Challenge Your Assumptions

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), money is the top cause of stress in the United States . The problem is, we just never have enough of it.  Do you live with that feeling, that belief?  

Our current dominant cultural paradigm — what I’m calling the Conventional Paradigm — is based on believing that we live in a world of scarcity, that resources are limited and there’s not enough to go around. This belief is reinforced by the other beliefs of this paradigm: individuality, competition, greed, resistance, and fear.   

Being able to manage scarcity is important, of course. Stress about scarcity has evolutionary roots. But it is curious that our stress about money is increasing at the same time our home sizes and waistlines are increasing. 

There are clearly too many people that don’t have enough, but is that you?  Our exploitative capitalist system is very effective at controlling our minds, convincing us that we never have enough. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing that you have a roof over your head, that your closets are too full, and that you’ve thought about losing weight. If so, you not only have enough, you have more than enough.  

Do you really need to be stressed about money all the time? What are you using your money for? How much would be enough? What is really important to you? Does it include connection, purpose, joy, nature, inspiration, and love? These are things that money can’t buy. In fact, focusing on obtaining ever more material things diminishes our ability to focus on what really matters. 

Nature’s Paradigm is based on valuing and believing in abundance, rather than scarcity. This belief is reinforced by the other beliefs of this paradigm: systems, synergies, trust, resilience, and curiosity. Wonderfully, the things that are most important to you are abundant — the more you seek, the more you find. The more you give away, the more you have.  

The first step in shifting from the Conventional Paradigm to Nature’s Paradigm is to challenge your assumptions. Next time you’re stressed about money, or simply wishing you had more, challenge your assumption, challenge your belief in scarcity, challenge your participation in the Conventional Paradigm. 

Paradigm shifts seem impossible, but shifting from the Conventional Paradigm to Nature’s Paradigm is possible because it’s already in you, and it’s freeing. It not only allows you to live in alignment with your own values, it allows you to live in alignment with Nature.

If you’re curious to learn more, I invite you to request the [free] Tiny Transformation Workbook which gives you tiny peeks into the Conventional and Natural Paradigms, and then a tiny experience of intentionally living from your Natural Paradigm.

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