoyed your thought provoking post for #weekendcoffeeshare and the way we live our lives, I love the idea of JOMO :)
ReplyDeleteYES. That was so funny....clearly maybe something more people needed to hear about right now. Thank you for visiting. I've been enjoying your posts as well.
DeleteOh wow. That photography moment with the eagles has been me SO many times. And sadly, I haven't picked up my camera in so long. Thank you.. I really needed to read this.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you read it Kathleen and that it encouraged you. It's something I constantly need to remind myself, and not get discouraged with. Even this week I was practicing a bit with a new lens (just a small 35 mm) taking some inside photos of my grandson while he played and I didn't like any of them. I started getting discouraged and had the briefest thought of "maybe I should just sell my camera and just use my phone". Lol...really, my mind went there. Definitely have to get out of my own head all the time.
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