Abundance is your birthright! I define abundance as having “more than enough.” “Enough,” of course, is a relative term. What is more than enough for you may not be nearly enough for another. Only you can define what “abundance” means in your own life. And only you can give yourself permission to have it.

The universe will support you in gaining abundance in your life, but it may take a change of attitude, a willingness to be more flexible, and some diligent work to rid yourself of the beliefs with which you were programmed.

How many of us heard the phrase “rich b—–” while we were growing up, or “that wealthy snob.” Phrases like these poisoned our minds to believe that people who were abundant were somehow not so nice. In reality that is not true. There are both wonderful and not-so-nice people at all income levels. Wealth has nothing to do with integrity of character. If you were programmed this way, you may be blocking your abundance because you don’t want to become “one of them.” To heal this belief seek out positive examples of wealthy people who are doing good in the world. Convince yourself that these stereotypes are false.

Another belief that might be blocking abundance in your life is the popular phrase, “Money is the root of all evil.” My angels have taught me differently. Fear is the root of all evil. Money is neutral. When people don’t put faith in God and acknowledge Higher Power as their source and supply, they fear that they will not have enough of what they want. They use or acquire money in inappropriate ways. The money is not the problem. The fear is.

Money can be a wonderful tool. It can be used to create comfort and beauty in your life, adventure, freedom, and the ability to give in ways that you otherwise could not. When you have more than enough, you will naturally want to share your joy. It is human nature to be generous when we feel we have more than enough. No matter how much money we have, if we are afraid of not having enough, we will be stingy… with our time, our money, and our love.

And of course, abundance comes in so many ways other than money. I feel abundant when I spend time with good friends, or when I stand near the top of a mountain watching the sun travel across the sky. I feel abundant when I go into an expensive chocolate store and order a single decadent truffle (usually less than the price of a cup of coffee.) I feel abundant when I have a morning to sleep in late, or when I make the time to sip a cup of tea at night while looking at pictures in some gorgeous book. I feel abundant when I look at the stars and know how dearly we are all loved by the Creator.

Abundance is seen everywhere when you have a grateful heart. If you are feeling lack in your life, search out ways to be grateful for the things and people you do have.

Take Oprah Winfrey’s suggestion and write down five things you are grateful for each day. Say thank you to someone who has helped you.

If you want more love, be more loving.

If you want more money, spend a little on something that makes you or someone else happy.

If you want more time, take a little for yourself and let the other priorities slide for an hour.

If you want more freedom, get in the car and drive.

By giving what you want to receive you are “unclogging” the pipes in your system, allowing spiritual power to flow through you and making way for more.

If there is something you want and can reasonably afford, but are afraid to buy for fear you will need the money later, by all means, go out and get what you want. Otherwise you are putting your faith in lack, not abundance. If you are waiting to do something until you have the money, ask yourself what will that add to my life? For example if you are waiting to take a vacation until you have money, ask yourself, “What will the vacation give me?” Perhaps the answer is “a rest.” Schedule a day off to rest now. If the answer is “adventure,” seek out ways to have adventure now that are less expensive. Get creative! The more you add a quality to your life, the more you will be supported in having that quality in the future.

The greatest abundance comes from giving and receiving love. Even if you have no one in your life, you can contribute love to the universe by volunteering, doing something you love, or simply appreciating the beauty all around you. Love takes no money, little effort, and is our natural state of grace. Put out some loving energy, free the abundance you naturally have in your soul, and it will be reflected back to you in glorious ways.

One caveat, the love has to be authentic. You can’t “give to get.” The universe doesn’t work that way. Real love and appreciation simply opens you up to a natural state of abundance. Each one of us has a quality our soul came to express in this world. Each one of us has secret dreams and desires that our soul plants in our hearts. If we follow these dreams and desires, if only in very small steps, they will inevitably lead to having more abundance in your life.

This is, in fact, the greatest secret to abundance… knowing that you are so loved by God that if you allow it, the Divine will give you all your heart and soul truly desire… if you allow it and are willing to give up control!

If you’d like to learn more about manifesting abundance and your dreams, check out my classes on CD/MP3 and “Ann & the Angels” available as video on demand!

All Articles are ©2000 Ann Albers, all rights reserved. Please do not use or reproduce articles or images without permission. If you’d like to include an article on your site or in your newsletter contact us. We almost always grant permission.