What is abundance and how to have abundant life?

George Alvarez 19-07-2023
George Alvarez

Are you looking for ways to fill your life with abundance? In this article, we will talk about some ways to face an abundant life and teach you 7 practical ways to get there.

The concept of abundance

To begin with, it is good for you to understand what kind of abundant life you want to have. For example, the way Christians understand abundance is completely the way people of other religions and life philosophies think about it.

We think it is fundamental to understand abundance from a specific perspective In this way, it is easier to stipulate practical steps in order to bring this concept into your life.

In the Bible

Biblical abundance can be understood from a verse well known to Christians:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

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This quote is from Jesus, who is considered to be the Son of God by Christians. By saying that He came into the world to give life, and life in abundance, He places Himself in opposition to evil. It is interesting that, besides being the only one who can forgive sins, the Son of God also proposes to bring meaning and pleasure to human life.

Therefore, in the Christian tradition, man's existence does not only have afflictions and pains, even though this is a consequence of sin and the fall in the Garden of Eden. In man's reunion with God through Christ, the abundance of post-sin life is resumed at some level, allowing human beings hope of having an abundant life again.

In Finance

Unlike the biblical abundance promised in Christ in the Bible, financial abundance concerns people's accumulated wealth. Therefore, it is valid to ask if this is the kind of abundance you are looking for to give you satisfaction.

In fact, having an abundance of money allows you to acquire a number of products, services and experiences such as:

  • luxury items: vary from person to person, since luxury can be in a resort in your city or on an island paradise in the Pacific Ocean;
  • travel: Its value also varies, but it is difficult to travel in or out of Brazil without money to pay for sightseeing, buying local culinary items, and moving from one place to another;
  • parties: From birthday parties to wedding parties, their organization involves money;
  • houses: It doesn't matter if we are talking about renting, financing, or anything else;
  • cars: For some people the goal is to facilitate transportation, but for others the car is a symbol of status and power;
  • clothes: are important items that give people style and personality in general, but they cost a lot of money;
  • independence: Whether it is financial or emotional, it is about taking responsibility for your own life;
  • comfort: important characteristic to maintain both in the home and in the lifestyle;
  • opportunities: are presented more easily to people who occupy certain spaces that can only be occupied with money;
  • among many other things.

When you think of an abundant life, are these the things that cross your mind?

In emotions

On the other hand, for some people, the abundance of life is reflected in the fullness and satisfaction of living. So it is a concept that easily ties in with mental health.

For those who think this way, it is possible to have a lot of money and yet not have an abundant life. Where there is money, possessions, but no happiness and joy, there is no abundance.

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If you think so, your journey will be different from the journeys we presented above. For Christians, abundance is in Christ; for those who believe that an abundant life is one in which there is financial prosperity, it is in possessions.

How to have an abundant life in 7 steps? Check out exactly what to do

Now that we have explained that abundance can be configured in different ways for people, we will present seven practical guidelines for achieving it. Obviously, whatever it is for you.

1 - Among all possible modalities, define what abundance is for you

The first guidance we bring to those who want to have abundance in life is to discriminate what that word means to you. As we have seen, it is not true that abundant life has the same meaning for everyone.

So before you follow the next notes, understand what it is that you are looking for.

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Let's take a look at some examples?

For a Christian, the abundance of money has no direct relation to the abundant life. For him, it is perfectly possible to have prosperity and happiness even if he has some difficulties. This is because the source of this person's abundant life is in the promise of Jesus and not in material possessions.

However, for those who relate the abundant life with "fatter" finances, the absence of the comfort that money can bring is a reason for a lot of headaches. Assets bring a certain peace of mind, the power to enjoy expensive experiences without worrying about prices, and the possibility of not putting your family through stress.

Finally, neither of the above two realities satisfies the one for whom abundance is synonymous with internal well-being. Although religion and money can be sources of this well-being, they are not always enough for everyone. Therefore, it is necessary to look for inner prosperity somewhere else.

2 - Set small goals that help you achieve an abundant life

Knowing well what abundance However, to do so, it is necessary to believe that achieving the life you are looking for is possible. Otherwise, you won't have the necessary determination, or even faith, to walk the path to satisfaction.

Check out some examples

If you are among the people who believe in the abundant life promised by Christ, you know that you need faith to believe that only He truly satisfies. Even if this belief does not hinder the search for financial independence and well-being, the true satisfaction is in the Son of God and in the eternal life He promises to those who believe. In this context, The exercise of faith comes through spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible reading.

However, on the other hand, those who determine to have a comfortable and full financial life need to work toward that goal. So, here we no longer have goals to relate to the achievement of faith, but of money. Thus, it is important to determine how you would like your career to develop, up to a maximum point. Answer the questions "how much do I want to earn per month/year?"is also relevant.

In the case of those who seek a life full of well-being, what can help is to do a good analysis of the lacks. for example, to reflect on the question "What is missing in my life so that I can perceive abundance in it?" Perhaps, in this context, the issue is one of perspective rather than absence. However, on the other hand, there may be a need to make relevant repairs to a person's lifestyle.

