6 cheap (or free) ways to experience abundance
and the (possibly surprising) reasons why they feel so good.
What does it mean to experience abundance?
The most prosaic definition of the word “abundance” is something like “having a lot of something.”
But while that’s technically true, I’ve noticed that possessing a lot of a thing does not always give me a feeling of abundance.
Instead, the strongest feelings of abundance have very little to do with material affluence or economic status. For me, experiencing abundance feels like knowing that I have everything I need in this moment, and a trust that my needs will be provided for. It’s truly living in the moment, experiencing with gratitude the gifts the world has to offer - but (and this is important) holding them with a loose grip.
Lately I’ve been working to cultivate a feeling of abundance in my life, and for me, that practice started with identifying the things that give me that light, content, expansive feeling I can only identify as “abundant.”
I’m sharing a handful that nearly anyone can experience, any time.
1) going for a walk in a nice neighborhood
I walk in the same beach neighborhood year-round. I love this walk because of the winding, tree-lined road leading to the beach as well as the way the houses are tucked back into hilly, wooded lots (instead of looming three stories high on the shoreline and blocking everyone else’s view.)
I used to find myself with a sense of longing while on my daily walks, wishing I could live in this neighborhood instead of just visiting. On a whim I did some real-estate research, and to my surprise, the houses didn’t cost as much as I thought they might be! But…there was that $1000+ per month HOA fee (ouch). And I’d have to give up my chickens…
In the end, I realized, that as a visitor to this neighborhood I’m getting the best of both worlds. I get to enjoy the same sweeping shoreline views and sloping trails as the residents without the steep - to me anyway - cost of living there.
We all make tradeoffs, and I have no doubt that for the people who live in this lovely neighborhood, those tradeoffs are well worthwhile. But that doesn’t mean I have to make the same ones! I can just enjoy what’s there…for free.
The lesson? We don’t have to “own” something to experience abundance through it.
2) a fleeting bounty
The number of eggs currently piling up in my kitchen feels abundant indeed, and yes, I can hear the pushback: “I’m paying $72 per dozen. Must be nice!”
Hear me out, though. First of all, experiencing firsthand the amount of work and cost that goes into raising backyard hens has made it abundantly clear that, whatever you’re paying at the supermarket right now, you’re probably getting a bargain. Understanding the true cost of eggs has made my little bounty feel like pure gold.
But also, I know this bounty won’t last forever. Right now, yes, I eat a lot of eggs. But there have been other periods of my life (like two months ago, when the girls weren’t laying nearly as many) when I consumed hardly any - and I survived.
Chances are good there’s something you have in abundance that another person doesn’t. My good friend
lives in California and - even in winter - her yard is abundant in things that are exotic to me, like avocado and citrus. I can admire her bounty from afar, knowing that for me, those items will always be imported items best enjoyed as occasional treats.And even when it comes to the things that grow bountifully in your area, there’s nearly always a time when they’re simply unavailable. When blueberries - particularly wild blueberries, my favorite - are in season here in Michigan, I go crazy on them for however long they last…and then have to face the facts that there will be a long time before I get to experience that particular joy again. That’s all part of the cycle that makes a bountiful time feel precious and special.
There will come a time, I’m sure, when I won’t have access to the singular joy of an orange-yolked, just-laid egg right outside my back door. That, to me, makes the fact that I have them right now feel that much more luxurious.
What food is easily abundant in your life right now? Can you lean into that, instead of focusing on which foods you don’t have or can’t easily access?
3) the library
I’m in my bright, friendly local village library writing this, and I’m not sure there is any feeling more abundant than knowing I’m surrounded by the creative labor of thousands of writers - plus all the other things that make libraries wonderful places (there are many, just waiting to be discovered!)
For example, in addition to books, my local library offers a seed library and passport services; one village over the library has a community garden and maker space. I can borrow ebooks through the Libby app, use the private meeting space, or borrow from the ‘library of things’ that includes everything from sewing machines to food dehydrators.
I loved reading
’s “love letter to libraries” today. Read it if you need an excuse to fall in love with the abundant magic of the library, or a reason to see what your local library has to offer.4) a notebook turned to a fresh page
Ahhh…there’s really nothing like the possibility inherent in a fresh notebook page, especially when accompanied by your favorite pen.
A caveat, though: I’ve noticed that while a fresh page in my current, well-loved notebook feels wonderful, I’ve noticed a serious case of diminishing returns when I buy too many.
As pretty as all those covers may be, having too many notebooks-in-waiting actually gives me a feeling of anxiety. What works for me is to have on more than two - one for daily to-dos, grocery lists, etc - and one for longer-range planning, journaling, and dreaming - going at any given time.
This full-size, soft-covered, lined, spiral-bound journal ticks all my personal boxes, and ensures that I will actually use it all the way up (which actually is the best feeling of all.)
5) a day with nothing on the calendar
There were a few years when having a weekday with an empty calendar was quite rare. When it happened, I’d find myself doubting it: am I forgetting something? When I finally settled in to the day, though, the empty hours unfurling in front of me like a blank page, I realized the freedom and possibility felt wonderful.
These days, I try to have at least one completely empty-calendar day per week, and I often manage two or three. It’s not that I don’t get anything done on those days, it’s just that I get to decide what gets done - on my own terms and my own time. Time is a precious resource, and to control our own is about as abundant a feeling as I can imagine.
6) a humble, but happy, collection
In the little hallway off of my kitchen, there’s an antique, marble-top cabinet that houses my teas, tinctures, and dried herbs waiting to be used. I walk past this cabinet many times per day, and I just love it. Every time I look at it I get that feeling of abundance, even though its actual cash value is…well...not high.
To me it represents not only plenty, but projects-in-progress that bring me a lot of joy.
Is there an area of your house where you could store a humble-but-happy collection?
Friends, I’d love to hear about how you experience abundance in your life. How does “abundance” feel to you, and what are some free-or-cheap things that help create that feeling?
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About me:
Hi! I’m Meagan, an author, podcaster, and midlife mom of five (mostly grown) kids. Here at The Kettle, I share my thoughts on how to live wisely and well in a manic modern world. While most new posts are free, paid subscriptions help me continue to create here - and if you want to connect more deeply, the private chat is open to paid members. I appreciate you!
100% agree on the open calendar day! As my only child wraps up his senior year these are slowly happening more often. A totally unscheduled day when I choose what gets done is a gift of abundance I appreciate!
I could not imagine living in a place without a good library! Such richness!