Our outside alpha cat, Sandi (the bobtail in the photo), doesn’t seem to care that we only offer two meal times a day, rather than a buffet that’s available all day. She nibbles a little at meal time and then she goes outside, leaving her portion for the others to fight over. Apparently she trusts that she’ll have what she needs when she needs it.
Throughout the day, Sandi comes back around, meowing sweetly, or she sits in our kitchen window sill until we come out to pet her. We melt and give her little snacks to carry her through till the next meal time.
Despite having a home now for five years, the other outside cats have a lingering lack mentality from being feral. They scarf food at every opportunity. They are still operating by a belief that served them well at one time and enabled them to survive: eat everything you can, when you can, because you don’t know when the next meal is coming. (Husbands and teenagers often show this same belief.)
Glenn and Claire are overweight now, because of their lack mentality, which brings life-threatening consequences. They are part of an outdoor colony, but are no longer as fast and agile as they once were to escape from predators that come through our area.
So the old belief they’ve continued to operate under—the lack mindset—which they needed at one time for survival, is now working against them, and actually putting their lives in jeopardy in a few ways.
We are visited occasionally by stray dogs, foxes and coyotes. Glenn and Claire can’t run or climb a tree nearly as well as when they were less fluffy. They also have to have special food now because they can’t clean themselves as good and are prone to disease.
Sandi, however, enjoys her abundant mentality every day. She stays right-sized, she's quick on her feet when necessary, and seems to enjoy life moment by moment. Sandi is full of trust and serenity, and lots of purrs.
It’s always a good idea to take an inventory of the beliefs that are running our lives. We have to let go of the outdated ones that may have been useful in the past—even to the point of saving our lives—but that are no longer needed or helpful.
Do you save things you haven't used or needed for a few years, just in case? How many phone cords do you own that may or may not work? Can you afford to buy new furniture but hang on to your old, worn out sofa?
Do you buy fresh produce, but deny yourself the pleasure of eating it, only to watch it go bad, because you like seeing the fridge full of good stuff? Do you buy in bulk because the excess makes you feel secure?
Ironically, abundant households may actually be filled with less stuff than homes kept by those living in a lack mentality. I could go on and on with personal examples of how lack shows up in my belief system, and thus my world. This is a new focus of growth for me, one I'm excited to examine and change. But lack mentality extends beyond material things.
No matter what you do have, do you often feel there's not enough time, love or money? Do you hang onto less than ideal friendships, where you're the one doing most of the work? Have you stayed at a job that's secure, but you dread going to work, instead of seeking one you would really love?
Today, let’s ask ourselves which belief system we are operating out of, abundance or lack? If we’re not sure, we can check in with our feelings.
Abundance usually feels peaceful and serene, and generates gratitude. Lack often feels anxious and overwhelming, and brings about fear and discontentment.
We can choose our emotions and change our beliefs. We are not a slave to either one. Sometimes we feel our way into actions. Other times, we may need to act our way into feelings.
Today, let’s affirm that we have all the love, time, and money that we need, and everything else we need for this very moment. We will not worry about tomorrow. We will give thanks for what we already have right now, trusting that our future needs will also be met, right on time. No meowing required.
