Poverty or prosperity- which mentality do you have?
Wow-what a controversial topic. That question can challenge the best of us. Honestly, I had not given it much thought until one of my mentors presented me with the question. That’s when I had to take a close look at which of those lenses I was choosing to view my life.
Cultural programming has everything to do with how we define our lifestyle. My folks raised us knowing the meaning of hard work. We lived on a farm in South Dakota for a big part of my childhood. I remember the long cold winters when all hands were required to be on deck to ensure that both we and the animals survived. Summers brought long hot days in the wheat fields. Mom packed our lunch in a round dishpan and filled the water jugs to the brim. We loaded up the goods and spent the whole day in the field under a make-shift awning. (an old green tarp with holes in it that was strung from the truck bed to two fence posts stuck in the ground) She and my dad went around and around the field on their tractors all day planting crops. They would wave at us with each round and make sure all was well at the camp. I laugh as I write this just thinking about how dirty we were at the end of the day.
The look back helps me to identify how my mindset that surrounds my perspective on poverty or prosperity was developed. Lifestyle has certainly changed over the years BUT the mentality dug its roots and settled in for the long haul.
I could go on and on about how life was lived on the plains of South Dakota. The stories can easily mirror the “Little House on the Prairie” television series. It was those stories that set me on the path of reforming some very old mindsets.
The first thing was to explore what each of those words meant to me. With no purposeful intentions from anyone involved – my definition of poverty took on the persona of “hard work only brings more hard work”. It was an endless cycle of work to simply survive. Sometimes there were huge setbacks like hail storms that took out a whole crop. Even as a child I could feel the heartbreak and disappointment of my parents. The fear of lack began to box me into a very tiny space of small dreams. I developed a real ” poverty mentality“.
Cultural programming has everything to do with how we develop our life. Can we break out of what we know and into what is actually possible?
I’m not sure why it is often referred to as a poverty “mentality”. The more accurate description is an “impoverished soul”. Poverty is more than how many dollars you have or don’t have in your bank account. It runs deep into the crevices of your everyday life and can affect every decision you make. For example, our hard childhood culture left a residue of unworthiness that ran behind the scenes of my adulthood decisions. Decisions stretching all the way from what clothing to buy to who to marry! It’s hard to imagine how sitting in a field playing games and reading all day could develop into an unworthy attitude toward myself.
The truth is that culture does define us. The good news is we can be open to change if we want something different.
Somewhere on life’s journey, I realized there was another option besides “expecting lack” and “slamming every penny into a savings account”. There were faith and hope. There was an understanding of a new identity that could take the golden nuggets of teaching from my childhood and apply them to a more prosperous mentality. The type of thinking that refreshes your soul into knowing that no matter what – YOU ARE WORTHY of the precious things life can give.
The truth is that most of the present chaos of the world is simply not in our control anyway. It will gladly drain any faith and hope we muster up if we focus on it. The healthy option is to change your focus. I mean your eyes can literally move from one place to another. From the place of lack to the place of abundance.
I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t define your mentality of poverty or prosperity by your bank account. Instead , revisit your cultural upbringing. Look deep in your soul and ask yourself what you are expecting life to bring you. Do you really believe you deserve the gold that is waiting for you in this season? Will you take it when it presents itself? Will you restore faith and hope in yourself and those around you? Are you open to changing some old habits?
The next blog will bring a closer look at prosperity. In the meantime
Enjoy the Journey – VB
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