Browsed by
Category: Article

Meditate Away Stress

Meditate Away Stress

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When people come into my office, I generally have to educate them about stress. They think that stress just arises from difficult relationships, the death of a loved one, or from the workplace. But stress can come from events such as Christmas, moving, a wedding or divorce, a vacation or even winning the lottery. The common denominator of what causes stress is a person having to adjust to something new.

Anytime you have something out of your normal routine, your mind has to make changes to accommodate the new circumstances. The subconscious mind doesn’t like change. It likes the status quo, so whenever anything throws it off its schedule, your subconscious complains.

The Results of Stress

Stress results in tension, anxiety, short temper, tiredness, memory loss, inability to sleep, worry, obsessing over non-essentials, and much more. When you’re stressed, you tend to believe the lie that you are separate from the Universe. Without relief, stress begets more stress, and escalates. If stress continues unabated, it will eventually erode the body’s organs, and create illness or disease.

The Benefits of Meditation

To combat stress and its consequences, meditate each day. This puts a break in the cycle of stress. Meditating and relaxing helps to calm the mind and body. Instead of always feeling on edge and in danger, meditation lets the mind know that all is well and you are safe. This allows the body and mind to recover and recharge. 

As a side benefit of meditation, you actually become more efficient, effective and creative. Your awareness of your intuition will be enhanced. Any kind of meditation will do, from concentrating on a mantra, to doing self-hypnosis. Select the one that you resonate with. You just need to take the time to center, getting back in touch with yourself and your Higher Self. By doing so, you’ll have more time and resources to deal with the events of your life.

Affirmation

I am now relaxed and calm in every situation and circumstance. I know the the Universe protects and guides me at all times. As I take the time to center in this knowledge each day, my life flows more smoothly. When a challenge arises in my life, I remember that the Universe has any answer that I need. I open my mind to listen for the solution.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Is Your Glass Half-Full Or Half-Empty?

Is Your Glass Half-Full Or Half-Empty?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I’m sure you’ve heard of the test to determine if a person is an optimist or a pessimist. Imagine a table with a glass with water in fifty percent of it. A person is asked “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?” Disregarding whether the glass has just had water poured into it, or half of the water poured out, the optimist will say “Half-full,” and the pessimist will say “Half-empty.” Both are right, and both are looking at the glass from their own perspective, through their own mental filters. Those filters also affect the way they look at the rest of their lives.

The Difference Between a Pessimist and an Optimist

The pessimist will expect the worst to happen. They don’t want to get their hopes up so they’ll never be disappointed. And they rarely are. Since they’re looking for the worst, they’ll generally find it. If a negative thinker receives a compliment at work, he’ll brush it off, figuring it was a fluke and will never happen again. Since they expect the worst, they don’t use their resources to discover a solution. Their life becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, they give up and become stuck where they are.

Conversely, the optimist will look on the bright side, and find it. They’re the ones that “make lemons into lemonade.” Since they look for a way to turn a disaster into an opportunity, they’ll generally create a way to do so. If a person with a positive attitude is praised for a project well done, he’ll accept the congratulations and appreciate it. Optimists expect life to improve, so they look for solutions and take action.

How Realism Impacts Both

There is a difference between pessimism and realism. Suppose you have just enough in your bank account to pay all of your bills. A pessimist may get depressed over this state of affairs, and decide that “I don’t have any extra money for fun, and the situation will never get any better,” which simply tells the subconscious not to find a way to improve the situation.

Someone who is too optimistic may choose to spend some of their income on a good dinner, believing that something will turn up to recoup the money before the bills are due. That’s when a realistic attitude is helpful. A realistic optimist will think “Wow, there’s enough money to pay the bills this month. And since there’s nothing constant in the Universe but change, my financial situation will get better,” instructing their creative mind to keep working on a solution.

Optimists Aren’t Born

Pessimism is actually stressful and hard on the body. Studies have shown that pessimists have more physical illnesses and die at a younger age than optimists. Many people think that if they’re an optimist or pessimist, it’s a permanent condition. Not so. Optimists are not born, they’re trained that way. (The same is true of pessimists.) As children, we might pattern ourselves after the way a parent, friend, or teacher acted towards life; or we might choose the opposite approach. Either way, we learn to either look at the shadow or at the sunny side of life.

