Cultivating An Abundance Mindset As A Creative Entrepreneur And Photographer: Rituals, Benefits, And Drawbacks
Maybe it's because I am super tapped into the personal development space (yes, I am a self-proclaimed personal development junkie) but it feels like the words abundance and mindset have become mainstays in our vernacular.
In today's fast-paced world, we are told cultivating an abundance mindset can be a game-changer in unlocking limitless opportunities and success. As a goal-getter like me, this sounds pretty alluring.
Often it is made to sound relatively simple—adopt a positive outlook and belief system and you can attract abundance into your life. It’s all about the vibes.
But, as I have found, cultivating abundance is far from a simple, linear process. It often requires radical acceptance, practice, and grace towards yourself and your desires to create it consistently.
In this blog post, I will explore 4 powerful rituals that I use as a personal brand photographer and creative entrepreneur, to help nurture an abundance mindset and work towards my goals. I will also share each ritual's benefits and potential drawbacks so you can decide if the abundance mindset is really buzzworthy or just a couple of overused buzzwords.
RITUAL 1 - GRATITUDE PRACTICE: EMBRACE THE POWER OF APPRECIATION
I bet you're not surprised that one of the most effective rituals for fostering an abundance mindset is practicing gratitude.
Zig Ziglar said it best - “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for."
Here is how I do this—each day when I am doing a mundane task or I get a bit discouraged by the lack of exciting emails in my inbox, I think about 4 things that I am grateful for:
the feel of my pup when he snuggles in my lap as I edit,
the taste of sea salt 70% dark chocolate,
the inventors of Lightroom editing software for helping me put the finishing touches on my photos with ease (thanks Adobe!), and
the warmth of the sunshine on my skin or the way the rain nourishes the plants in my garden.
It’s great if you can begin each day by expressing gratitude for even one of the things you already have. A great time to try it is when you brush your teeth in the morning or when you are doing the dishes in the sink.
I have seen how this simple act can shift my perspective and attract more positive experiences, simply by redirecting and reframing what I am focusing on.
GRATITUDE BENEFITS:
Helps you notice the abundance you already have
Helps you shift your mood so you can be more energized to do things that will bring you more abundance
Cultivates a positive mindset and outlook on life.
Enhances overall well-being and contentment.
GRATITUDE DRAWBACKS: (THERE AREN’T MANY!)
Expectations that you HAVE to feel grateful and can’t honor any frustration about your current circumstances. I recommend doing an acceptance meditation like this one before a gratitude practice to help you work through any gratitude resistance you may feel.
Sometimes a lack of genuine connection with the things you express gratitude for can make it feel like a forced activity. Initially, it may be hard, but try to pick things in your life you can really FEEL into. Like being grateful for that first sip of an iced tea on a hot summer day.
RITUAL 2 - VISUALIZATION AND AFFIRMATIONS: HARNESS THE POWER OF YOUR IMAGINATION
Visualization exercises and positive affirmations are potent tools for nurturing an abundance mindset. Amanda Frances talks about this a lot as do many other teachers like Gabby Bernstein.
If I am being honest, visualization has always felt a little tricky to me. If I am feeling burnt out, and in a “lack” mindset, visualizing myself in different circumstances feels challenging.
However, when I am able to clear space and engage in vivid visualization sessions—where I imagine myself achieving my goals and experiencing abundance—I have felt internal shifts that encourage me to take inspired actions towards my goals.
I am a visual person (surprise, surprise coming from the photographer) so creating a vision board has been super supportive when trying a visualization practice. Creating a board can be done in the physical world or in the digital space, like Pinterest.
When I combine visualization with empowering affirmations that reinforce my belief in my ability to attract success and prosperity, it is even more helpful for my abundance mindset.
Let's be honest, with all the external influences we face each day, it can easily feel like we are never quite doing enough…so a reminder that we ARE ENOUGH can definitely help! So say it with me: I have enough, I do enough, I am enough. I like to listen to this youtube track by Lavendaire, in the morning when I am putting my makeup on or getting ready for an event, to help me remember how capable and powerful I am.
