Abundance - in All the Places We Forget to Look

It’s wild how quickly old thoughts can creep back in. That little voice that whispers, “Should I really spend this?”or “What if it all disappears?” Even when things are fine, the scarcity mindset somehow slips through the cracks. It’s almost like it’s been sitting in the corner, waiting for an opening.

Lately, I’ve been trying to catch it before it gets too loud. The truth is, it’s easy to tighten up when the world feels uncertain - when grocery prices climb, or when a bill shows up early, or when life in general just feels heavier than usual. But I’ve realized that living cautiously isn’t the same as living wisely. Sometimes, it just means living small.

So, this month, I’m focusing on something different - abundance. Not the flashy kind with dollar signs and dream vacations (though hey, if that’s in the cards, I’m not saying no). I mean the kind of abundance that runs deeper: time, energy, creativity, love, connection, and hope.

Because when we start seeing abundance beyond the bank account, we start noticing how much we already have - and how much we’re capable of giving.

The Quiet Practice of Noticing

Abundance doesn’t shout. It’s not loud or showy. It’s in the quiet things we walk right past.

It’s the neighbour who waves every morning, the coffee that hits perfectly on a cold day, the ten minutes of silence before the house wakes up. It’s having food on the table, laughter in the kitchen, a good cry when we need one, and someone who still shows up after we’ve had it.

The tricky part is, abundance can’t compete with the noise of scarcity. Scarcity screams. It says, “You should be doing more.” It says, “You’re falling behind.” It scrolls through social media and decides everyone else is ahead.

But when we quiet that noise, we start to see what’s real - that most of what we need, we already have.

This month, I’m practising generosity even when my instinct says hold tight. Because every time I give - time, kindness, patience, encouragement - it reminds my nervous system that there’s still enough to go around.

And somehow, that creates more of it.

The Kind of Wealth That Doesn’t Show Up on Paper

Advocating for adults with disabilities has taught me lessons I could never learn from a book or a bank statement.

Many I advocate for live close to the poverty line. It’s not abstract - it’s real, it’s raw, and it’s constant. There’s no pretending it’s easy. But amid all the struggle, there’s something remarkable: joy still shows up.

It shows up in music class when someone finds the rhythm for the first time. It shows up in friendships that form out of shared experiences. It shows up when a small victory - like navigating the bus route or learning a new skill - turns into a celebration that lights up the whole room.

These are the moments that redefine what abundance looks like.

Because if it were only measured in dollars, we’d miss all the wealth that lives in connection, courage, and community.

Scarcity Is a Habit - So Is Gratitude

When scarcity takes over, it’s rarely about money. It’s about fear. Fear of loss, of not being enough, of running out of time or energy or love. And the more we feed it, the more it grows.

But the opposite is also true. Gratitude grows too - when we feed it.

Even the smallest daily acknowledgments help: I have a warm home. I have people who care. I have something meaningful to do today.

That’s not minimizing real challenges - it’s grounding ourselves in what’s still good. Because when everything feels uncertain, gratitude is the only steady place to stand.

Fun fact: studies out of the University of British Columbia found that people who practised daily gratitude - even just jotting down three things they were thankful for - reported higher levels of life satisfaction and lower stress within weeks. No expensive retreat required.

It’s proof that the simple stuff matters. That joy doesn’t need a big event - it just needs attention.

Building What Can’t Be Shaken

The world’s been noisy lately. Between headlines, rising costs, and everyday stress, it’s easy to feel like we’re all bracing for the next thing. But we don’t have to live that way.

We can build something steadier - something unshakable.

That doesn’t mean ignoring what’s hard or pretending everything’s fine. It means noticing what’s still working. The people who make us laugh. The days that go smoothly. The moments that remind us why we keep showing up.

In Canada, we talk a lot about community - small towns pulling together, strangers shovelling driveways after a storm, neighbours dropping off soup. That’s not just kindness; that’s abundance in action. It’s what happens when people believe there’s always enough care to go around.

And the beautiful part? That kind of wealth doesn’t shrink when we share it. It multiplies.

What Abundance Looks Like in Real Life

It's believing we can build something better while still noticing what’s good right now.

For me, abundance looks like this:

• Slowing down instead of speeding up.

• Saying yes to time off without guilt.

• Celebrating small wins - the ones no one else sees.

• Trusting that rest doesn’t mean laziness.

• Giving without keeping score.

• Knowing there’s room for everyone.

  
  

And maybe, above all, it means believing that the more we give, the more life gives back.

When I’m advocating for programs or fighting for fair funding, I remind myself of this too - because advocacy can drain you if you’re not careful. But even in the toughest meetings or the longest waits for change, I see the abundance in the people beside me - parents, caregivers, and self-advocates who keep showing up. That’s wealth of spirit.

An Invitation for the Month Ahead

So that’s my focus for November: finding abundance in places I’ve overlooked. The time I do have. The people who keep me grounded. The laughter that sneaks in, even on the hard days.

And if you’re reading this, maybe that’s your work this month too.

Find the places where scarcity has been running the show - and question it. Ask yourself: What’s actually here? What’s working? What’s beautiful right now?

Because there’s always something.

Let’s remind ourselves that abundance isn’t waiting at the end of a finish line. It’s right here - tucked into the ordinary, waiting to be noticed.

This month, let’s do the work - not to have more, but to FEEL more of what we already have.