New Challenges, New Realities

Amazingly, it has been 306 days since my last entry. I could not believe it when I saw that number in my control panel but there it is. Did I stop thinking about Sustained Abundance? Have I given up on the idea or possibility creating and sustaining abundance for myself and my family? The answer to this question is unequivocally no.

I was distracted from what is truly important (namely planning for abundance on a regular basis) by the reality of the workplace. My old company closed its doors, let 1500 people go and is still trying to survive. My challenge was to pick up the pieces and keep moving forward. Like so many people out there, that challenge proved difficult, stressful and time consuming. Whatever your current level of mental and financial preparation for a job loss, the reality can prove challenging. But that does not mean you should forget to plan for abundance. I am more convinced than ever this means more self direction and self reliance. We have simply become way too used to the concept of entitlements and that there will be unemployment insurance, welfare, workfare, this fare that fare to back us up if we stumble and fall.

During my job woes, I was challenged more so than ever before in my working life. I am working now, but making far less than I did. This has happened to so many people I know so I don't bring that fact up to get sympathy, but rather to point out what I realize more strongly now.

Many of us will be challenged in the coming years and one major challenge will be making the time to think about our individual plan for creating abundance. The steps I've previously described as a path to abundance are: 1.Survival, 2.Sufficiency, 3.Surplus. That may sound easy enough, but how to get from one to another? How can you do this with fewer resources or if you are in the position of being able to quickly generate a surplus, what then?

Things are changing in America and Americans will need to change too...

Most of us have given away or refuse to take responsibility for our own financial futures, especially in the selection of our own investments and responsibility for the results of those investments after we make them. Dealing with Debt is the general condition right now, but we should be planning for future Abundance too, or it is far less likely any of us will achieve Sustainable Abundance.

Given the level of uncertainty in the American Economy (and so many other places too), I believe it is truly time to re-think what Abundance really means. Does it mean the home of our dreams on the ocean, or does it mean freedom from the fear that we will not have enough to eat tomorrow? Is it time to live with less in order to have more? Can we really live for the moment and escape the consequences of failing to plan for the future? Will there be a meaningful retirement for middle class Americans?

I read a book recently that has really helped me to get clear on how so many of us are where we are financially instead of where we should be. The book is called "The Two Income Trap" by Elizabeth Warren. I encourage you to read it whether you are married or single, broke or still able to put something away for the future. Read the book and tell me what you thought.

In order to guide my writing, I want to know what you are thinking. Share your stories about your changing plans for Abundance, let me know if your priorities are changing and share with me what is working for you now. Let me know how are you answering these questions:

1.How do you tell those you love that they need to get by with less or contribute more to make your family work as a family?

2.What do you tell a spouse or significant other who says that living well now is the only important thing?

3.What do you say when it is you that wants to live now and those you love are concerned about the future?

4. How are you helping your children to understand that they will need to be far more self sufficient, live with fewer toys, consume less and save far more to create a stable future?

If you have a question and want an answer share it with me here.