VISUALIZATION AND AFFIRMATION BENEFITS:
Strengthens belief in your capacity to achieve abundance
Enhances motivation, focus, and determination
Aligns your subconscious mind with your desired outcomes
Overall, it can be a really fun activity to imagine yourself relaxing on the Amalfi Coast with an Aperol Spritz, in oversized sunglasses and a sun hat.
VISUALIZATION AND AFFIRMATION DRAWBACKS:
Information without implementation leads to frustration; you can dream it, but you also have to take action to do it.
Relying solely on visualization without taking practical steps can lead to complacency or frustration
RITUAL 3 - ABUNDANCE JOURNALING: UNLEASH THE POWER OF REFLECTION
One thing about me, I have been journaling consistently since 5th GRADE! No lie. So when I heard keeping an abundance journal is a transformative ritual that fosters a mindset of abundance, I was ready to try it. Here is what has been most effective to journal on:
Regularly (weekly or monthly) writing down my goals, aspirations, and positive experiences related to abundance.
Reflecting on where I was exactly one year ago today, the activity always reminds me of how much progress I am actually making vs looking at yesterday or last month. As an entrepreneur, this could look like what you were charging last year, what your work looked like last year, and what your days looked like. It can also show you where you may want to shift some things in your life to allow opportunities and ideas to flourish.
For example, Last year I realized I needed to create more space in my calendar to work ON my business and not just in my business. It was important for me to block out at least one day a week for this. Abundance comes in many forms and time is one of them. This has been one of the best gifts I could have given myself as a creative.
Using the journal as a platform to document ideas, inspirations, and and synchronicities that occur. I use the notes app on my phone for this and a journal by my bed.
ABUNDANCE JOURNALING BENEFITS:
Encourages self-reflection and introspection
Enhances clarity, focus, and goal-setting
Serves as a record of progress and growth
ABUNDANCE JOURNALING DRAWBACKS:
Excessive focus on journaling without taking action can impede real-world progress. Again, action matters. Journaling can just help you take action from a place of clarity vs. confusion and overwhelm.
RITUAL 4 - SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH ABUNDANCE: CREATE AN EMPOWERING ENVIRONMENT
Crafting an environment that supports your abundance mindset is crucial.
As some of you may know, physically creating an empowering environment isn’t always easy for me. I am going through a transition period where I am looking for a new home, a new car, and revamping my website. So, I often have to go to different locations and engage in activities that nourish my soul - like checking out co-working spaces, beach days, yoga classes, or Barre3 - to feel a sense of connection to abundance in my environment.
When I can’t relocate, it means listening to empowering podcasts, reading books that inspire me, and having friends that FILL my cups and believe in me. And because creating an environment of an abundance mindset is a practice just like all the other rituals I have mentioned, I also have hired a coach to help me stay on track.
EMPOWERING ENVIRONMENT BENEFITS:
Provides constant reinforcement of positive beliefs. Yoga is great for this, and physical movement in general
Facilitates personal growth, learning, and inspiration. Podcasts & books have been great for this.
Offers a support network to nurture your mindset.
EMPOWERING ENVIRONMENT DRAWBACKS:
Be mindful of information overload or excessive reliance on external influences
I have been known to over-binge and then create more of a lack mindset instead of an abundant one because I compare myself to where I want to be versus accepting where I am with grace.
Don’t rely solely on external inputs to help you feel abundant. Self-reflection and internal guidance work best to see what really will work best to cultivate abundance for you.
Cultivating an abundance mindset through powerful rituals can transform your life and unlock boundless opportunities, but an abundance mindset is what YOU make of it. It can be a buzzword or buzzworthy. By practicing gratitude, visualization, journaling, and creating an empowering environment, you can shift your perspective towards abundance and attract your desires.
Remember, an abundance mindset is most effective when combined with proactive actions, resilience, and adaptability.
I would love to hear if you try any of these practices. I suggest implementing one to start and staying consistent over two weeks to REALLY see impactful results in the abundance you cultivate in your business and life.
For the last 7 years, my purpose has been to create professional headshots and branded photography for ambitious women so they feel motivated to serve their communities and confident about achieving their dreams and goals. I share tips and tricks for photography and personal branding on my blog regularly.