Being optimistic doesn’t mean that a person is a Pollyanna, wears rose-colored glasses and never recognizes that something is difficult, hurtful, or sad. It just means that they don’t dwell on it. They choose to focus on the good in life, and look for a way for things to improve. In doing so, they’re instructing their creative mind to find a way to turn the obstacles into a benefit. The Chinese character for “challenge” is the same as the character for “opportunity.”

How to Become an Optimist

Becoming an optimist means changing the way you focus on the events in your life. Listen to what you tell yourself about things. Are they negative? Are they actually accurate? For instance, if a friend betrays you, do you think, “I can’t trust any of my friends, and I’ll never find a friend I can trust?” Simply because one friend betrayed you doesn’t mean that all of them are disloyal. Challenge your own negative beliefs and attitudes. They are not facts. They are simply how you have been trained to think about a situation. If you have been trained one way, you can train yourself to think about it differently.

Give yourself a pep talk, such as “Lois betrayed me. She pretended to be my friend for her own agenda. That’s not my issue, it’s hers. Looking back, I realized that something was amiss in the relationship. I have other friends who have been trustworthy. I’m learning more and more to pay attention to my feelings about who can be trusted. There are lots of nice people with integrity in the world, and I can meet them.” This changes the focus of your attention from “no solution” to “solutions are available.”

Just as when a person sees the glass half-empty or half-full, altering the focus can change your filters. When you change your filters, this transforms the way you perceive life. So, instead of seeing the glass as half-empty, you can begin to see the opportunities of the glass being half-full.

Affirmation:

I know that I perceive life through the filters of my own beliefs. Those beliefs aren’t facts, they’re simply based on conclusions I’ve drawn from past experiences, and from the way I’ve learned to process that information. I now realize that there are many other ways to view the events of my life, and I now choose to change my focus to a more positive one. I actively search for a positive way to look at the situations of my life, a way that supports my well being. As I do, I’m instructing my creative mind to discover ways to improve my life.

How to Improve Your Happiness Level

How to Improve Your Happiness Level

by Linda-Ann Stewart

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln

Our western culture pushes the idea that achieving success will bring happiness, when the opposite is actually true. I’m sure you know people who pursue success, money and power, thinking it will bring them happiness. When it doesn’t bring lasting joy, they double down to accumulate more.

In actuality, the elation over a positive event, like a promotion or winning the lottery, is transitory. After a few months, the euphoria wears off, and the person’s level of happiness drops to what it was before the event.

Happiness could be defined as a state of wellbeing, contentment, satisfaction and fulfillment. These attributes depend on whether you have a generally positive mindset or not because happiness and optimism are closely intertwined.

The Good News about Happiness

According to some researchers, about 60% of your happiness comes from heredity and life situations beyond your control. Fear not, however. About 40% of your happiness derives from what you do in your everyday life. This means that much of your happiness is based on the choices you make. Building a well of happiness from within is under your control and more pervasive than seeking it from outside sources.

There are multiple benefits to happiness, beyond just making you feel good. Happiness affects the following and more:

Increases your success. You’re more likely to receive sales, promotions and awards.

Improves your health. Your immunity increases, heart disease decreases, and mental acuity is better as you age.

Opens up doors to greater creativity. When you’re in the flow, you have more mental resources to be inspired.

Causes you to be more productive. You have more energy and seek out more opportunities.

Enhances your relationships. You’re more open, interact better and little annoyances don’t bother you as much.

Builds a positive attitude. You look on the bright side of situations and seek out beneficial solutions.

Strengthens your ability to fulfill your potential. You tap into qualities that allow you to think better and make better decisions.

Raises your vibration. You feel lighter and clearer, therefore your vibration is higher.

Attracts more good to you. Allows you to be a clearer conduit for the Universe and the Law of Attraction.

