How to be Abundant and Frugal

Those who have experienced downshifting for themselves will tell you that downshifting happens on many different levels – physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual. It can challenge and delight us in so many unexpected ways.

About 10 years ago, I experienced a shift in consciousness on my downshifting journey that I found shocking, but also liberating in that it freed me up, emotionally to continue on the downshifting path and very much enjoy how my life was changing. The shift in consciousness was the realisation that it was perfectly ok to appreciate, admire, cherish something, without having to strive to own it!

Here’s the dilemma – we have been conditioned, through being accustomed to a materialistic lifestyle, to believe that we can achieve personal happiness through acquiring something material, whether that’s a new car, mobile phone, new job or a new relationship. According to this materialistic philosophy, all we need to do to have whatever we want in material terms is to earn the money to buy it. In those terms, being abundant or at least having the potential to be abundant means having more than enough money.

Viewed in these terms, frugality is a frightening prospect, because it equates with only having enough money for the bare essentials which means not having enough money for the material things that we believe will make us happy, which means unhappiness.

Once we start to consider the possibility of leading a more sustainable life, we realise that we need to change our definition of abundance. For many downshifters, seeing the flaws in the materialist’s guide to happiness is the mental shift that happens well in advance of the decision to engage in the practicalities of living more sustainably. All of a sudden abundance is no longer all about money. It becomes a personal definition of what makes us feel happy, loved and in the flow.

Wellspring of abundance

There’s a saying that goes “Where your attention goes the energy flows.” If you think about what makes you happy, you might focus on your family and how much you appreciate spending time. When you start to focus on that sense of gratitude, then you will notice what it is that makes them happy and to want to spend time with you. You will notice the opportunities for making this happen. Thus, gratitude is our wellspring of abundance – it leads to us changing our perspective on what makes us happy and attracting more of that into our lives.

Unfortunately, human nature means that our natural tendency is to focus on the negative events that have happened to us. After all, as on the TV news bulletins, it’s the negative, scandalous titbits that guarantee an attentive audience. When we feel ourselves being lured into this type of experience, we can express our gratitude and appreciation in some way instead and notice how much more uplifting that it.

Keeping the stream of abundance flowing.

Abundance involves an exchange or movement of energy, whether that’s exchanging money for some food, a smile for a hug, or a long walk in the country for better health and wellbeing. So, abundance is ever moving. It flows though our lives like a warm and comforting stream. If we wait around for others to give to us, or try to hold onto what we already have, then that flow of energy starts to stagnate. By being willing to give first, we keep the energy of abundance flowing. So, giving is our means to keep abundance flowing.

Frugality and poverty

For those with the intention of living simply, frugality and poverty are very different things. You do not have to be poor to be frugal. Being poor means having less income than is needed to cover our costs. In contrast, living frugally is empowering and means being mindful of how we use money and possessions. Where are we putting our time and energy? How are we using what we own? Is this in alignment with our values and our wish to live more simply? Whenever we buy something, we can ask ourselves: “Is this taking me closer to, or further away from, my intention of living more simply?”

If you find yourself in the habit of saying “I can’t afford to spend time/money/energy on that,” you could experiment with substituting: “I choose not to spend my time/money/energy on that” and see how that affects your decision making and allows for greater creativity.

To summarise, in order to live with abundance and frugality, it helps to cultivate gratitude, generosity, creativity and authenticity.