OH! Magazine - Australian Version March 2016

MOVING FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE THINKING MIKE CAMPBELL Mike Campbell explains how to change your scarcity thinking into abundance thinking. n part one of this two-part article series, I talked about scarcity thinking (i.e., fear of not having enough, or taking more than you need simply because it’s available), and how it could be a contributor to obesity. Now let’s explore how to change your thinking to abundance thinking. know when you’ve had enough, instead of mindlessly eating like so many of us do. The more you can tune into this, the more skilled you’ll be at recognising your meal and daily intake requirements in the long term. I It may seem a bit ‘easier said than done’, but refocusing your thinking from scarcity to abundance is really is about taking a positive perspective, safe in the knowledge the world will not run out of resources and you will eat tomorrow, and the next day, and the foreseeable future beyond that. • • Ask yourself – do I need this? Is this going to move me closer to where I want to go? If the answer is ‘no’, then stop. Think about what is more important: your goal body/feeling or this immediate satisfaction/fear of scarcity or lacking? • Learn to share everything – no competing or hoarding for yourself. The world is a better place when people give and act more selflessly. Use this when it comes to food, your time, everything that applies. The more you keep things for yourself, the more you’ll be stuck in scarcity mode. In this situation, it all comes back to you – not anyone else, not your children, their children... this is about you and your stomach (or whatever is relevant to you), so in order for it to work you need to take responsibility. Here are some strategies you can put into place when it comes to obesity, or even just for your individual body composition and life in general: • • 28 Put away the scales – stop working to some ideal number and think about how you feel and how you want to feel. Connect your mind to your body – when you’re eating, do not be distracted. No TV, computer, phone, reading – nothing. Just light conversation at most, and actually give your body a chance to let you MARCH 2016 ( OH! MAGAZINE ) Work out your amounts – getting a better gauge of how much and what you should eat, brings forth information you can’t ignore when it comes to knowing when to stop eating. Try, reflect, assess, alter and repeat. • Go on a media detox – stop reading the paper and watching the news; even stay off social media if you can. Try and avoid all the stories that remind us about how hard life is and that we must get what we can when we can. Seek out interactions and conversations with people who have an abundance mindset, and ask them how they think about or approach certain things in everyday life. • Learn to say ‘when’ – ask the waiter for a doggy bag, put what’s left on your plate in a container for tomorrow, set yourself a target of how many drinks you’ll have when you’re out with mates and stick to it (i.e., be your own man, and don’t be led astray by others). • Ask yourself ‘what does enough look like?’ – whatever it is that has you thinking from a point of scarcity, sit down and think about what ‘enough’ actually looks and feels like. What amount of money will be enough? How much of that yummy-butcalorie-dense food is enough to satisfy the want for it, without going overboard? Take a look at your life, pay attention to where you might be acting from a place of scarcity and start to employ general outlook that says ‘There is always another opportunity around the corner. Just chill and enjoy the journey. Have patience because life is a marathon not a sprint.’ Also, think about why you might be doing it; question it, look deeper into it and ask yourself ‘Will the world end if I stop now/ don’t have that/waste this?’ Abundance comes from your decision to adopt a new perspective. Have a crack, and let me know how it goes. http://mikecampbell.com.au ( Men’s Health )

OH! Magazine - Australian Version March 2016 | Page 28