All of these benefits are within your grasp, based on the choices you make each day. Happiness isn’t just a random occurrence, inspired by a positive experience. The thoughts you focus on develop new neurons and “neurons that fire together, wire together,” creating new connections in your brain. Through repetition of specific thoughts and actions, you can raise and strengthen your level of happiness and optimism.

How to Cultivate Happiness

By keeping your attention on something good, you cultivate new patterns of well being within yourself. And the more you do this, the more you feel good. It’s true that, in your brain, “What you focus on expands.”

Here are 6 ways to build more pathways in your brain to a sense of wellbeing, satisfaction and happiness:

Smile. Not only can a smile be contagious, it activates part of your brain to bring you more contentment. When you smile, your brain releases positive chemicals and hormones to make you feel good. Spend one minute in the morning to smile, and you’ll start the day off well.

Be kind. When you give to others, it also makes you feel good. Being kind activates parts of your brain that bring you a rush of euphoria. Just sending a card or email of appreciation to someone will brighten your day, as well as theirs.

Count Your Blessings. Gratitude stimulates the production of reward and pleasure chemicals in the brain, making you feel upbeat. Studies have found that if you list three things you’re grateful for each day, you’ll notice your happiness and attitude improve within three weeks.  

Detailed Gratitude. To deepen the impact of gratitude, each day find one thing that made you happy or grateful and write about it in detail. Spend at least a couple of minutes on this exercise. When you also visualize and savor the experience, this increases the effect and brings even greater satisfaction.

Meditate. Meditation grows the area of your brain responsible for joy. Whether it’s a consistent five minutes a day or longer, meditation will rewire your brain and your brain’s function. All you need to get started is to take long, slow deep breaths, in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Focus on your breathing. If your mind wanders (as it will), just bring it back to your breath.

Build social relationships. When you hang out with friends, this increases your ties with other people and improves your mental health. This can be done in person or virtually. I have several good friends who live a long distance from me, but we stay connected either through the phone or online.

Greater happiness can be yours using these small steps. Consistency will retrain your brain to be happier and build more neural circuits that support joy.

Affirmation:

The Universe wants the best for me. Success may not lead to happiness, but happiness leads to success. Happiness is a natural state for me, well within my grasp. I no longer wait to be happy but choose to be happy, now. What I focus on expands, and as I open myself to more happiness, more flows to me. The Universe supports me in finding simple ways to cultivate happiness in my life now.

Watch the accompanying video, Craft a Sustainable Well of Happiness.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Stop Worrying And Be Happy

Stop Worrying And Be Happy

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Stress and Overwhelm

When I was a child, my mother called me a “worrywart.” I was concerned about everything, from the well being of my friends, my parents dying (a normal childhood fear) to whether we were going to have a nuclear war (not normal for someone aged   seven). There was very little I could change about these situations, but that didn’t stop me from trying to figure out what I might do. Worry gave me the illusion of having some control over these circumstances.

From childhood, we’re taught to worry about our lives, the people around us, the state of the world. Mom would say, “Of course I’m worried about you, I care about you.” We then patterned ourselves on that model of caring. As children, if we worried about our grades, or about doing something wrong, then the adults considered that we were more mature. Our society perceives people who worry to be more earnest, responsible, or concerned about conditions. If we don’t show our apprehension about a serious situation, people sometimes perceive us as being flighty, a dreamer, not connected with reality, or worst of all (to them) – “an optimist.”

Worry Is Wasteful

But worry is a useless waste of energy. Most of what we worry about can’t be impacted by our being anxious about it. So far, we haven’t had a nuclear war, so I wasted all those hours reading the Civil Defense pamphlets on how to “duck and cover” and how to make a fallout shelter. Taking realistic actions (if there are any) to prepare for a future event is one thing, obsessing over it after we’ve done what we can or over what we can’t change is another. And because the subconscious follows the conscious mind’s lead, it figures if we’re worrying, we must want more to be apprehensive about.

When we worry, we’re simply living in fear. And FEAR stands for “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Fear of a possibility that may, but generally doesn’t, happen. If there is an outcome that is ordained (such as our getting older or inflation), nothing we can do will change it and we might as well enjoy each moment of life.

