Are you acting from a mindset of abundance or scarcity? I’ve noticed this week (thanks to a lot of tense feelings of resistance around taking certain actions) that I’ve been acting from a mindset of scarcity. Which is to say, avoiding following through on certain things I’ve been meaning to follow through on because they cost money. Hitting my out-of-pocket health insurance maximum for the first time has been… not fun.
So I’ve been avoiding:
Sending a DoorDash gift card to my friend in another state who just had her second baby. Rémy and I love feeding people when we can, even if they’re not nearby. And I like that a DoorDash order means my friend and her family can enjoy something convenient when they feel like it/need it.
Calling the anesthesiology practice that I still owe money to after my knee surgery. I’ve learned a lot about hitting my out-of-pocket maximum with my health insurance this week and need the practice to re-submit their claim so my health insurance will cover it (hopefully). I wish I had done it differently, but have never been in this situation before. Ugh. Adult lessons.
Signing Murray up for daycare on Saturday. We have a Friendsgiving event with friends all afternoon and evening, and the frisky pup would greatly benefit from a half day of romping before we leave the dogs at home.
I don’t love my hesitancy to (a) spend on gifts or experiences that matter, or (b) kindly ask a stranger in a billing office to do me a favor so I can save $430. Realistically, I have everything I need and will wrap up my payments by the new year. But the hesitation comes from that mindset of scarcity. That uncomfortable feeling of throwing off my previously cushy budget.
Per the Jen Sincero audiobook I’m re-listening to, being weird around money and coming from a place of scarcity vs. abundance sets you up for an ongoing negative relationship with money. Basically, if you keep going around being stingy and constantly acting like you’re lacking and afraid to spend on even the littles things, you won’t attract better opportunities to grow your finances. You’ll stay small, be afraid to try anything or give anything or ask for help about anything. It creates stress. And it gets you nowhere.
So in the last 24 hours, I knocked off those tasks. Sent the gift card, called the billing office, scheduled the daycare romp. There’s still a possibility my health insurance company will bounce that bill back to me.
But you know what? I feel better. Lighter. Un-nagged by my worries, for now. I did what I’ve been meaning to do.
Notice what you’ve been avoiding and why. Is there a step forward you can take?
