Helping My Hummingbirds Shift from a Scarcity Mindset to One of Abundance

Hummingbirds are magical creatures. A couple months ago, I noticed one hovering outside my bedroom window, trying to get to the purple orchid on the other side. I didn’t want it to hurt itself trying to fly though my window, so I promptly bought this hummingbird feeder. That’s an affiliate link, and I really hope you purchase one. You won’t regret it!

Hanging a hummingbird feeder and a basket of red, white, and purple flowers on my back porch has been the greatest, simplest upgrade to my living space. I’ve since bought another, and am gifting more to friends.

Not only is the feeder gorgeous itself, but it attracts ruby-throated hummingbirds that are oh-so-fun to watch! I’ve been gushing about hummingbirds so much, friends started sending me articles about them.

Sorry for the sub-par photos. These hummingbirds deserve a proper camera, not just an iPhone.

Fun facts about hummingbirds:

• Hummingbirds have the largest hearts—relative to their size—of all birds
• Large hearts allow them to pump blood more efficiently so they can perform Olympic-level acrobatics as they zoom through the air
• They’re the only birds that can hover and fly backward and upside down
• Hummingbirds also have the largest brains of all birds
• They’re the second-largest family of birds in the Americas
• There are more than 300 species of hummingbirds
• Hummingbirds need to eat every 10 to 15 minutes
• Hummingbirds go into a mini-hibernation state (torpor) when they can’t maintain their 105º F body temperature

Hummingbirds As Spirit Animals in Folklore and Mythology

The hummingbird is a sacred animal to the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations and many Native American tribes. If you google “hummingbird symbolism” or “hummingbird spirit guide meanings,” you’ll find various magical associations.

I’m not going to get into all that right now. I think hummingbirds mean different things to every person who has an affinity for them. My friend Hayley and I both feel like hummingbirds (and dragonflies) appear when we need a sign that we’re on the right track. They’re like a “YES” from Mother Earth.

My most recent experience with this occurred when I (re)started reading and hand-editing the first draft of what will become my first novel.

~ Read 7 unforgettable lessons from writing the first draft of my first novel ~

After setting it aside for perhaps too long, I took the spiral-bound bundle of typed pages out on my back deck—where my hummingbird feeder is set up—and got to work with a red pen.

Within 10 minutes, I was visited by not one, not two, but three ruby-throated hummingbirds! I knew this was a sign that my dreams of becoming a YA fantasy author will manifest.

But then I noticed something odd about the birds’ behavior. They were darting at one another and squeaking like little hovering dog toys. I couldn’t tell if they were fighting or courting one another.

My Hummingbirds Have A Scarcity Mindset

A google search revealed that hummingbirds do indeed fight. They’re especially likely to become territorial if vital resources like food and water are scarce. Much as I wish animals would cooperate in a Snow White-like fashion, nature is not a Disney movie.

There was more than enough nectar in the feeder (homemade simple syrup, no red dye!) to nourish all of them. They didn’t care. Instead of perching at one of the five flower-shaped feeding holes, they kept buzzing around, fending the others off.

That’s when I realized my hummingbirds have a scarcity mindset.

What is a scarcity mindset?

Scarcity mindset is a concept from Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.” It involves:

• The belief that wealth and opportunities are limited
• Fear that you’ll never have enough

No bueno, friends. This first belief is simply not true in many cases, especially that of my hummingbirds.

Okay, maybe I’m being a little facetious in drawing parallels between these beautiful bitty birds and a serious psychological phenomenon that keeps many people in poverty.

The point is that perception of lack changes our thinking and behaviour. (That spelling was an accident. I’m an American who’s been reading a lot of international writers, and I guess the spelling is creeping into my system.)

The opposite of a scarcity mindset is one of abundance

There are plenty of times I’ve been in scarcity mode. As this Psychology Today article points out, a scarcity mindset can be helpful. So, I don’t want to discount it altogether.

However, I want these hummingbirds to stop fighting and enjoy the nectar I set out for them.

Whenever I feel that focusing on scarcity is holding me back, I flip it around.

I focus on abundance instead. Tapping is great for this. Brad Yates, one of my favorite EFT YouTubers, often reminds his audience that every breath we take is proof of the unlimited abundance of oxygen. Isn’t that beautiful?

How I’m shifting my hummingbirds into an abundance mindset

I can’t teach hummingbirds to tap.

What I can do is buy another feeder and set it up at a safe distance from the first. I’ve already ordered another one identical to the feeder hanging from my deck.

Most of the time, I see two birds buzzing one another away from the feeder. So, I think two feeders will work for now. If the third bird comes back and tries to start trouble, or if more begin to appear, I’ll keep setting up nectar stations all over my 10 acres of land. I’m also going to research native plants they like because washing and refilling a dozen hummingbird feeders every few days sounds like a lot of work.

I want the hummingbirds to know there’s more than enough sweetness for everyone. I want you to know that, too.

Speaking of abundance, I’ve recently reopened my email tarot readings shop. Please check it out! If you want to gain insight into your own material wealth, spiritual path, or another area of life, I’d love to help! Your support helps provide food, water, and shelter to hummingbirds, and all the wildlife that frequents my homestead.

Thank you for reading!

Cover image via Pexels.