So I recently returned from the annual Landscape Architecture Conference, and I now know that Halloween weekend in Minneapolis is a Thing! I also learned a bit about how your internal attitude changes your world.
The conference is driven by the hundreds of vendors on the Expo floor, with all their cool & fancy outdoor equipment, materials, playgrounds, benches, etc., and they lure in designers with lots of quality freebies, like moleskin notebooks, good pens, prismacolor pencils, and... my favorite... quality canvas totebags! [Quality meaning thick fabric, flat bottoms, handles the right length to sit on your shoulder w/o slipping, good colors/designs/slogans].
Anyway, my first day was like a sugar-deprived kid at a candy store, running around and loading up of free stuff. I got back to hotel and surveyed my treasures in a heap on the floor, and thought... Ugh, I didn't really need any of this stuff and how am I going to carry it all home?
I woke up the next morning (I am always more intelligent in the morning) and realized I had been acting from a mindset of scarcity, (which is what drives the capitalist machine) and I didn't like how it made me feel… heavy, bloated, surrounded by stuff yet unfulfilled.
So I decided on day 2, to act from a mindset of abundance! Throughout the day, when I felt the pull of free stuff, I took a few seconds to actually FEEL the feeling of being full, satiated, and already having everything I need.
It was a completely different experience!
As I effortlessly passed up really nice sketch pads, pens & tote bags, I found myself having more sincere and satisfying connections with old and new colleagues. The vibe was different, the energy less manic and more authentic & up lifting. By just changing my mindset and reminding myself of the FEELING of abundance, the world changed around me. It was so much more fulfilling!
I encourage you to try a similar experiment. It's kinda fascinating how simple it can be!