Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, a time to focus on all there is to be thankful for. Yet, thoughts of scarcity can still creep in.
A recent update to our personal financial statement stirred up mixed emotions. In the early days of starting a business, our financial outlook was bleak. We were already upside down even before the housing market crash. After years of persistent effort, our financial reserves finally grew to a level where retirement became possible! The updated financial statement provided a sense of relief and accomplishment. I shared my excitement with my husband and he said, “now you are a wealthy woman.” Strangely, the feeling of wealth didn’t settle in, sparking a realization: our definitions of wealth were different. This led to a deeper question—how much is truly enough?
Commercials bombard us with the message that we’re lacking—more money, better health, greater beauty, and countless other needs are advertised as the path to fulfillment. But when is there truly enough? Enough money, enough food, enough time, enough clothes, enough sunshine, air, water—where does the line fall?
Experience has shown me that focusing too much on what I wanted often makes it harder to attain. Feelings of desperation drain energy, and I tend to force things to happen and repel exactly what I am looking for. This season, the goal is to resist the pull of scarcity and instead embrace gratitude for all that is already present.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mary Guldan-Lindstrom, CPA
