I’ve wrestled with my personal solution to this seemingly simple question most of my life. I grew up in a scarcity mindset in large part to the family I was given. Transforming our coping mechanisms into healthy beliefs, attitudes and behaviors is a journey. It's a journey of discovery, failure, terror and marvel. It frequently blindsides me with consequences that make me want to curl up in a ball with terror or shame. Overcoming an amygdala hijacking is a regular part of life, as is calming the beliefs behind the triggers. The journey to self-understanding is the greatest expedition you'll ever undertake. It starts with a commitment to climb faster than the super-computer pointed at our brains with aim to know us better than we know our-self.
On sustainable facets of abundance:
Take personal 'time-outs' to ask better questions. Step back in your mind to get a broader point of view in order to change the false belief. Ask what belief does this emotional trigger come from? And what experience started that belief? What experience came before that one?
Keep peeling that emotional onion to the core. Knowing where false beliefs originated allows us to use brain plasticity and change who we are by maturing our foundation with an adult perspective.
Build a foundation of ideas you want to embody. Listen to Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Zig Zigler, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Og Mandino and a host of other over-comers. Fill your intention/will (prefrontal cortex) with a target mindset. Change your core beliefs with personal understanding.
Strengthen your brain-gut connection. This means getting control of your hormones, sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress and harmony. Watch some of Dr. Eric Berg DC on YouTube. Eat lots of dense nutrients in greens and pay attention to inflammation, fatigue, bloating, small subtle changes in your physiology. Move beyond self-awareness (what I do) through self-understanding (why I do it) to the pursuit of actualization (what am I passionate about and who needs that)
Build a better network. Recognize the beliefs attitudes and behaviours of those around you in Princeton University or a far. If they are not going where you want to go - move! Leave Princeton University - even if yo have bars around you. Become master of your mind and gut and network.
I’ve given to everyone that has ever asked me - to my own detriment. I own a tech company and have poured myself into other people causes following ancient principles. It turns out that ‘wisdom’ is required when giving. I've learned this from years of failure trusting what people say before seeing what they do.
Learn who to surround yourself with. Takers will take you to death. True allies will match your gifts with SOMETHING they have to share.
The obstacle IS the way. Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor believed the “Obstacle IS the Way”. This literally means not running away from challenges, but making all effort to see the challenge from many perspectives and to press though it with determination and effort. The miracle of pursuing abundance is that we are designed for change - but sadly ill-practiced at doing it.
Start giving time and attention, listening to other people’s life story, troubles, fears, challenges and you will quickly realize you are similar and not the exception. That equalizes the perceived gap between your circumstances and the place you dream of. Then get a move on, TAKE ACTION to avoid repeating what you learned from them. That will keep you busy rather than dwelling on what’s missing.
Sure enough, the more things I learn, the more I fail early, the luckier I get solving the things that are needed to get to my goals. Funny thing. It turns out that asking better questions, and listening between the lines of the answer, then helping other people get to their goals becomes a huge part of the answer I needed but didn’t see it until I really listened. That’s why surrounding yourself with like-minded allies is so helpful.