The term “scarcity mindset” has been showing up in my orbit for months. It was time to get curious.

“A scarcity mindset is a fear-based mentality that typically is passed down generationally, is learned from parents, or [is the result of] traumatic events that make us see the world as an unsafe place,” How a “Scarcity Mindset” Can Create Clutter | Apartment Therapy

Many of us know someone who experienced “Depression-era trauma”, the severe and prolonged psychological and financial scars left by the Great Depression of 1929 to 1939.

Living through chronic economic collapse created psychological responses such as:

• Hoarding – saving everything from food scraps to worn-out items based on a fear of losing access to basic needs.
• Toxic Frugality – an unescapable reluctance to spend money, even with the financial means, and intense anxiety over unexpected expenses
• Debt Avoidance – distrust of credit, loans or the banking system
• Suffer in Silence – suppress emotional distress, avoid feeling vulnerable believing one must “tough it out”

Depression survivors developed coping mechanisms that trickled down through the generations: anxiety around money, perfectionism, or an internalized belief that resources are inherently limited.

Other causes of scarcity mindset include upbringing and childhood environment, societal expectations and cultural norms.  Scarcity mindset can begin without a shortage of resources or opportunities.

In this mindset, there’s a tendency to fixate on lack (or belief there’s lack) such as not enough time, money, energy, support, opportunities, or even personal worth. It’s difficult to focus on anything else, including other needs or important responsibilities.  

Sometimes called tunnel vision, this obsession can lead to increased stress, low self-esteem, and poor decision-making. It can also have a negative impact on mental health, relationships, and quality of life. Scarcity Mindset: Causes And How To Unlearn It

When our brain is constantly preoccupied with perceived lack, we’re more likely to make hasty decisions without considering the long-term consequences. You may find yourself constantly worrying about what could go wrong, comparing yourself to others, or feeling behind, no matter how much you accomplish.

A scarcity mindset propagates an all-or-nothing, negative outlook, with deep roots in insecurity, fear, and a lack of trust. Emotionally, a scarcity mindset often shows up as anxiety, irritability, guilt, or chronic self-criticism. You might struggle to rest without feeling unproductive, say yes when you’re depleted out of fear of missing out, or feel undeserving of help, pleasure, or abundance.

A scarcity mindset isn’t a personal failing. It often develops in response to real experiences: financial stress, major life transitions, trauma, burnout, or prolonged uncertainty. The brain adapts to protect you, but over time, this protective mechanism can keep you stuck in survival mode.

Signs That You May Have a Scarcity Mindset 

• You have experienced poverty or the loss of your home or belongings due to a natural disaster, theft, or another life-altering event.
• You often worry that you won’t have enough food, clothing, other items, people in your life, or time.
• You fear that you’ll run out of money, no matter how much you make or save.
• You struggle to get rid of items.
• You always feel like you’re behind on your to-do list or in your finances.
• You have trouble saying no to things because you’re afraid another similar opportunity won’t come along.

Scarcity or Abundance

In scarcity, there is never enough and we hang on to things out of fear – thinking we may need it in the future, or we won’t have the money to replace it. Abundance mindset believes there is always enough clothing, food, money or friends. In the home, abundance mindset will allow you to get rid of things easily because you know you can borrow, rent or re-purchase an item if required.

While scarcity can keep us hyper-focused on our immediate needs, an abundance mentality allows us to work on long-term goals, consider different possibilities, and make decisions accordingly.

There are no limits in abundance. What an empowering way to live!

How to Overcome Scarcity Mindset

It takes time.

Train your mind to reframe negative thoughts and recognize other possibilities.

Set small realistic goals

Practice gratitude for what you currently have

Build community with people who have abundance mindset

What are your thoughts? Could you have scarcity mindset? I certainly have aspects of it.

Keep in mind capitalism relies on psychological scarcity. By manufacturing the feeling that we are not enough or don’t have enough, the system drives constant consumption and competition that fuels economic growth.

And our natural resources? There is plenty to go around so long as everyone takes only what they need. Indigenous culture shows us the way if only we’d listen. It’s not always about profit and net gains.

A reminder that comments are open on the blog. I recognize not everyone is comfortable commenting on a public forum like social media. I’ll do my best to moderate both sites.

Speaking of scarcity, this isn’t a mindset. It’s a fact. I do not have enough content for upcoming publications in June.

In the past, I’ve worked really hard, too hard in fact and risked another burnout, to keep this blog going. I’ll keep doing what I can but your help is needed to make multiple publications per week sustainable.

If you have a story to tell or know someone who does, send me a note. That story could make the difference to someone else.

Whether you actually grew up on a farm or not, there’s a good likelihood your ancestors worked the land and grew their own food to provide for the family. We will probably never fully grasp the struggles and hardships they endured.