Redefining Abundance: A Journey Back to Receiving

Surrounded by nature’s quiet gifts, she realized—abundance isn’t something to earn, but something to witness, to welcome, and to walk with.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been curious about what abundance truly means. Not the dictionary definition, not the motivational buzzword—but the real, lived, felt experience of it.

Growing up and even into adulthood, I absorbed the societal narrative that abundance was closely tied to achievement: financial wealth, professional success, prestigious titles, and the ability to provide a high standard of living for your family. And while I tried to adopt this definition as truth, deep down, something in me resisted.

There was always a quiet tug inside that questioned it all.

Did I really need to follow a conventional career path, like becoming a doctor, lawyer, or executive, in order to feel abundant? Was abundance truly reserved for those who climbed ladders, built empires, and hit certain financial milestones?

Despite the world telling me otherwise, I wasn’t convinced. I wanted to believe abundance could exist beyond status and money—but I didn’t yet know what that looked like, or how to fully trust it.

Until recently.

My family and I were preparing for one of the most meaningful and costly trips we’d ever taken. I had done the budgeting, saved diligently, and planned for what I believed would cover our essentials and some joy-filled exploration. But once the trip began, so did the unexpected expenses. No matter how much I tried to stay ahead, things popped up that I didn’t account for. I found myself constantly calculating, adjusting, and—honestly—stressing.

And then, something shifted.

I started to notice small moments of generosity—discounts offered without asking, people around us stepping in to help, or covering a cost simply because they could. These weren’t grand gestures, but they were undeniably kind. And suddenly, it hit me: this was abundance. Right here, in these unplanned, unearned, unexpected gifts.

Abundance wasn’t only in my effort or earning. It was in what I allowed myself to see and what I gave myself permission to receive.

That realization cracked something open in me.

For the first time, I understood that abundance isn’t just about what you create with your hands, your work, or your savings account. It’s also about what you’re willing to allow into your life. It’s about noticing the quiet ways the universe meets you—and trusting that you don’t have to carry it all on your own.

And here's the part I want to emphasize: you have to be open to receiving it.

That’s why I’m highlighting these words: ALLOW and RECEIVE. It’s one thing to want something. It’s another to actually let it in. So many of us are comfortable giving—but receiving can feel foreign, vulnerable, or even undeserved. That deserves its own conversation (which I’ll explore in another post soon), but for now, just consider: what would it look like to allow yourself to receive with grace?

When I let go of the pressure to be the sole provider of abundance in my life, something beautiful happened. The weight lifted. I saw the support that had always been there. I gave more freely. I trusted more deeply. And even in small, quiet ways, what I gave came back to me—sometimes not in the same form or amount, but always with the same energy.

That was another powerful lesson: abundance doesn’t always return in the package you expect. It might not show up as a dollar-for-dollar exchange. But when your giving comes from a genuine place, from your heart without expectations, the universe has a beautiful way of reflecting that back to you in the ways you need most.

Today, abundance looks different for me.

It looks like peace of mind. It feels like trust. It sounds like laughter shared freely with loved ones. It shows up in support, presence, and generosity—from myself and others.

And while I’ve gained clarity, I’ll be honest—staying in this new awareness isn’t always easy.

There are still moments I catch myself slipping into old beliefs, feeling the pressure to earn or prove abundance through effort alone. But like any muscle in the brain, this new understanding can be strengthened through practice. Each time I pause to acknowledge abundance around me, each time I soften and receive instead of strive, I’m rewiring those old thought patterns. And over time, with repetition, this new way of seeing can become second nature—a more peaceful, grounded, and truthful foundation to live from.

Unless, of course, life shows me a new layer of what abundance is. Because I also believe our understanding evolves as we do. And if or when a new definition comes into my awareness, you can trust I’ll share it with you here.

So now I ask you:What does abundance mean to you?Is it shaped by the world around you—or is it ready to be reimagined through the lens of your own truth?

May this reflection inspire you to question what abundance has meant to you until now. May it give you permission to redefine it on your own terms. And most of all, may it remind you that abundance isn’t something you must chase—it’s something you can choose to receive.

With love and infinite possibility,

Suzanna Vardanyan