I've been hosting a series of workshops called "Tapping for Abundance," where we explore what abundance means to us.

With mindfulness practices and Tapping (the Emotional Freedom Technique), we take a curious approach to looking at where we feel abundant, where we feel blocked, and what's getting in the way on a subconscious level.

These groups mean so much to me. I love and appreciate coming together with like-hearted people to explore inward, and even as the facilitator, I always learn so much.

A day after our first session, I realized that, due to low registration, it was in my best interest to cancel my women's weekend retreat in May. I had never had this happen before, and right when I made the decision, my Inner Critic chimed in and said, "How can you host an abundance workshop when you are canceling your retreat? This doesn't sound like abundance to me."

Oof. That Inner Critic is always hard-hitting!

If I had bought into this criticism, I would've felt depleted, ashamed, and a failure. It would have probably led me down a slippery slope of negativity. But gratefully, this was not the case.

When I heard the comment, I was present and aware that this was my Inner Critic. I did not ask for this unsolicited input. It didn't affect me. I didn't buy into the useless comment. How freeing.

I laughed, reflecting on how the Inner Critic fearlessly waits on the sidelines for the next opportunity to put us in our boots when we are expanding in some way. It's not good or bad. That's its job. It was created at a very young age.

Our parents' beliefs about abundance directly impacted our relationship to it. What we heard and saw, we took it all in. We took it to be true. The Inner Critic is our internalized parent.

We are adults now, and we get to align with our our truth out abundance. And this is precisely what I did.

When I decided to cancel, my mind was clear. There was an initial disappointment, but almost immediately, the idea to host a day retreat came forth. It felt right in all three centres—my head was clear and open, my heart felt it to be true, and my belly was ready to take action. All the plans fell into place beautifully. It was effortless.

I thought to myself, 'Now, THIS is abundance. This is an abundance of resiliency.' Things didn't go as planned; that's life. I didn't skip a beat and made a quick pivot.

And now, I am so excited about this one-day retreat. It feels so right. This is what was meant to happen, and arriving at this decision was an incredible learning experience.

When things don't go as planned, the ego mind can quickly say, "Things didn't work out; I failed." But when our essential mind operates, wisdom and clarity exist; we align with the Universe. We are trusting. There is no struggle. We can relax into what is here in the now.

I appreciate witnessing myself in these situations and how I respond. It affirms the power of my mindfulness practice. This is the transformative power of practicing being here in the now in our body with our experience. It strengthens our resiliency.

When we have developed our inner awareness, we cultivate an abundance of inner resources. This impacts the way in which we see ourselves, our circumstances, and the world.

In a world filled with uncertainty, being resilient and able to feel safe and grounded in our body in the now is abundance. It is empowering.

We can trust more. We feel safe in our bodies and our lives. When challenges come up, we can meet them with compassion.

For most people, there is usually an area or two where they feel a lack of abundance. What if we took the time to shine a light on this area and explore it?

What is your relationship to abundance?

What does abundance mean to you?

When people think of abundance, the first thing that comes to mind is money. Money is a part of being abundant, but it is not the only thing.

Living an abundant life encompasses so much more. Some people have millionaires of dollars in the bank and still worry about money. They are miserable. They are bankrupt spiritually. Is that abundance?

I was in a relationship with a very wealthy man in my twenties. I had never been around someone with so much wealth, and of course, it was very appealing to see how 'the other half' lived. But over time, I saw how unhappy he was. His bank account was full, and his heart was empty. It was a real eye-opener.

Abundance can mean so much more: self-love, joy, health, relationships, spirituality, passion, breath, and life itself.

As adults, we can explore our relationship to abundance and redefine it ourselves. We keep learning and growing. How great is that?!

Blessings of love and abundance,

Diane