Occasionally I feel deprived. Maybe I don’t have the money to buy that new dress or I can’t have a piece of cake. One of my best cures for feeling deprived is to take inventory of what I’ve got, and to give away what I no longer need, i.e. share some of my ‘unused’ abundance.
For example, if you’ve got 4 coats (your trench, down parka, and running jacket that you actually wear…plus the fur coat your mother-in-law gave you that you’ve never worn and doesn’t even fit) then GIVE away the fur coat to someone who will appreciate it. You can freecycle it, sell it at a consignment shop, or bring it to a Free Swap. Selling it might make you a little money, but giving it away is uplifting and empowering spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.
When you find and give something away that you no longer need, you realize how much ABUNDANCE you have. Something as simple as giving away your extra garden zucchini to a food bank or a neighbor can give you (and them) a lift like no other, plus make you feel like a philanthropist just for doing the right thing: keeping extra food from spoiling or clearing out clutter from your closet. And the converse – if you see an offer on freecycle or find something at a free swap that you can use, take it! You are keeping useable items out of the landfill and helping others clear out clutter from their lives. This isn’t sacrificial; you are giving away your excess, or sharing your abundance. We all have abundance, even if it’s something as simple as a kind word, a thank you, or a smile.
So the next time you’re feeling deprived, or down about what you don’t have, think about what you DO have. And then give away one thing that you no longer love/need/want. You’ll feel better. And so will someone else.
Better Ideas Now 
Thanks, gracefully50:)
Great advice!
Sue, our family is living proof of this. It seems what we give away, something better shows up in it’s place. Luckly, most of the good isn’t clutter…and if it turns into clutter, out it goes (eventually) again. For example, I just freecycled some wide rule spiral ring notebooks today. We haven’t needed wide rule paper since the kids started middle school, and this year my sons a junior in HS. So I don’t think we need it anymore. The lady picking up has early grade school kids who will put it immediately to use! Seeing my office supply cabinet neater and less cluttered is very satisfying to me.
Love this, Barb! Thank you for the reminder and the nudge. From fur coats to zucchinis to smiles, how wonderful to know that the more we give, the more we realize we have — and the less we need.