6 Simple Ways To Start Living Abundantly
Abundance.
It’s kind of a funny word isn’t it?
It totally makes sense in the physical sense. When the kids were babies we had an abundance of formula and diapers on hand. Now that they’re older, we have an abundance of snacks.
But what about the way abundance applies to life? To the not-so-able-to-be-seen parts? It feels a little fluffy and woo-woo, right?
I don’t remember the first time I read John 10:10, I just know that it’s stuck with me through the years. Especially the second part: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
I’ve spent a lot of time wondering, WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
I’ve never been the type to pretend I have all the answers. But I have spent a significant amount of time researching the meaning. Here’s what I’ve learned about living abundantly:
What living abundantly is NOT:
1. Material stuff.
I think, to a degree, we all know this, but that doesn’t keep us from trying, right? Living abundantly has nothing to do with physical stuff.
We’ve seen it time and time again when someone tries to buy happiness by thinking that buying stuff will equal fulfillment. (I’ve totally done this myself!) But we buy the thing (whatever it is) and realize that we don’t feel as good as we thought we would. Science has proven that material things do not equal abundance or fulfillment.
2. Accolades.
*cough, cough… achievers* 🙋♀️
I might be speaking to myself here more than anyone else, but I digress. What I’ve learned is that reaching goals, gaining achievements, and finding success in the eyes of our society doesn’t always equal an abundant life. It’s kind of like the material things. It might bring us a quick fix of happiness, but that will soon fade and we’ll just be left chasing the next big thing.
Having said that, I still believe in setting goals and going after them! Just be careful about your reason behind the goal. Choosing to chase something new in order to find fulfillment will have more of a lasting effect than choosing to chase something new just to look good or be celebrated.
3. Lack of pain or difficult seasons.
Living abundantly doesn’t mean that everything will go perfectly and smooth. I used to think so! I used to think that if I kept the right mindset, did all the right things, and checked all the right boxes, I’d always have smooth sailing and zero struggles.
Now I giggle thinking about it. I’m old enough now to know that just because I’m choosing to live as fulfilled and abundant as possible, doesn’t mean I won’t still hit bumps in the road. The trick is how to reach for deep joy and gratitude despite the tough days.
What living abundantly IS (+ How to Incorporate it into your life):
1. Joy + Peace.
I’m not talking about the slogans and sayings we quote on Instagram and print on home décor (though this stuff is SUPER cute and make no mistake, I will buy it every dang time!).
I’m talking about REAL joy and REAL peace. I saw a clip that Hosanna Wong shared recently stating that consistent joy is found when it’s linked to the right source. The source can’t be our situations or our appearances. Those things are too unstable. (Our real source is in a guy who’s name begins with a J and ends with ESUS, in case you’re curious. 😉) When we’ve got our focus on the right source, we can find joy and peace even when our situations tell us it’s impossible.
2. Fulfillment (a.k.a. living with purpose + intention).
This one is huge for me. I’ve found that if I’m living out of alignment with my God-given gifts and personality type, I most certainly do not feel like I’m living abundantly. I’ve seen it at previous jobs and I’ve seen it when I’m at home on maternity leave. (That 4th trimester, though… someone should really talk about it more!)
If you feel like you’re not living with purpose and intention, either at home or on the job, here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
- How do you feel about your job or career? Do you feel like you’re able to use your gifts there? If not, can you make a change or start a hobby?
- If you’re a working mama, do you feel like the balance of work and time with family is out of alignment? What changes can you make to fill up your cup a little more?
- If you’re a stay at home mama, are you feeling the need to get out a little more? Could now be the right time to start a new career or side-hustle?
3. Freedom.
I’ve found that an extra little bonus comes with living abundantly… freedom. Again, I’m not talking about freedom from strife or trouble.
I’m talking about the magic that happens when we realize we only need to live up the person God asks us to be. That’s it. That’s really it. In my past, I’ve tried living up to expectations of others by making sure I checked all the boxes of what society told me I “should” do. But man, when I started to learn to let that stuff go, when I started to loosen the grip of control and lean into who I was created to be, that kind of freedom has been untouchable.
4. Connection.
PSA: We need each other. We need community and friendship and connection with both others and God.
It can be a lonely road, trying to go this life by ourselves. I remember heading off to college for the first time and not knowing a single soul. It was one of the loneliest and hardest times of my life. (It came with a happy ending though as I found my group and some really awesome friends in my time there!)
You’re right, it’s not always easy to reach out to others to gain friendship or find the group that’s right for you, but past experiences have taught me that it’s necessary. (And P.S., if you’re looking for a few tips on friendships, you can check out this post here.)
5. Stewarding well our Health + Family + Home.
I’m grouping these 3 together because I believe in the power of taking good care of all of them. Our bodies, our families, and our homes are all 3 major items we were gifted to steward well.
Focusing on loving myself, my little family of 5, and creating an inviting, safe, and cozy home fill my heart with an incredible amount of gratitude. Does this mean I always like eating a salad instead of fast food? Absolutely not. Does it mean I always have patience with my kiddos? NOPE. Does it mean I love folding laundry and picking up the living room for the 16,593rd time in a day? Not even close.
But it does mean that my focus is on the things that matter. It means that even though I don’t like all the mundane tasks that come with taking good care of these things, I can still find joy and honor in being blessed enough to have them at all.
6. Finding the fun.
As mentioned, difficult seasons of life will always exist. We can’t free ourselves of hard times or grief entirely. So that’s why I think it’s also incredibly important to find the fun where you can, AND, here’s the kicker, fully embrace it when you do!
Life requires us to be responsible A LOT. And if you’re anything like me, constantly working to grow and do all the right things, it can become an exhausting endeavor. Don’t forget to cut loose when you can and just embrace + fully enjoy a fun moment.
Try it! Give yourself some room and some grace to forget about the requirements of life for a moment. Let yourself go. Laugh till your face hurts. Have a drink with girlfriends. Go out to dinner with your best people. Dance like a goof. Sing karaoke, even if you’re really terrible at it. Say YES to fun!
Wrapping Up.
Often times, living in abundance looks like growth; a journey rather than a fixed state. It’s not waking up one morning and suddenly deciding everything will perfect and you’re just going to let go of all of the unimportant things. It’s one thing at a time and noticing where to focus when things get hard. It’s changing one small habit or making one small mindset shift as you can.
***Struggling to see what abundant living looks like? Check out my ebook, “Abundance: A 3-Week Guide to a More Simplified, Intentional, and Joyful Life” today! You can catch it here!
