Tuesday night in Leadership Chat as we talked about how great leaders affect work-life balance, we touched on the concept of “lack.”
A fear of lack (lack of money, lack of financial independence or wealth, lack of confidence in our companies, our futures and our children’s futures) is making it hard for many leaders to sleep these days, and is wreaking havoc on so many of us psychologically.
When you are in fear of lack it is very difficult to feel balanced. It is also very difficult to lead with strength.
Here’s the thing: fear fuels the lack. Fear gives lack energy and power and creates a psychologically debilitating cycle.
To move beyond it we must focus on opening ourselves up to abundance…
How to Open Yourself Up to Receiving Abundance
1. Opening yourself up starts, literally, with physically being open.
I am an expert at putting up invisible walls around myself in an effort to “protect” myself. Unfortunately, it took me many years to realize that life is so much richer when you take the walls down and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
Why? Vulnerability means putting yourself out there. And while that sometimes leads to getting hurt, it more often than not leads to transformative life experiences. The only way to receive abundance is to take down the walls, allow yourself to be vulnerable, and physically open yourself up to the possibility of receiving.
Part of truly being open involves letting go of what is holding us back, fear and lack included, but sometimes so much more than this. I wrote a post a few months ago about the process of letting go that may be of help to you.
2. The next step to receiving abundance is to give abundantly from your heart.
Give encouragement, give love, give joy, give the gift of your presence and your time, and give it all authentically. At the end of the day notice how you feel.
Chances are you will feel fuller, happier and more deeply satisfied with your life than ever before. It is in this state of being that you are then ready to receive.
3. In the process of giving yourself abundantly and authentically from your heart, you actually expand the space within you and provide room that now needs to be filled.
This is where the abundance that you have opened yourself up to will be able to flow.
It will flow in naturally – I promise you – as long as you keep fear at bay.
I recently had an experience where I let go of a client that had been leaving me drained for months; a client I had held onto solely because of fear in the economy. As soon as I let the client go, and let go of that feeling of drain, an email popped into my in-box bringing with it a new, more fulfilling, opportunity.
You have to let go of the fear, and you have to let go of the ways you hold onto that fear, in order to fully open yourself up to abundance!
Will you try it?
RELATED POSTS:
Getting to the Heart of Vulnerability in Leadership
Are the Best Leaders the Most Vulnerable?
The Art of Moving Forward: the First Step
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Photo of The Pulitzer Fountain of Abundance by Karl Bitter; located in the section in front of the Plaza Hotel on 5th Ave. by A. Strakey.
23 Response Comments
Lisa…
Sorry to have missed it. Indeed, you and I have talked about this before. Part of what’s commonly missing is our ability to learn how to receive. We’re often taught as children that the only way to get ahead in life is to “cause” things. We are taught that no one will give it to us – that we can’t expect help – and that we can’t ALLOW anyone to help because we’ll owe them. But as you so beautifully illustrated with your client story – we also create by ALLOWING. And, one of the key ways in which we allow.. is by receiving.
Often when we “receive” something – especially if it comes without “work” – we don’t trust it. What happens is that we do something well – or we have an easy success or (very much like your example) we manifest something out of thin air to fill an emptiness. And, somebody says – “wow – look what you just did”…. And we brush it off – saying “meh – it was just luck”… or, “eh… yeah that’s neat”.. and then we move on…
We need to learn to receive by opening up… and letting the things that we ALLOW into our reality to matter… To have real meaning… No matter how small.. that really exercises our receiving muscle and helps us to not only CAUSE a better reality… but to Allow one as well..
Hmmm…. may have a blog post there eh?
Oh this is why I love having you as a friend, Robert! Yes, my inbox didn’t materialize an opportunity out of midair. I was blocking that opportunity by keeping fear around me in a wall. Allowing…opening… is critical energy that helps us show the world we are ready to receive. And receiving fuels the cycle of giving for others – as in my kidney transplant. Thank you so much for bringing the word “Allow” into this post and this discussion – you are such a blessing to me! Hugs to you.
Reciprocity is physics.
In order to receive, one MUST open up the giving channel. Paradoxically, in order to give, one must feel that what they have to give is worthy.
It’s so symbiotic and simultaneous, that it’s difficult to see where giving starts and receiving ends. 🙂 !!
I like to think of receiving (or allowing) abundance is like electric current = AC/DC. In order for the circuit to flow and energy to manifest, the channels have to be unblocked, open and operating.
What’s really a trip is what happens when you flip the switch. You become stronger, powerful and effective because your wattage has increased.
