FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE®: APPRECIATE YOUR ABUNDANCE (EVEN WHEN LIFE IS CHALLENGING)

In this episode, I share three ways to notice and express appreciation for the abundance in your life. I also give you ideas to create an abundance practice that works for you. 

There's no need to overcomplicate having an abundance practice - a simple practice helps you notice abundance and appreciate it even when times are tough.

I love hearing from you - share your thoughts, ideas, and questions with me at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com.

xo Karli

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Transcript

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Let's be real, my friend. When life feels uncertain or difficult, it's challenging to notice abundance, let alone express gratitude for it. Life tosses a lot our way in midlife and beyond. Hormonal shifts, unexpected changes, or even one offhand comment can flip a switch, and suddenly we're viewing everything through a lens of scarcity and lack. Abundance doesn't disappear during hard times. It can fade into the background quite easily, however. With the right habits and an intentional practice in place, you can bring it back into the foreground even when life feels messy or uncertain. Keep listening for three ways to notice abundance in your life and create a simple, sustainable practice that helps you hold onto it when times get tough. I'm so glad you're here for this week's episode of FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE. I'm Karli Newman, your favorite Gen X dealer of positive vibes, Life and Wellness Coach and Community Builder for women in midlife and beyond. If you're not already on my email list, I'd love for you to join me there, too. Each of my podcast episodes has a partner email that introduces the topic and gives you something a little extra to think about. You can find the link in the show notes and transcript and join me there. All right, my friend. Let's get into the good stuff I have waiting for you today. To start, here are three simple ways to notice and express appreciation for the abundance in your life. First, pause to tap into your senses. This is one of the quickest ways to quiet your mind and be in the present moment. One by one, think about each of your senses. Go slowly, notice the different layers, and appreciate how much is around you that you weren't consciously aware of before now. Say thank you out loud to your body and your mind for this abundant reset. Another way to notice abundance is to make small changes in your words. Words we use are often habits. For example, maybe you use'have to' or 'should' instead of 'get to' or 'choose to'. That switch might look like ' I get to go grocery shopping today', or 'I choose to take a walk after lunch'. You can also break your habit of apologizing when there is no reason to. Ugh. This is a really big one for us. Try replacing.'I'm sorry', with 'Thank you'. For example, instead of saying, 'I'm sorry there was traffic, and I'm late'. Say, 'thank you for waiting. I appreciate your patience'. Notice your internal dialogue, my friend, and what you're saying to others, too. Form a new habit to use words that help your brain recognize opportunity and gratitude rather than obligation and guilt. As you notice this new habit starting to stick, celebrate your interest in personal growth and ability to make it happen. Your words are powerful, my friend. They can send you a message of possibility or to a place where your mindset is based in scarcity and lack. A third way is to acknowledge the support, kindness and social connections in your life. People my friend, are a source of abundance. Whether it's a stranger holding the door, a friend who reaches out, or a family member who steps in without being asked, you are surrounded by an abundant community of care. Look for it and you will see it. When you do, allow the love to sink in and express your heartfelt gratitude for it. Can you picture how you might use one of those three ways to notice and appreciate gratitude for abundance when you feel stuck in scarcity or lack? Here's a key, to making that easier, and that is to create an abundance practice that works for you, it's gotta work for you, my friend. An abundance practice doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, it's best when It's simple. That way you can sustain it. It's a way that gently retrains your mind to look for and appreciate abundance, even when life gets challenging. So here are a few ideas to consider. Remember, simple is best. You can choose a daily anchor, you can set daily reflection time, or you can savor the feeling of abundance. Choose a daily anchor. Pick a routine or a ritual, that's your anchor, that's already in your day that you already do without thinking about it. And that might be something like your morning coffee, or brushing your teeth at night or washing your face at the end of the day. Use that moment as the anchor for you to notice and appreciate the abundance in your life. If choosing a daily anchor doesn't feel great to you, then maybe you can set daily reflection time. This is choosing a time of day where you think on the abundance, you can see right then and there, or that you've noticed since your last reflection time. I recommend setting an alarm if this is something you're going to choose. Maybe do it over lunch in the middle of your day because that helps you reset for the rest of your day. Whether it's small and fleeting or big and long lasting, use this reflection time to write if that is your thing, or quietly think about your abundance and how grateful you are for it. It's noticing and appreciating through your reflection time. And if neither one of those sounds great to you, perhaps you want to create a practice where you savor the feeling of abundance. Whenever you notice it, let yourself linger there for a few moments. Enjoy the feeling that comes with abundance and express gratitude for your body and mind, allowing you to feel that and to be aware of it. When you do this, you train your body and your mind to work together to help you notice abundance and appreciate it. See, my friend? There's no need to overcomplicate having an abundance practice. Over time this simple abundance practice builds your emotional muscle memory. And therein, my friend, lies the key that helps you notice abundance and appreciate it even when times are tough, when life gets difficult and challenging. As you've been listening, you probably noticed how closely aligned an abundance practice is with a gratitude practice, and it's so easy to combine the two. Add in a layer of abundance to your existing gratitude practice. They pair so beautifully together. As you notice and express gratitude for the abundance around you and within you, you will start to see more of it. I'd love for you to share this episode, my friend, and why not share your thoughts and feedback with me? I want to hear from you about my 2026 episodes, too. What topics do you want me to cover? I'm at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com. Please reach out. Thanks for listening today. I'll be back Sunday with a guided meditation and next Wednesday with another episode about a different facet of abundance. Take care and be well, my friend.