The word "shortage" captures an important element of a worldview in which one believes that life is a win-lose game. This type of worldview, we call the shortage of orientation. On the other hand, if you believe that the world offers an "abundance" of opportunities, that "there is enough for all" and that "the profit of one is not at the expense of the other," you have an orientation towards abundance.

Studies of positive psychology have shown that people with a tendency to abundance have greater chances both for personal happiness and for success. Since orientation to deficiency is at the same time evolutionary and cultural, we often manifest it without even realizing it as opposed to the orientation towards abundance, which usually requires conscious building.

The first step towards creating an orientation towards abundance is to figure out where we are at the moment. How often do we catch things such as:

-        Comments behind colleagues’ backs and gossip;

-        Authoritarian and accusatory tone;

-        Complaining and mumbling;

-        Disgraceful attitude towards a person or his work;

-        Excessive sensitivity to criticism and aggressive response as a result of a protective response;

-        Difficult finding and searching for solutions;

-        Overly critical?

These are manifestations of shortage.

Begin to notice the scarcity around you. Search for repeatability, things that happen over and over again to find the difference between just one bad day and the serious problem. If it turns out that there is a problem, which is the more likely case, do not justify it with "human nature". Yes, the primitive part of our brain may have faster access to our reactions, but we also have higher level response capabilities that can overcome these instincts.

What can you do to develop an orientation towards abundance?

Prof. Raj Raghunathan, author of the book, "If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?" recommends three simple steps:

Do not share gossip or at least not talk negatively about colleagues we work with. We can call this an "exercise to avoid gossip". From the beginning it may be difficult, but with time it's getting easier.

The second practice is called a "Thanksgiving Diary." The easiest way is to record on a daily basis 3 good things that happened to us at work. These may be relatively small things - such as someone to smile at us, find a good parking space, or even hear a good song at lunchtime.

The third practice is to spend time in nature, especially in places where we do not have access to a telephone or internet. Research shows that time in nature not only improves mood but also helps to adjust to abundance.

In addition, we would say - work on building confidence in your own abilities and training to master your instinctive reactions.