The Keys to Prosperity

In my first post, Frugal Sucks!, I listed all the negative connotations that frugality brings to mind. Things like deprivation and lack of options. But if I'm going to embrace prosperity as a solution that can work for me (where frugality just can't) I need to understand what it is. What are the elements of prosperity?

For me, prosperity includes all of the following:

• Health -- just as it's the healthy plant that thrives and prospers in the garden, it's the healthy household or business that can be considered prosperous. Clearly, each of us experiences a certain amount of good or ill health during our lives. And often our health is out of our control. But I believe that in order to be prosperous we need to make every effort to be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.
  
  
• Sustainability -- the prosperous farm is one that can continue to thrive during the winter months. It is the same with a prosperous life. The more we can sustain those positives that we have in our lives through the difficult times, the more prosperous we can say that we are. The ability to weather tough times is the hallmark of someone who has their "act together."
  
  
• Generosity -- I don't believe that selfishness and prosperity go together. If prosperity is my goal, shouldn't I want that goal for others as well? I don't just want to be prosperous, I want to live in a prosperous family, community, and country. The more prosperous we can all be, the better off we all are. A prosperous business creates products and jobs. A prosperous farm delivers healthy, abundant food. The prosperous household has the means to purchase the things it needs and thereby supports the prosperity of others. That means that with our own prosperity comes an obligation to help our neighbors prosper as well.
  
  
• Positivity -- one of the major issues with frugality for me is that it seems so incredibly negative. Not only does it force me to focus on those things I can't do, choose, or have; it puts all my efforts into dealing with my perceived poverty. Concentrating on being frugal makes me concentrate on feeling poor. I believe that in order to be prosperous, we have to have a positive outlook. People who I admire (many of whom would describe themselves as frugal -- my issues with the term are my own) are very positive. So while I can't be frugal, I want to emulate their positive attitudes.
  
  
• Introspection -- without knowing yourself you can't understand what kind of life it is you want. And, in terms of a family, you can't communicate that to each other. Without that knowledge you just make the same old bad choices. Choices that lead away from your goals because your goals aren't articulated. Looking within has to be a component of living the life you want.
  
  
• Appreciation -- we are, each of us, incredibly wealthy. Those of us in the Western world (particularly those with means to enjoy the Internet) have more material goods, more equality, more freedom, and more access to information than just about any people in history. We need to remember to feel appreciation and gratitude for the wealth we already have if we're going to embrace prosperity in our own lives. Without that appreciation, prosperity can just become another money game (earn more in order to buy more -- that's not what I think of as prosperous).
  
  
• Focus -- while I've complained a bit that frugality seems to focus on negativity and lack and a poverty mindset (at least in terms of my own preconceptions) I would never complain that it includes elements of discipline, will power, and focus. Without those we can never meet our goals. Prosperity might sound more fun than frugality, but I never thought it wouldn't also include hard work and self-discipline.

For me, these are the keys to prosperity. Perhaps over time I'll adjust the list or find more. But next step is to explore each of these areas in order to learn more and determine exactly what advice I can take from each.