Hope & Abundance
It all started with stress.
Hope Matters
No, I’m not about to tell you how to make a million dollars, but I am about to write about another practice of mine. Last week, I mentioned my healing journey and the way in which I practice thinking about situations and people. This week, I’m diving slightly more into that. So, here goes…
I don’t know if you have conversations with yourself, but I sure do. So, one morning I was completing my workout with a stretch, and I noticed something. This is what I had to tell myself.
Girl, calm ALL THE WAY DOWN! How you gon’ be tensed up while you’re stretching?! AND in a mindful cooldown?
Girl, BREATHE! Abundance is your portion.
Abundance is your portion is something I began saying to myself and writing in my journal when I was stressing over my budget, but I instantly realized it was about so much more than money. It’s about other resources I hold dear: time, patience, health, and any other thing I think I don’t have enough of.
Over the last 6 months to a year, I’ve been reflecting on how I’ve spoken to, and over, myself during the course of my life and on my Christian walk. This reflection has led me to more closely monitor what I’m saying; noticing whether the words I say about me, about this path I’m on, are true, affirming, and align with the promises that have been made to me. I am certainly not discounting some poor decisions and systemic issues that have caused a large amount of the circumstances I’ve experienced and am still healing from, which have in turn resulted in a fair amount of hateful thoughts and cussin’ (See last week’s hopeletter.).
However, I am proclaiming that, through this practice, I’m learning what I say is important to how I move on this journey. When I changed my thoughts, my actions followed suit. I began to experience favor like I never have before, because I didn’t see them as fluke things that happened to me. Rather, I see them as the results of believing in who I am and a God who loves me enough to wait for me think about myself the way He does. (You can’t tell me He’s not saying, “Girl! FINALLY!” 🙄)
This is what shifting my thoughts to abundance from scarcity looks like for me:
Taking the paid time off, because I need me to be healthy and whole. (abundance of time)
Saying no to something that truly doesn’t fit my schedule no matter how it makes others feel. This helps me make time for myself and the things I want/need to do. (abundance of peace)
Spending time with family, friends, and loved ones. (abundance of joy)
Getting my butt up and exercising, because my body still moves. (abundance of health)
Recognizing I could buy the washing machine - although that wasn’t the plan for the money - and I could still feed, clothe, and house Son and me. (abundance of finances)
Realizing that I’m actually pretty durn fantastic at a myriad of things, and people need/want what I have. (abundance of knowledge)
Listen, people. I have not yet arrived; I’m working on this daily (sometimes hourly). It is indeed a practice, and my hope is that someday I won’t have to work as hard at it. My hope for you is that, if you aren’t here yet, this will strike a chord.
Shift your thoughts. Believe in you. Know your value. Take your time. Practice peace. Focus on the good. Take care of you. Abundance is your portion. Rest in that.
Here’s hoping. ☕️
Coffee Matters
I would be remiss if I never wrote about BeanFruit Coffee Co. They were my intro into this coffee bougie life I insist on living. I was attending a local event and received a swag bag. Inside the bag was coffee; Crimson Stamp Signature Blend to be exact. You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t winning at life. Got the bag home, opened it, and whaddaya know? BEANS! At this point I was only buying ground beans (grocery store and local coffee shop, occasionally) and had never even considered buying beans. Like, why?!
But, the beans smelled so good I just knew I had to get a grinder. So, I took my-broke-single-mom-self to Big Lots and bought an $8 grinder. From that moment, my coffee life was forever changed! After grinding the beans and brewing it up, it was the freshest coffee to ever come out of my kitchen, and I vowed that I would make room in my nonexistent budget for coffee beans from then on. As you can probably tell, I’m easily spoiled. 😌
As I was thinking of what coffee I’d share with you all next, I was pulled back to my coffee bougie roots with BeanFruit coffee. Our local Whole Foods carries some of their offerings. What I knew was I didn't want to share my favorites just yet; I wanted to try something new. True to form, BeanFruit did not disappoint with this Nariño* I’m currently sipping on. I’m not usually into the taste notes they list on the bag. However, in this one I do taste the nuttiness. A coffee worth savoring, not gulping down on your way out the door.
Thank you for joining me on this trip down memory lane. I hope you’ve enjoyed enjoyed it as much as I have.
What are you hoping and sipping this week?
*I didn’t see this available on the website. However, you can’t miss with their Crimson Stamp Signature Blend, linked above if you don’t live in the area.
If you like what you’ve read and would like to keep me fueled up to crank out more content, you can buy me a coffee below.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this hopeletter about my life and coffee. Please share with a friend who could use a little hope or coffee recommendation.