Finding perspective and dropping lack mentality in a world with social media is a funny thing. Watching people showcase their things can leave you feeling some sort of way, huh? When I started getting curious about who I am and my reaction to things and actually evaluating my feelings, not just sitting in them, I realized I was getting really jealous watching stories. I would see these shiny happy people with their seemingly big perfect homes, and their adorable families all put together. Some of them had jobs that I craved and money and freedom to do the things they loved. Man, social media really is about smoke and mirrors.
Let’s define “lack mentality”. Also referred to as a scarcity mindset, lack mentality is when you constantly worry about not having enough time or money, making it hard to think about anything else. There is never enough and it can cause a heavy mental load. This may be something that you picked up as a child from family struggles or it may have developed over time.
As I started the work on myself, I started questioning why I was envious of these things. Let’s be real, I wanted it. I wanted what I perceived to be the easy life. It’s one thing to want something. That’s the surface level. It’s a whole other thing to figure out the meaning underneath the want. Sure, a million dollars would be incredible but WHY would it be incredible? I started to realize that I thought it wasn’t in my reach. I was longing for a life I didn’t see could be mine. It’s the thing that makes working on yourself so uplifting. It’s the aha moments that give you hope.
Realizing that if someone else can achieve it, so can I, was a huge pivot for me. When I was just focusing on the things I don’t have it was putting me in a lack mentality. It would turn into a victim mentality too. “I can’t have these things because (insert long drawn out excuse) and that would circulate in my brain until I felt so defeated and action would be crippled.
I say all of this because I know we all do it. Some more than others and it can be any category. For some of you, it may be the house or money. For others it’s a family, a job, a car, the list goes on and on. Now, I am only speaking from my experience and I realize that there are many things that actually hinder people from some of these things. But I would ask that you get curious. Look at the why underneath your want and if it’s something that you can change, do it. Action is just as important as evaluating. It’s also ok to resolve that that thing isn’t for you and while that can be extremely painful it can also be liberating. If we are spending all of our time wanting, we are missing what we have right in front of us.
I can honestly say now that there is still envy with some posts or stories I consume. The difference is I look at it as a tool, a motivator. And I LOVE seeing people thrive! It lights me up in the best way. It’s no longer a lack spiral but a genuine happiness I feel for the people that are out there living their best lives. The thing is we don’t actually know what’s going on behind the highlight reel but we get to cheer these people on for the successes they do share and what a privilege that is. And that is how you find perspective by dropping the lack mentality mindset.
