I truly believe a lot of people live with a scarcity mindset. And if you don’t know what I mean, let me tell you about my son at birthday parties.

Last week, I picked him up from a swimming party, and he came out loaded like he’d just completed a high-stakes sugar heist. He had his drink, an extra drink for his brother, a slice of birthday cake, and - because apparently, that wasn’t enough - two little muffins for his brother as well. Oh, and his pockets? Crammed full of sweets, like he was preparing for the sugar apocalypse.

This is not an isolated incident. At the last two parties, he came home with enough sweets to stock a small corner shop. It’s as if, in his mind, there’s a real possibility that he may never taste sugar again. Ever.

And honestly? A lot of adults do the exact same thing - just with money instead of sweets.

Let me tell you about, in the words of Gotye 'somebody that I used to know'. This guy was absolutely obsessed with money. And I don’t just mean he liked making money. No, no. His entire life revolved around accumulating as much of it as humanly possible - like a dragon hoarding gold.

Now, you might think, “Well, maybe he was struggling financially.” Nope. The guy had a solid income. But in his mind, there was never enough. He couldn’t part with money without feeling like he was losing something vital. Buying things? Painful. Giving something away out of generosity? Absolutely not. Everything had to be calculated, optimised, and - if possible - profitable.

The problem wasn’t his bank balance; it was his mindset. He was stuck in a loop of “never enough.” And honestly, I used to wonder how exhausting it must be to live like that - constantly chasing more, never feeling secure, and letting money dictate every decision.

The truth is, a scarcity mindset tricks you into believing that if you don’t take as much as you can right now, you’ll lose out forever. Whether it’s sweets at a birthday party or financial decisions, it comes from the same place: fear.

But here’s the thing - there will always be more. More money. More opportunities. More birthday cake (seriously, there is always another party). The challenge is shifting from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance.

An abundance mindset is like switching from survival mode to thriving mode - it turns down the mental alarm bells and lets you breathe a little. A scarcity mindset makes people hoard, hesitate, and stress over every decision like they’re on the last episode of Survivor. Should I spend this money? Should I take this opportunity? What if I never get another shot?!

If I had a real scarcity mindset when it came to money, I’d probably still be stuck in my old job - trapped by a pay cheque (it was the most I’d ever earned). But staying? That would have been soul-crushing.

Look, it wasn’t an easy decision. Walking away from financial security never is. But between the overwhelming toxicity, burnout, and a deep belief that things would work out, I knew I had to take the leap. And honestly? Best decision I ever made.

I truly believe that if you do the right thing and treat people well, life has a way of working itself out. My grandma used to tell me, everything happens for a reason, and I’ve held onto that my whole life. It’s helped me let go, move on, and trust that life is unfolding exactly as it’s meant to.

Anyway, I digress…

Back to the abundance mindset: when you embrace it, life just flows with ease. When you stop believing everything is scarce, you let go of the constant stress over every little decision. You trust that everything will be okay, allowing you to truly enjoy what you have, instead of clinging to it like a squirrel hoarding acorns.

Now, this guy I’m talking about - he wasn’t just hoarding acorns; he was hoarding everything. Leaves, stockpiled nuts, random scraps - anything he could get his hands on. He was so obsessed with collecting, he couldn’t see the bigger picture. Trust me, that's no way to live.

Scarcity can make people weird - jealous, possessive, competitive. Ever met someone who acts like success is a game of musical chairs? They scramble, shove, and side-eye anyone who gets ahead. But an abundance mindset lets you chill. You start celebrating others’ wins, collaborating, and realising that success isn’t a zero-sum game.

Long story short: an abundance mindset makes you happier, calmer, and less likely to fight over the last piece of cake - because let’s be real, there’s always more cake. 🎂☺️

And if you need proof that abundance is real, just come to my house. My kid’s sweet stash is still going strong.🍬