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3 - Seek therapeutic help to know yourself on the journey and learn how to interpret different phases of life

Regardless of what your modality is abundance Each of them has specific reasons, for example:

  • Religious people may have questions and problems with exercising their faith, needing someone to help them. mediate a healthy relationship with religious doctrine This is the case of people under an unequal yoke, or homosexuals;
  • those who are looking for a promising career may face challenges with respect to stress, burnout, depression, anxiety and other problems that present themselves as challenges in the journey ,
  • people who have difficulty understanding what is missing They will be able, with the help of therapy, to dive inside themselves to find the answers that will bring satisfaction in living.
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4 - Join with people who motivate your search for abundance, without making you give up trying

Have you ever heard the popular saying "Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are"? Thinking about it is relevant to today's discussion, because hanging out with people seeking or living the abundance we desire for our lives is motivating and educational. Check out some examples:

  • The Christian who is outside a faith community feels that his faith gets a little weaker, so it makes sense that fellowship with others who practice the same religious doctrine is important to continue in the search for an abundant life in Christ;
  • The person who is motivated to grow professionally and financially remains motivated when accompanied by people who are striving for the same goals or who have already conquered the object of their desire ;
  • People who are looking for well-being feel much better in the presence of like-minded people than with people who think this desire is silly.

Even though we are "forced" to live with all kinds of people on a daily basis, we can choose those that influence and motivate us. These can help us with motivation, strength, and welcome along the journey, which is a long one.

5 - Recognize the small victories you conquer along the way

Something we can't help but advise here is that you should not be so fixated on the final goals you set. Note that both religious life, and the search for a comfortable financial life and inner fulfillment are just journeys. Thus, for a long time you will remain stagnant at one point or move slowly.

Since this is an expectation that everyone needs to have, why not enjoy the journey while you don't reach the end point?

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Even though you may not have fully understood the concept of abundance, you can observe:

  • your faith getting stronger in other ways: By exercising spiritual disciplines proper to your religious doctrine, you will understand much better the motivations and history behind the faith you want to have;
  • you paying bills and working much more smoothly and diligently : by working with purpose, you will have many professional results, productivity, and direction;
  • more moments of happiness and fulfillment in the day or week: you are more easily satisfied with a good conversation, a happy moment, a spontaneous smile.

Many people make the mistake of focusing so much on the final stretch that the small victories along the way go unnoticed. However, if you stop to look at each one and celebrate them, your life will take on much more color. Victories cheer, motivate, transform, and help to continue with focus. Enjoy them!

6 - Identify what is abundant in your life today

Considering the discussion just above, we can't help but recommend that you recognize the abundance that is in your life today. See that the orientation is different now! Earlier we told you not to focus so much on the end point of your journey to look at the day-to-day achievements.

Now we recommend that you do the exercise of identifying points of abundance that are already present in your daily life. If you stop to analyze, they are already there.

A lot of nice things pass by us in an imperceptible way. They are abundant, but we are so focused on the original plan that we forget to look at them as well.

See that:

  • It is possible to believe in the abundance that comes from religion, but celebrate professional achievements relevant to your career or a week of tranquility with your family,
  • It is not wrong to look for well-being and tranquility even if you are very focused on your professional success, because the two things are not mutually exclusive,
  • You may be on a journey in search of personal well-being, but you don't need to exclude the people who are part of your life from that journey.

Life is a tangle of complex people and contexts, which we are trying to organize all the time. When you realize this, you will see that abundance is in many other places than the one you originally thought.

It is in your relationships, your victories, your history, and the wisdom you accumulate as you continue to live. It is in life in general, not just in one moment. You see, when you finally achieve what you think is the fullness of abundant life, you will soon need a new meaning of life.

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On the other hand, if you already see life as a complex mix of abundances, you will understand the importance of what you have achieved, but you will see that you already live abundantly!

7 - Exercise gratitude daily until you get where you want to be

Considering the above discussion, our final guidance on how to cultivate abundance and have an abundant life is that as you see reflections of this prosperity in your life, you are grateful. The expectation is that the more you see points of prosperity in life, the more they become evident to you.

This discussion about the need to be grateful has become quite popular in recent years. Unfortunately, it has become so popular that a noble sentiment has taken on a certain negativity. People who strive to see the good in life have become known by the term "gratiluz".

However, despite this, it is important to know how to recognize the good that comes to us and express gratitude through life. For some this gratitude will manifest itself to the God of the Bible, while for others the source of good is the universe or other gods.

In reality, to whom you will be grateful does not always matter. The focus of gratitude is more on the recognition of the good that has been achieved than on the giver of that good. In this way you recognize the importance of valuing the good things around you and contributing to the lives of others positively as well.

Final thoughts on how to have an abundant life

In this article, you have learned about the different modalities of abundance. Although there are different types, all the 7 guidelines we have given in this reading will help you move toward a more abundant life, especially by recognizing the good that is already part of your life now!

Another source of knowledge about human behavior that is also useful for reflecting on life's issues is our complete, distance learning Clinical Psychoanalysis course. With it, you have complete preparation to practice as a psychoanalyst, but if your purpose is just self-knowledge, you will have plenty of material to learn and help others as well.

We hope that this discussion about abundance I hope you have enjoyed it and that from now on you will be able to perceive it more easily in your daily life!

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.