From Scarcity to Abundance

(Mindset Shifts for Teachers – Week 3)

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.” — Epicurus

Teaching often feels like a constant race against the clock. There’s never enough time, never enough planning periods, never enough energy to meet every need. It’s easy to start believing that your worth—or your success—depends on getting just a little more.

That's the voice of scarcity: "If I had smaller classes, I could really teach." "If I had more support, I'd finally feel balanced." "If I could just get through this week, things would calm down."

Scarcity keeps us chasing a finish line that keeps moving. It narrows our focus to what’s missing instead of what’s working.

Abundance doesn’t mean ignoring challenges—it means widening your lens. It’s noticing what’s already here: The student who was suddenly engaged today. The colleague who checked in when you were having a rough morning. The quiet moment between classes, where you could finally breathe.

When you notice what’s good, gratitude grows—and so does perspective. The circumstances may not change, but your sense of agency and calm will.

Teaching from a place of abundance helps us approach problems with creativity instead of frustration. We stop saying, “There’s nothing I can do,” and start asking, “What can I do with what I have right now?”

That question is where innovation begins.

Beyond the Classroom

Scarcity doesn’t end when we leave school—it shows up everywhere.

• “I don’t have enough time to exercise.”
• “I don’t have enough money to travel.”
• “I don’t have enough energy for my relationships.”

But an abundance mindset reminds us that we already have something to work with: time, ideas, people, chances. The starting point for change isn’t more—it’s awareness.

When you pause to notice what’s already enough, life feels less like survival and more like possibility. Abundance is built through gratitude, presence, and generosity:

• Gratitude helps you see what’s working.
• Presence helps you savor what you have.
• Generosity reminds you that there’s always enough to share—whether it’s encouragement, time, or kindness.

Try This:

At the end of each day this week, write down three things you had enough of today. Maybe it was time to laugh, food to enjoy, or patience to finish the day.

Over time, this daily list turns scarcity into appreciation—and appreciation into peace.

Reflection Prompt

What’s one area of your teaching—or your life—where you’ve been focused on what’s missing? What abundance might already exist there if you looked closer?

With Gratitude,

Jeremy