Spring is when opportunity surrounds us: Plants are blooming and coming into their fullness. Snowmelt and rains bring streams and rivers rushing through their paths. New life is everywhere. Spring is a powerful time to tune in to nature’s abundance and be open to new opportunities. Whether that means an unexpected twist in your work life that brings in more wealth, a new and enlivening relationship that fills your spirit or even a chance to travel and experience new things, we would all do well to open ourselves to the unknown pleasures the universe has in store for us.
4 ways to be open to new opportunities
However, we must first do the work of readying ourselves to receive these opportunities. Cultivating abundance, clearing away busy minds and schedules, focusing on gratitude and committing to curiosity are all key to opening the window that will allow opportunity to shine in. This work is not hard, but it is intentional. Here are four ways to invite opportunity into your life during this season of growth:
1. Cultivate an abundance mindset.
For many of us, having enough never feels like enough because we live with a scarcity mindset. The rug could come out from under us at any second, so we have to hustle and overproduce in order to stay ahead. If you live your life in constant worry that the well is about to run dry, however, you may create a self-fulfilling prophecy (and even if you don’t, you’ll certainly produce a lot of unnecessary anxiety). Instead, start each morning with a mantra that cultivates an abundance mindset. Tell yourself that you live in a world of abundance, that good things are coming your way and that you welcome opportunity with open arms.
2. Clear your mind and your schedule.
We live in a culture that glorifies busy and productive and leaves little room for quiet exploration of self. But those moments of solitude are exactly what you need; if you are hyper-focused on staying busy, opportunities will pass you by. You must let go of the scarcity mindset that tells you constant motion is the only way to find peace and security. You need breathing room to explore what you really want. Clearing your mind and opening your schedule will allow you to make room for the opportunity you most desire to come into your life.
3. Say thank you.
You might think of thank you notes as something reserved for post-party gratitude, but they can actually be a great way to foster connection. Thank people for sharing their time, their expertise and their experience, whether with a handwritten note or an email. Send a thank you note to people who have influenced your growth. Thank people who have shown up for you during hard times in your life. The act of writing your gratitude and literally sending it out into the world will help open yourself new opportunities. Not only does it remind you to live in a state of gratitude and abundance, but showing your appreciation and interest in others will bring both giver and receiver a tremendous boost in happiness.
4. Get curious to be open to new opportunities.
Do you remember the curiosity you once had in childhood? Do you remember how much your world opened up thanks to that curiosity? So why do we stop being curious about our world and ourselves? Opportunity loves growth, so if you are doing the same things, thinking about the same things and pursuing the same things day after day, opportunity isn’t likely to come knocking. Allow yourself room to be curious about what truly interests you, and lean into learning more about yourself. It is our job as humans to grow and seek knowledge. In doing so, we will be open to accepting new opportunities in our lives.
This article was published in May 2019 and has been updated. Photo by Pressmaster/Shutterstock
Gemma Hartley is a full-time freelance writer living in Reno, Nevada. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, CNBC, Glamour, Women’s Health, Redbook and more.
