Week in Review #17: Abundance mentality in life and business.
Plus the real luxuries of life and my October moodboard.
One of the biggest and most significant changes I’ve made in my life is the shift from a scarcity mentality into an abundance mentality/growth mindset. It didn’t happen overnight, but when I look back I can definitely see the change happening slowly over time.
What exactly is a scarcity vs abundance mindset? For anyone unfamiliar (as I was just a couple years ago!), a scarcity mindset focuses on what's missing and can make you feel like there’s never enough — whether it’s money, time, or opportunities. It’s rooted in fear and competition, where someone else’s win feels like your loss. On the other hand, an abundance mindset is all about recognizing what you do have and trusting that there’s more than enough to go around. When you shift into this mindset, you start to see opportunities instead of obstacles, celebrate other people’s success, and open yourself up to more growth and collaboration. It’s an overall more optimistic, generous, and empowering way to approach life (and honestly way less stressful!).
Highly related to abundance mindset (and my gateway to this new way of thinking) is growth mindset. I learned about this first through Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success1. The two ways of thinking have a significant amount of overlap, which include:
Belief in Opportunities: Both mindsets see life as full of opportunities. An abundance mindset believes there’s enough for everyone — whether it’s success, resources, or ideas. Similarly, a growth mindset believes that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, meaning there’s always room for improvement and new possibilities.
Openness to Learning: A growth mindset thrives on challenges, viewing them as chances to learn and grow. An abundance mindset shares this openness by seeing setbacks as temporary and solvable, believing that challenges can lead to new solutions and opportunities.
Optimism and Resilience: Both mindsets cultivate a sense of optimism. In a growth mindset, failure isn’t final — it's just a step toward improvement. In an abundance mindset, there’s a sense that even if something goes wrong, there are plenty of chances to make it right or try again.
I'm confident that this shift in mindset has led to less stress, more fulfillment in both my career and personal life, higher tolerance for “failure,” and greater success overall. I either win, or I learn (which is actually the topic of a children’s book I used to read to my kids!) — taking each setback as valuable information that helps me grow and trusting that everything will ultimately work out for the best.
What kind of mindset do you feel like your life is driven by? How is that impacting your life, whether personally or professionally?
P.S. If this resonated with you, you will love the Thought of the Week from my newsletter last week.
Thought of the Week
October Moodboard
This month is about embracing ease, comfort, and style. It’s about finding beauty in the in-between moments — a hot cup of coffee with a friend, a quiet walk in that perfectly chilly morning air, or getting lost in a great book. These simple, everyday experiences become richer when we slow down and savor them (instead of giving in to the rush that can come with the upcoming holiday season).
The energy for this October? Don’t overthink it. Be confident and comfortable in your style, choosing pieces that make sense for your life and are an expression of who you are (because there’s nobody like you out there!).
A Few Recent Outfits
Outfit 1 / Outfit 2 / Outfit 3 / Outfit 4
Coming Soon to NBD
We have 3 drops this month, all of which I think you’re going to love!
French Pins | We are releasing a brand new style, the Shell French Pin, and also restocking our Classic and Asymmetrical styles.
Malibu Sunglasses | Our take on a 1980s, Tom Cruise-inspired pair of shades. They’re minimalist, effortless, and oh-so-cool, and we will have them in Black, Tortoise and Amber. Get all 3 and you’ll have a pair of sunnies to go with everything in your closet.
NBD x THATCH Fall/Holiday Collection | We had so much fun designing pieces for spring and summer, we decided to keep the ball rolling and do a fall/holiday collection together! First up, we’re going to release a gold-plated version of the Full Circle Coin Necklace for those of you who love the design, but weren’t quite ready to commit the price point of a fine jewelry piece right now. Then later this month, we have a gorgeous collection coming out with pearl earrings, twist hoops, ear cuffs, and more. You’re going to love it! Be sure you’re on the 1st dibs list so you can shop before everyone else :) And until then, you can shop the final few of our existing designs (which are, in my opinion, 100% timeless and seasonless)
Currently Reading
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten | Absolutely loving this!! I truly look forward to bedtime every night when I dive back into it. So easy and enjoyable to read and I love learning more about her life.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager | I’m going to start this on this weekend. I actually ordered it a while ago after a friend recommended it, with the intention to read it in October due to the spookiness of the plot.
Hope you have a great weekend — until next time!
xx
Natalie
P.S. You might also like…
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I’m glad I read this tonight because it really resonated with me…sometimes in life we get so wrapped up in who has what, who is doing what and we forget what’s really important in our lives. As hard as it can be, it’s so worth it to tune out the noise and focus on what truly matters—being happy with what we have and being happy for others. Negativity and comparing ourselves is not only exhausting but makes us miss out on so much. So thank you for shining a light on this, being self aware, and ultimately choosing happiness in life. -Bri
I recently read “The Gain and The Gap”, which is another excellent book about celebrating the gains we have made from our starting points instead of comparing ourselves to our ideal destination point. Really good read.