Scarcity tells us there isn't enough time, money or opportunities. I have struggled with scarcity big time. I confess even after years of doing the healing work, I still find myself struggling with the lie of scarcity. Yet, I now have the tools and strategies to work through my scarcity; to get to the root of the lie.
So what is scarcity?
Scarcity is the belief that there isn't enough for "me," whether it be with time, money or even resources. Because of this, we make decisions out of this limiting belief- decisions which can deeply impact us.
Here's 3 ways scarcity impacted me:
1. Taking on a client who had red flags.
When we operate out of abundance, we can align ourselves with clients who trust us and our leadership. But scarcity can lead us to making decisions we know we shouldn't make....at least deep down inside. The fear of not booking more clients and the need for money can make us say "yes", even though it should be a no. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this before?
How this impacted me:
I have had a few clients that I had a gut feeling with, knowing we weren't a good fit. It turned into more work and back-and-forth, all because I let my need for money determine my yes. Be careful with this, friend, especially if you are in the entreprenuer space. Instead, ask yourself: why do I feel like I need to take on this client? If I don't take on this client, how will I be impacted? Is this motivating me to say yes despite some seeing some red flags?
2. The fear of spending money.
Have you found yourself keeping a tight grip on what you have and not living out of the abundance and freedom with money that is available to you? Scarcity is something that can rob of us of finding JOY and living out of it wholly....because, at it's root, it is a fear of something. The question is, "What is that, "something" for you?"
How this impacted me:
For me, I got a job at 14 and every check I received, I immeidately deposited it into my savings account and didn't spend a dollar. I was praised for this behavior, but what others didn't know was that I was feeding into my fear of if I spend it, I won't get more, so therefore I shouldn't spend it. I carried this behavior and pattern into my adulthood and into my marriage. It caused tension in my marriage, as anytime my husband would spend money, I would accuse him of spending it unintentionally. In reality, it wasn't unintentional spending- he was actually spending out of his joys, and we just hadn't budgeted for it accordingly. This epiphany was a defining moment for me in how I looked at money. I've now come to learn how to budget based off my joys and values. In fact, I've developed my framework around being a joy-based financial educator (and, as a little side note: I hope my blog is bringing you some joy and a little bit of hard love and truth).
3. Saying yes to everything
Have you found yourself in the cycle of constantly saying yes? Afraid that if you said no that you wouldn't get that better job offer, or that client wouldn't book you again? There is a societal and cultural pressure where we have learned that saying no is in some way wrong, or not an option. Friend, this is your reminder.... it is okay to say NO.
How this impacted me:
I'm getting vulnerable here, but I had to learn how to say no and set boundaries around my yes. This was a muscle that wasn't just automatically strengthened in me. I didn't realize how precious time was, and that saying yes to eveything took me away from other potential opportunities. Scarcity with my time led me to believing that if I said no to my friend or client, I wouldn't be invited or booked again. Or, if I said no, I wouldn't make the income I needed, which often led me back into number 1 that I shared above. My need to say yes to everything not only impacted my finances, but impacted the relationships I cared the most about. As a woman and Latina, I had to learn that there is nothing wrong with my no, and if I'm honest I'm still learning how to say no.
Journal prompts/Reflections:
In what ways is scarcity showing up in my life and decisions? Where did this come from? Why do I believe this to be true?
Friend, be encouraged and know that you too can overcome scarcity. Remember, healing isn't linear and it takes time! You've got this.
Until next time,
@yourfriend.jasmine
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