Mentally chewing a possibility over and over, and not allowing ourselves to have fun because maybe something bad might happen, is a waste of time and energy. Worry is immobilizing. It actually keeps us from being productive, efficient, and pro-active in the present. Universal energy is diverted to a cycle of anxiety instead of into being more creative and finding solutions.

The Habit of Worry

Worry can become a habit, and gives us an illusion of control over circumstances beyond our influence. We can only change our responses and ourselves. Some chronic worriers, in quiet times of happiness, will actually spoil it with an anxious thought of “What should I be worrying about?” I almost superstitiously felt that if I worried, the feared outcome wouldn’t materialize. Finally, I realized that I could more effectively use positive affirmations to bring out the best.

End the Cycle of Worry

The good news is that this habit can be broken. Remember what The Serenity Prayer teaches. “God grant me the serenity accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The challenge is to “know the difference.”

Start writing down your concerns. This brings them into a more rational frame of mind, and you can assess their reality. Challenge them with the idea, “How likely is it that this will happen?” If it is a possibility, what’s the worst that can happen, and what would you do? Can you change the situation? If not, every time you begin to chew on it, remind yourself that you will deal with it if it happens. Find an affirmation that helps reinforce something positive happening.

I still occasionally find myself worrying about things, generally when I’m really stressed. But for the most part, I’ve broken the habit. In doing so, I’ve released more positive energy into my life. As the song says, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Affirmation:

Most of what I worry about never happens, so I end the wasteful cycle of worry. I recognize what I can change and what I can’t, and release those conditions beyond my control to the Infinite. Universal Mind guides me into making the best decisions about what I can change. Only good comes to me, as Divine Right Action takes place in every area of my life. I allow myself to enjoy happiness.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Don’t Take It Personally

Don’t Take It Personally

by Linda-Ann Stewart

My friend, Kay, is a waitress. Sometimes customers come in and are in a really bad mood. No matter how nice she is, no matter how good her service, no matter how delicious the food, they find something to complain about and leave a minuscule tip. If she didn’t know how good she was, when she discovered the skimpy gratuity, she might wonder what she did wrong. But because of her experience, she doesn’t take the customer’s attitude to heart. She recognizes that they were determined to be unhappy, and there was nothing she could do to change that. 

Many people don’t have Kay’s confidence. They’ll take someone else’s disposition personally. If a coworker is grumpy, this person may think that it’s their fault, even though the coworker crawled into the office that way. When I work with clients who are this sensitive, I remind them that they’re not responsible for the grump’s attitude. And the grouch would act that way no matter who they came in contact with.

The Problem Isn’t You

Even if someone deliberately attacks a person, the issue may not be about that specific person. The problem is the attacker’s own insecurities erupting, and simply wanting to destroy whatever good they see. It’s unfortunate, but misery loves company. If someone in pain sees another person with a better life, they’ll try to tear that more fortunate person down. People who are unhappy want everyone around them to feel as bad, or worse, than they feel.

It’s not that they’re evil. It’s just the only way they can have a little break in their pain. It gives them a brief distraction from it. Everyone is just trying to make themselves feel better, but we go about it differently. One person with a lot of anger, sadness and pain may try to spread it around so that others feel that way, too. While another person with sadness and pain will try to make others feel better because they don’t want anyone to hurt as they do.

In the movie, “You’ve Got Mail,” the chain bookstore owner (Tom Hank’s character) tells the small, independent bookstore owner (Meg Ryan’s character) that it’s not personal that he’s destroying her shop, it’s “just business.” It’s the same way with people who snap at you. It’s not personal; it’s just that they can’t handle their own emotions, so they dump them on others. They’d do it no matter who was there. Just as Tom Hank’s character would build a store without considering that another bookshop was in the area.

