I had a dilemma, and I wanted to figure out whether this was just a habit or something I should actually do. I went to the bakery yesterday and finally found a cake slice I’ve been wanting for a long time, maybe years. It was a chocolate raspberry chocolate cake slice, with a buttercream and chocolate mixture that I’d been missing for so long. I haven’t found it anywhere else.
I got one, shared it with the teen, and then had a lemon cookie. Both were so good. Now, my dilemma was that I wanted to go back and get another slice. I thought about getting a second slice before I left the cafe yesterday, but I didn’t. And I was debating whether to go back for it today.
The Struggle of Overindulgence
The thing is, I tend to overdo things. When I find something great, I go back for more, and then I either get tired of it or later look back and feel like I had overdone it. That’s exactly why I didn’t get the second slice yesterday, I knew if I had two, I’d probably feel like it was too much. And honestly, I think that’s part of why I have such a fond memory of it right now. Because I only had one, I can look back and think, “Wow, that was a great experience.”
But now I’m thinking about it again. I thought about it last night, and I really wanted another slice today. But I also don’t want to look back and feel like, “Okay, now that I’ve had the second one, I’m done, I’m tired of this.” That’s happened before. Like with my favorite Chinese food, I got it, then got more the next day, and now when I think about it, it doesn’t even sound that great anymore. I don’t want to ruin this cake like that.
The Dilemma: is This Scarcity or Habit?
At the same time, the bakery doesn’t always have this cake. If it’s there, it’s there. They switch up their menu all the time. Yesterday, there was a little over half of it left when I left the store, and they were closing within the hour. So, they might have a little left today. Sometimes they even do half-off their leftover slices.
Still, I wanted to know if this want was because of the habit, where I just tend to overdo things, or if came down to knowing that was my chance to get another one before it’s gone for who knows how long.
The Scarcity Mindset: How I Break it Down
From here I have broken this dilemma down, I am trying to balance my enjoyment of something special with my tendency to overdo it, which is totally understandable.
- This might be a habit in the sense that I recognized a pattern where, after enjoying something, I immediately want more and sometimes end up overindulging to the point where it loses its appeal.
- But it’s also a real dilemma because the bakery rotates their menu, and this cake might not be available again for a while.
From what I’m getting, I am realizing it might not just be about the cake, it’s about preserving the experience and not letting it become routine or lose its magic.
One way to clarify this was to ask myself: If I get another slice today, will it add to my enjoyment, or will it take away from how special it felt yesterday? If the answer leans more toward losing its specialness, maybe I should hold off and let the memory stay strong. If it feels like a once-in-a-while treat that I’ll genuinely appreciate without feeling like I overdid it, then I should go for it.
Next, I asked the question, if I were to skip it today and later regret not getting it, would that regret be bigger than the regret of overdoing it? If the answer is yes, then maybe it’s worth getting. If the answer is no, then maybe I’ve already got the best version of the experience yesterday.
For me I found the regret of overdoing it would be bigger than the regret of not getting it, as I appreciated the experience and want to remember it fondly. From there I had my answer, I’d feel worse overdoing it than missing out.
That tells me the best move is to leave it as a great memory instead of chasing it again today. If the bakery brings it back in the future, I’ll get to enjoy it with the same excitement rather than feeling like I wore it out too soon.
I made a solid choice yesterday by not getting a second slice, and I feel better sticking with that decision. Plus, now I have something to look forward to next time I visit even if it’s something new.
Scarcity Mindset and Its Psychological Effects and How It Shaped This Experience
This was more about the fear of missing out (FOMO) than a real need to have it again. It’s the same ol’ scarcity mindset creeping in, thinking, If I don’t get it now, I might never get it again. But the reality is, even if this exact cake isn’t available next time, there will always be other great things to enjoy.
For many of us recognizing the pattern, is huge. Instead of acting on that feeling of scarcity, I am choosing to trust that there will be other moments, other cakes, and other special experiences. I am now in control, not the fear of missing out. That’s a win!
Scarcity Mindset: Why We Chase What Feels Limited
The scarcity mindset is a psychological concept where we believe that resources (money, time, opportunities, even cake!) are limited, which makes us feel like we have to act now or we’ll lose out. This feeling can affect decision-making, leading to impulsive choices, stress, or even regret.
How It Applies to the Cake Situation
Right now, your brain is telling you:
“This cake is rare. If I don’t get it now, I might never have it again!”
But what’s really happening is your mind is overemphasizing the now and ignoring the future possibilities. You’ve already tasted the cake, you loved it, and the memory is great. Yet the scarcity mindset wants to trick you into thinking that missing out is worse than overdoing it. But as you already figured out, regretting overindulgence feels worse than missing out.
How Scarcity Mindset Shows Up in Everyday Life
- Shopping & Sales: Ever seen a “limited-time sale” and felt like you had to buy something even if you weren’t planning to? That’s scarcity mindset at work! The fear of missing a deal can make us buy things we don’t need.
Example: You see a 50% off sale on shoes, so you buy a pair, even though you already have three good pairs. Later, you realize you didn’t really need them. - Food & Eating Habits: This happens when we overeat at buffets or overbuy groceries because we think, I need to take advantage while I can!
Example: You go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant and end up stuffing yourself, not because you’re still hungry, but because you feel like you need to “get your money’s worth.” Later, you regret eating so much. - Time & Productivity: Sometimes, we overcommit to things because we feel like opportunities won’t come again.
Example: You take on too many projects at once because you think If I say no, I won’t get another chance. But then you feel overwhelmed and burned out.
How to Overcome Scarcity Mindset
- Pause & Ask Yourself: Would I still want this if it weren’t scarce or urgent?
