deprivation
Nothing Tastes Sweeter Than Gratitude
During the holidays, most homes and businesses have their festive lights and decorations up. One of the parking lots in my neighborhood is currently featuring a flamboyant set of beautiful red lights that really struck me as I was driving by the other day. In fact, it caused a strong emotional reaction within me.
Now, what might be so profound or special about a display of red Christmas lights, you may wonder. It is, after all, a typical holiday decoration seen everywhere this time of year. So, what’s the big deal? Well, those lights set me off so much because it brought back precious memories of my childhood.
I grew up in a very small town in New Brunswick, Canada. My family struggled and we were very poor. However, that did not prevent my parents from ensuring that we still enjoyed a few rare luxuries and treats on special occasions.
The most memorable of these were the “barley toys,” as we used to call them. Every Christmas, it was the tradition for each of us to receive a packet of barley toys. Now, this has nothing to do with actual toys. Instead, a barley toy is a kind of clear sugar lollipop or sucker shaped like a toy. These translucent, glass-like candies traditionally come in whimsical shapes, including various animals, as well as ships, trains, cars and, of course, Santa Clause.
According to the Startup Candy Factory in Provo, Utah, one of the earliest clear toy candy makers in the United States, German immigrants brought this holiday tradition to America and original recipes for it can be traced back to the 1700s. It was originally called “barley candy,” because cane sugar was very scarce at the time, so early candy makers used the cheaper and more readily available barley sugar.
Access The Flow Of Universal Abundance
There are people in affluent countries who live a life of absolute abundance and prosperity. And then there are people in those same countries who live a life of struggle, lack and scarcity. How can this be? What brings success and wealth to some, while others struggle with constant lack and deprivation?
We cannot deny that living in a privileged country generally offers opportunities and possibilities for most, if not all its citizens to access wealth and well-being. Of course, there are also historical, cultural, political, and socio-economic inequalities that some minorities unfairly face in such privileged societies – over which they have very little or no control.
But what is the cause of lack for those who do not have to deal with such hurdles and obstacles? Why are there members of privileged majorities in wealthy nations who are not living an abundant, prosperous life?
I believe in these instances the cause is mostly spiritual and energetic. The trick is to learn how to open the energetic portal that allows the gifts of an abundant universe to flow to us, and then to keep that flow going. In fact, as spirit beings it is our duty to access this stream of abundance to such an extent that we not only become accomplished enough to live an abundant existence for ourselves, but to also be in a position to share our wealth and prosperity with others!
I have a good friend who is an extremely hard-working, conscientious woman, while being always kind and giving towards others. Yet, she continually struggles to keep herself afloat financially. She is constantly fretting about paying her bills and worrying about how she will continue to provide for herself and her family. And she never has enough. There is always lack and need.
Do You Believe In Abundance?
Despite deeply painful disappointments and difficult challenges in my life, I have always been a believer in gratitude and abundance. But I find many people believe in deprivation and lack instead. They tend to have a scarcity mentality and lack consciousness, focusing on what they do not have, instead off inviting new blessings into their life.
I have seen this play out in business many times over the years. I have owned several successful businesses over the years. Every time I launched a new venture, similar businesses would somehow try to sabotage or damage my new business.
But these companies with such underhanded strategies almost always did not survive in the long run. Not because of the success of my business, but because they did not believe in abundance in their own business.
Their energy was not being invested in improving their own products and services, but instead focused on hurting someone else’s. In the process all they achieved was cutting off their own energy flow of prosperity and abundance.
I have also suffered losses and disappointments in business, but I do not allow that to stop me from picking up the pieces and moving forward. All business is temporary. While many family businesses and large corporations will survive for generations, the average start-up business will probably last less than a decade.
Of course, there are always ways to revive, improve, reinvent, and update your business for it to survive longer. And the best foundation for achieving this kind of longevity is the belief in and practice of an abundance mentality. Managing your business based on a mindset of lack, scarcity, envy, fear and pettiness will never make it thrive.
