Enough For Everyone

Do you ever find yourself holding back? Maybe you don't feel like leaving an adequate tip. Or, you resent someone else winning a prize. How about if another person is happy -- do you worry that it means less happiness for you?

Somewhere as we go through life we get the idea that there isn't "enough". Not enough money, joy, good fortune, or even potential partners. If someone else receives a gift, we began to be afraid that there won't be anything left for us. We get caught up in a poverty mentality and it doesn't just relate to dollars and cents.

There is a beautiful teaching from Buddha:

May you see others' joy as your own

Basically, whenever we see a person receive a blessing, boon or windfall, of any kind, the best response we could have is to be happy for them. It's evidence of an abundant Universe and when we send out the energy that it is a good thing, we invite it to come our way. If we get jealous or upset -- if we wonder why they were so "lucky" and we weren't -- if we criticize and complain, we shut down our own receiving spirit.

Time and time again I've had teachers and gurus and mentors tell me,

"Nobody has to lose for you to win.

There is always more than enough."

We limit ourselves and our world when we are bitter about someone else's gain. We close our fists and freeze or restrict our capability to also increase our own rewards. We focus on what we lack instead of celebrating the unlimited potential all around us. There is more than enough to go around and someone else does not have to fail to benefit or suffer deprivation for us to all experience good fortune. Open your hands, your heart, your mind and dance with the world's prosperity and plentifulness.