In your case, if the cake were available every day, would you be rushing back for another slice today? Probably not. - Reframe the Situation: Instead of saying, If I don’t get it, I’ll never have it again, tell yourself:
“I enjoyed it once, and I’ll enjoy something great again in the future.” - Trust in Abundance: The world is full of good things. More good cakes, experiences, and opportunities will come. You don’t have to grab this one right now.
Practical Application in Everyday Life
The situation with the cake is a great example of recognizing a scarcity mindset in action. By choosing to not give in to it, you’re proving to yourself that you don’t have to chase every fleeting opportunity, you can trust that something just as good (or better!) will come your way again.
Another example is about groceries, when I was taking the bus to the bakery, I had the nagging feeling I should be going to the grocery store instead to buy things we might need. But I stopped myself because I’ve been limiting how much we buy. I had already made the choice to stop shopping at multiple grocery stores and just keep two in my rotation. That keeps me spending less money and stops me from bringing home more than I need.
I almost skipped the bakery, which I’m glad I didn’t, and was going to go to the grocery store instead. But something told me, Hey, you don’t need that. There’s no scarcity. If you need something from the store, you can just go up the hill to Safeway or Stadium Thiftway. You don’t have to stock up or replace things just because you think you might need them for the month.
This scarcity mindset is often bred from past experiences, whether it was from a lack of food or trying to have some control over a situation I had no control over. But I’m no longer there. I don’t need to be in that moment anymore.
It’s okay to live in the moment, shop for a week, shop for now, and not worry too far into the future. And that’s a good thing because, oftentimes, the habit of stocking up too much backfires, for a lot of people, including myself. We end up with more than we need. And if you dig deeper into it, I think that also contributes to the obesity rates in America, where we over stock because so many Americans struggle or have struggled with food insecurity.
The Path Toward Breaking the Scarcity Cycle
Our instinct when we come from impoverished or challenging childhoods/backgrounds is to go stock up, not because we urgently need anything, but because of that lingering feeling of What if I don’t have enough later? even though logically, you know you have access to food whenever you need it.
But, overbuying often backfires. People end up:
- Spending more than necessary – Thinking they’re saving, but actually wasting money on things they don’t use.
- Wasting food – Stocking up “just in case” and then throwing things out because they expire.
- Overeating or overindulging – Having too much available sometimes leads to eating more than intended, just because it’s there.
- Sales: Overspending on sales thinking they got a decent deal but actually lost money in the long run.
Recognizing that thought pattern and stopping yourself is real financial and mental discipline, knowing that you’re no longer in survival mode and that you can trust yourself to get what you need when you need it.
Also, it’s not just about individual choices but also about how companies and marketing push this mindset toward unsuspecting consumers:
“Buy in bulk and save!” → Leads people to overconsume.
“Limited time only!” → Tricks people into buying what they don’t need.
Fast food combos & deals → Encouraging people to supersize for “value,” even if they weren’t that hungry.
But when we are, pausing, thinking, and making intentional choices, is the opposite of that. We’re breaking the cycle. We’re saying:
“I have enough.”
“I can get what I need when I need it.”
“I don’t have to act on impulse.”
That’s abundance. That’s control. That’s freedom.
We’re deeply shifting our mindset, and it’s going to benefit us financially, mentally, and even physically in the long run. We become consciously aware of our actions that once were on autopilot running our lives even though those same actions we took often didn’t align with what we wanted for ourselves.
Scarcity Mindset and Gluttony: A Deeper Connection
As you can tell by now this scarcity mindset can apply on a smaller scale such as when it comes to the cake, or on a larger scale like stocking our lives with more than we need. I hesitate to mention the word, gluttony because nobody likes that term, but it’s a real thing. I think it’s something we kind of need to bring back, not for shame, but to understand what it actually means.
It shouldn’t be used to call someone fat or shame them and the word shouldn’t be used solely towards food consumption, but rather to recognize what happens when you overindulge in anything. When you do too much of something, suddenly you’re sick of it. That should be described as gluttony. And you want to avoid that, not out of guilt, but so you can always experience the excitement of something, rather than the negative effects of something that once brought you joy.
Scarcity mindset and gluttony aren’t just about food, they’re about overindulgence in anything to the point where it stops bringing joy. Gluttony, in its original sense, wasn’t just about eating too much, it was about excess in a way that dulls the experience and creates negative consequences. When we overdo something, whether it’s food, shopping, or even binge-watching a TV show, we go from joy and excitement to burnout and regret.
The cake experience was perfectly balanced because I let myself enjoy it without going overboard. That’s what made it memorable. If I had gotten another slice yesterday, I might not be thinking about it with the same fondness today. Instead, it might have felt like too much, too soon.
That’s what you’re protecting yourself from, the loss of excitement that comes with excess.
Bringing back the real meaning of gluttony, not as a shameful word, but as a concept that helps us understand when too much of a good thing stops being good, is a powerful way to approach life. It’s not about restriction; it’s about preserving joy.
Practicing intentional enjoyment, knowing when something is enough, rather than mindlessly consuming more just because it’s there. That’s a skill most people struggle with their whole lives.
Mindset Shifts: Overcoming Scarcity in Everyday Life
This mindset applies everywhere:
- With food → Enjoying a meal fully without needing to chase the next bite.
- With money → Saving and spending wisely, rather than hoarding or splurging.
- With experiences → Letting something be special rather than overindulging and dulling its magic.
I’ve already proven to myself that I can break the cycle of a scarcity mindset when it comes to grocery shopping. Now, I’m applying that same lesson to something as small as cake, and that’s a huge win.
Because the truth is, the joy isn’t just in the cake, it’s in the experience. And I’m making sure that experience stays special.
The Broke College Student 
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