How do I practice abundant thinking today?
Please share your experiences by commenting on the topic below. The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. Member sharing on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
This month we’re asking you to share on how do I practice abundant thinking today?
Today I practice abundant thinking in abundant ways. To name a few:
At first I admitted I was affected by the family disease of alcoholism and then came to believe I am afflicted with it – that I must continue to practice program principles or else devolve. I will never “graduate.” The family illness has been called one of “learned helplessness.” In that state, the idea of abundance seems unattainable. So, it was critical for me to grasp a new perspective of learned abundance. I cannot, however, achieve that on my own limited resources. I turned to A-Anon Family Groups and discovered that the whole is greater than its parts. I alone… Read more »
Abundance was something I historically struggled with. There was never enough time, money, love, or energy. Then one day, a friend challenged me to carry around $2,000 in cash in my wallet and see what came up for me. It was very eye opening. I knew I couldn’t do that much cash at first so I gradually eased up $100 at a time. As I began passing each threshold various buttons began being pushed. The first one was abandonment. I had an abandonment issue that manifested not only in relationships but also in finances. I was always losing my wallet.… Read more »
I grew up in a family affected by alcoholism and one of the symptoms was something I call a poverty mentality. Abundant thinking is a new concept for me to practice. When I connect with my Higher Power I can feel the abundance in life and that gives me Hope to trust that I will be taken care of. Abundance is more than money and material possessions to me. When I connect with the abundance of the universe it makes me feel more generous and more grateful to enjoy all the goodness that I do have in my life.
Abundant Thinking:
With my Higher Powers guidance
I am enough,
I have enough,
I do enough
I learned to think abundantly in Al-Anon. I would say that my thinking before was filled with negative thoughts and fear. This abundant thinking has changed how I live my life-most of the time. I am not always thinking abundantly. I need to stay close to my Higher Power, my CAL, my meeting, and my Sponsor. These things help me stay in my “right mind”. In general, this new way of thinking, makes me more hopeful about myself and others.
Abundant thinking to me is looking on the bright side. That means when I’m feeling frustrated and upset, I make a gratitude list. I see who I am and where I am, and know that I am on a life journey I could never have expected before Al-Anon. I have a Higher Power who is always with me – and I don’t need anything more – not even if I want more. I have the tools to get me through whatever life dishes out – and that is enough!
When I first saw this topic, I was left wondering what “abundant thinking” meant to me. All I ever knew was “overthinking”, “negative thinking”, “unwanted thinking” and so on. So then I read through all the shares on this topic and I had one of those AHA moments. I never looked at thinking abundantly until I came at the doors of Al-Anon. Al-Anon taught me to show gratitude for what I already have instead of focusing on my so-called wants. I had everything that I possibly needed for an abundant life. I saw members who had even less and yet… Read more »
I first stepped into the Al-Anon rooms just over 6 months ago, wishing desperately for abundance. I thought if only my husband would stop drinking, all our financial problems would disappear, my sanity would return, our relationship would be prosperous and I would finally be able to live a joyful and abundant life. In Al-Anon, however, I am learning my part. I have been affected by alcoholism from a young age and am learning that I carry many of the same traits as my husband. Criticism, blaming, playing the victim and emotional binges are all symptoms of my own disease.… Read more »
I practice abundant thinking in bed. As I awaken, I greet the day with thanks and curiosity before I open my eyes. This morning the rain lulled me into resting longer than usual. I was grateful for God’s care during the night. Then a bit of fear crept in from news the night before and with it a smile. My phone read 4:56 and I was just in time for a 5 AM phone meeting. A quick thank you for God’s care as I dialed in. The One Day at a Time reading pointed me in a better direction. Sharing… Read more »
To get to abundant thinking, I first have to realize and accept where I am at – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sometimes all those are in good shape, and it is easy to think positively and feel a lot of gratitude for just being alive. Other times, one or more of those four parts of me is out of kilter and once again I find myself “irritable and unreasonable” trying to force a solution! The gift of awareness then lets me experience whatever that is and make a choice to apply an action to address it – rest, cry,… Read more »
