There are two types of people in this world, those who are “Pie Dwellers” and those who are “River Livers”. Pie-Dwellers are those who live in a zero-sum mindset. If someone else gets a piece of the pie, there is not enough. Soon, the pie will be gone, and you never got a slice. It’s not fair, there is too much inequality, anger ensues, and social justice warriors flourish. I call this a scarcity mindset. A River-Liver has the attitude that a rising tide raises all boats. Being a River- Liver myself, I liken it to being a tree firmly planted by the bank of the river, and my roots go deep. There is never a shortage, and the water just keeps coming. This is an abundance mindset.
This is also how I see taxes. If highly resourced people are taxed disproportionately, they have less money to invest, spend, take financial risks, give bonuses to their employees, buy more stuff, and spread their resources around, which is the engine of growth. It is the same with attitudes.
A story illustrating this concept goes like this. A few years ago, I attended my great-aunt’s birthday celebration. My cousin was at war with her sister. I went to love up on her sister, and my cousin got angry with me for doing so. I was shocked. I am not feuding with this person. Why would I be expected not to love her? It was because my cousin, who was feuding, thought that if I loved her sister, I would love her less. I explained that the more love I offer, the more I appropriate and have to pour out. Love is never-ending. It becomes a more valuable commodity when it is given away. This is an example of an attitude of abundance.
A more recent example of literally being a pie dweller is being in a buffet line on a cruise where food is abundant. If the server happens to give a larger slice of pie to the person in line, the one with the smaller piece gets upset even though they could go back to get more pie as many times as they want. It is an attitude of scarcity and comparing what they have to others.
An abundance mindset highlights that there is enough for everyone; someone else’s gain is not your loss. By having an abundance mentality, you won’t be jealous or upset when someone else succeeds. Being in an abundance mindset is about how you see life. Some people may have everything, but they still feel poor. Others have less and feel abundant and content, even grateful. How does one live in this place of contentment? It is a choice. Even if your day doesn’t go well, you can choose to respond positively.
Each day, one must decide if they are going to be a River-Liver or a Pie-Dweller. Eating well, having enough rest, being grateful, meditating or praying, exercising, loving others well, being confident, and seeing life as an adventure are ways to increase your chances of having an attitude of abundance. By viewing situations at home, at work, or in play that might feel disappointing through the lens of opportunity and life lessons, you can change your attitude. Know and develop your strengths, become a lifelong learner, stay in a place of gratitude; Live in the River!
joneen@narme.org