Not sure if I’m doing this justice, but it’s pretty awesome to live in an abundant state. 🙂
Molly,
I love that you brought in worthiness…it was such a challenge for me when receiving my new kidney. I love your electric current analogy – and flipping the switch! Yes, the more open, the more the cycle flows and the more you radiate light (wattage as you say!). Such a great way of describing it – thank you so much for sharing, and for always being here to share your brilliant insights! You are a gift to this world.
My wish is that anyone who reads this takes your advice to heart Lisa! Fear of lack most definitely keeps the abundance channel closed. Picking up on Molly’s worthiness theme, I think ultimately what we really fear is not that we wont have enough but that we are not enough. A few years ago I took on a subcontracting position I knew in my gut was a mistake. I was in such a great place but not yet generating the revenue I needed. The cost was high on a personal level because I chose out of fear. At the time the income seemed like an answer to my prayers. I mistook it for attracting abundance. Instead all I really attracted was my own suffering. Grateful to have come face to face
with the cost of choosing from fear so I could finally learn the lesson!
Hi Susan,
I hope so too – it opens the world up for more abundance on a much grander scale! And thank you for sharing your own experience with fear. It’s very illustrative for readers to hear that you came to see it as suffering rather than abundance – and how that makes it not worth the money. For many, that seems so hard to believe right now, but when our soul gets drained it can be so harmful. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts here, Susan – thank you!
Susan
Your comment struck a real chord with me. Money is a dangerous driver sometimes and can lead you exactly the wrong way….
So true – and thank you for letting me know it resonated with you! All the best…
Lisa, thanks for this post! Fear can be so insidious or feel overwhelming at times when we’re facing challenges and new opportunities. I think it’s good to look before I leap, but many times I think I’ve used that as an excuse to not take risks that would have been good for me in my life and in my career. Now I’m trying some things outside my safety/comfort zone, and when fear comes up, I face it instead of falling into it. I think Molly’s comment upthread is right. We have to feel what what we have to give is worthy. We have to feel worthy of abundance. Someone tweeted a quote this week that resonated with me: If failure is not an option, neither is success. If we never fail as leaders, we’re staying too safe and holding ourselves back. When we learn from fear and failure, we can brush ourselves off and stay on the path to abundance. Thanks for the great ideas on how to open up to abundance! @kamkansas
Kathy,
This is a wonderful comment because it shows such a full range of experiences and truth and emotions – and demonstrates the real strength and courage within you! I love hearing that you’re going outside your comfort zone and facing your fears. Keep us posted as you travel your True Path – I’m so excited for you!
Great post, Lisa.
I noticed the same burst of new opportunities open up immediately after I dumped a problematic client. It was really reassuring, and eye opening. It reminded me that I should always listen to my gut instinct, and never bow to fear of lack.
Katie,
I’m so happy for you! So glad to hear that the doors opened up…and that you already know the secret of letting go of that fear! All the best to you!
I really enjoyed this post, very timely. I have been so much more generous with my time in the last couple of days. As a result, numerous opportunities have been coming my way. And I know without a doubt that my income will more than double in the next 30 days. Givers do get!
Alex,
You are living proof – thank you so much for sharing your own experience with me and my readers. I sincerely appreciate it! Sounds like you have an amazing opportunity in the next month – good luck!
Hmmmm, what more can I say other than a big thank u. Giving first is so big a challenge but it makes u stay on the top. Opening to receive is an act of humility . Thanks for reminding.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
It brightens my heart when I see posts like this. Having come from the Holistic world into the marketing world – I am becoming more aware that my purpose has been to share these messages with businesses so that we gain back the energy that allows for true growth.
Lisa even with this knowledge, for years we all are in our own journey of lessons… I did the very same thing this summer, allowed my ego to get so excited about a project that I didn’t pay attention to the red flags of the client.
My lesson was to continue to become more discerning WHO I give my brilliance. After they yelled at me for the second time I woke back up- WHOA this is not how I allow my business relationships to manifest and I severed it. Stepping out in faith and within a couple weeks sign new contract three times as much.
As we keep supporting each other no matter on what level – physical, mental, intellectual or spiritual we win for everyone one involved. And move forward more empowered, paving the way for happiness, enlightenment and prosperity.
Michele,
I so appreciate you sharing your own experience and lessons here! One powerful word you used was “manifest” – so often we lose sight of how we manifest abundance or lack in our own lives. That you stepped out in faith and received in abundance is a beautiful, fulfilling reminder of the power of faith and higher consciousness! I’m thrilled for you – and so thankful for your insights!
An important (or the most important) part of receiving abundance is giving, outflow affects inflow. If we understand this the world would be a better place.
Agreed! Thanks for commenting. 🙂