I did not realize I had been feeling particularly jealous and unhappy today until I read this post! Today I saw some photos on social media that a relative posted and I am jealous of. Her education, model good looks, impeccable taste in expensive clothing, fine dining, international acclaim in the scientific world of research…. makes me feel like a short dumpy dimwit in comparison. I cannot believe how my own attitude can twist itself into a knot over such nonsense! I do have an abundance of good in my life today. It does not look like a James Bond… Read more »
I love this topic of abundance. I used to be a “limited and lack” thinker! I now look at so much and thank my Higher Power for the abundance in my life. For example: when I go on walks, I look at and notice the trees- not only the abundance of them, but the colors and textures, the abundance of air, abundance of bird songs. I try to put all of my senses into noticing the abundance and gratitude for it all and it’s free! I think about the abundance of love and support that I have from my meetings… Read more »
In my weekly literature group, we discussed the Seventh Tradition this month, which talks about being “fully self-supporting.” I’d always thought the wording said fully self sufficient. I had missed an important Al-Anon lesson when I overlooked the actual wording of the Seventh Tradition. I’m learning in my program to be my best advocate, my best friend, my best ally. I am learning to be supportive of myself in my thoughts and endeavors. With my program, my Sponsor, and my Higher Power’s help, I am learning to be fully self-supporting, which means I don’t need to rely on outside contributions… Read more »
I practice abundance by acting “as if” there will be enough to go around: food, money, oxygen, any resource that might seem scarce if I were to let fear rule my life. I practice abundance in Al-Anon by freely sharing the tools that were freely given to me, knowing that I have to share my program to hold onto it – but if I cling to it and don’t share it with others, my serenity diminishes. Realizing that I have “enough” for today, and that I don’t have to hoard in order to have something for tomorrow is another way… Read more »
Abundant Thinking (a.k.a. positive thinking) is emphasizing positive possibilities rather than negative limits. I choose to focus on what is working in my life. I do this by making gratitude lists. Some are mental lists where I try to think of something I am grateful for beginning with each letter of the alphabet. (Similar to counting sheep.) I also have a little gratitude booklet and I try to write three gratitude items each day. I keep this list limited to my current life events and circumstances. For example, it is raining today, and I am grateful for my garage door opener and my garage. There… Read more »
I remember as a young adult going outside and sitting on the front step, being so grateful for my family and friends. I would smell the fresh air and just love it.
As I got older and people I love were passing away, friends moving, dealing with alcoholism in family, I was losing my abundance for life. Although at times it’s really difficult the Al-Anon program has helped me accept this. Everyday I pray and remind myself that I can still feel that abundance in my life.
I had always equated abundance with financial status. What I learned over my years in Al-Anon is that I can have abundance even when my finances are less than I would like them to be or even less than what’s needed to meet my commitments. Abundant thinking meant learning to look at the definition of abundance to see it means more than adequate, richly supplied and over-sufficient. Even when my finances are low, I have more than adequate mental and emotional support through practicing the tools of recovery. Everything I need to help me cope is at my fingertips through… Read more »
Thinking was a problem for me, prior to coming to Al-Anon, I thought abundantly. In my mind, the thoughts were many and varied: negative, angry, judgmental, critical, resentful, to name a few. Also, I didn’t give much time to reflect, retrospect, or think about the consequences of what I was sharing. Actually, it just came out of my mouth like a grenade, regardless of the effects it had on others and the weight it carried. Needless to say, I found myself in unnecessary trouble and hurt many people. The wisdom in the words “Stop, Look, and Listen” became important for… Read more »
The idea of focusing on abundance is connected to gratitude for me. Its opposite is self-pity. When I worked my Fourth Step with my Sponsor, I discovered that self-pity was a thread that ran through most of my problems. I reacted to disappointments with thoughts of “if only they would…” The “if only” thoughts kept me miserable. I was focused on a fantasy of what I wanted, so much so that I couldn’t see the good things that filled my life. I was fairly obsessed with trying to make my fantasy come true. A turning point for me was finally… Read more »