It’s About Them

Sometimes, people can get very personal in their attempts to make themselves feel better. I’ve had acquaintances who have told me that I didn’t deserve what I’d worked for, because I “hadn’t struggled enough.” Clients of mine have had friends blame them for walking away from the friendship, when it was the friend who did so. Other clients have had customers rage at them for not getting the work done three days before it was due. The attacks were irrational, but it’s hard to be objective and realize that when you’re being verbally assaulted.

When someone attacks you, puts you down, demeans you or belittles you, stand up for yourself. Because if you don’t, it’s unlikely anyone else will either. That doesn’t mean to counter-attack. If you know that what they’re asserting is false, say so, and walk away. It’s likely they’ll want to keep trying to get you to accept their belief, and won’t give up. Just know that it’s not true, and take back your power in this situation. Realize that it’s not about you or what you’ve done or haven’t done. It’s all about them and their pain. On the other hand, you don’t have to accept their degrading treatment of you simply because they’re hurting. Just address the situation with integrity and in the best way you can to support yourself. Remember that it’s not personal.

Affirmation:

I am a special, individualized expression of the Universe. I deserve to be respected and to respect myself. When someone attacks me, I recognize that it’s their issue, not mine. I remain objective, and don’t take it personally. I am Divinely guided as to the best way to respond to the situation to support myself. 

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Can Kindness Backfire?

Can Kindness Backfire?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

No act of kindness, no matter how small, was ever wasted

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.” This is often times true if you do your good deed for external gratitude or appreciation. If that’s the reason you perform your good deed, you miss the inner rewards that come with giving of yourself. But there are times in which too much kindness, or trying to push it on others, can be a problem.

The Downside of Kindness

There are times when your intention is to be kind, but it’s not helpful to the person, or may actually harm you. Here are some examples of when kindness can misfire.

Misinterpreting the situation. What you offer as a kindness the other person may reject. You may sincerely want to help those who want to remain self-reliant. For instance, a child whose parent tries to tie their shoe, only to have the child say, “I can do it myself.” In this case, respecting their independence is kindness.

People who don’t want help. You notice that someone needs help, but they don’t want any assistance. Early in my hypnotherapy and coaching practice, I learned that I couldn’t help those who didn’t want help. If I tried to convince them that things could be better, it caused them to rebel and cling more tightly to their issue.  Kindness would be to let go and wait until they ask for help.

Giving too much of yourself. Many years ago, I got into a situation where I was involved in a lot of groups. Because I was overinvolved and not taking care of myself, my health started to sputter and I was constantly sick. To be kind to myself, I had to back out of all of my commitments and lower my stress so I could get healthy again.

People expecting too much. This is the second part of the last example. The person in charge of one of the groups I was volunteered at insisted I continue to work, despite my health issues. She expected me to do what she wanted, no matter how it harmed me. When someone tries to bully you, your responsibility is to be considerate of your needs.

Find a Balance

Being kind is important, for your well being and for the benefit of others. But don’t try to force kindness on people, because that can create a backlash. And that may cause you to be less kind in the future. If you find yourself being taken advantage, of or trying to force kindness on others, take a step back and reassess.

When your kindness is rejected and you may want to shut down, remember your intention was to help. Aesop said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, was ever wasted.” Find those who will welcome your help or those that you can help in smaller ways.

If you find yourself overextended, or being taken advantage of, pull back and set boundaries. Self-care must come first or you can’t help anyone else. The most important person to help and to be kind to is you.  Kindness spreads kindness, and when you attend to your needs, you have more to give.

Affirmation:

I am loving, compassionate, and kind to myself and others. I recognize when my kindness will be welcomed and accepted. Even in delicate or difficult situations, I am Divinely guided in ways to be kind with helping others. I treat others with respect and empathy. By embracing kindness, I’m able to wisely use it in the best way for everyone concerned.

Watch the accompanying video, Be as Kind to Yourself as You Are to Others.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Why Kindness Matters

Why Kindness Matters

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Hanging hearts

Kindness is a natural tendency that grows stronger when cultivated. Even toddlers instinctively help others. Altruism helps cultures to survive and thrive. When we cooperate, have compassion and empathy for each other, despite our differences, we can build and grow individually and as a group. Kindness binds society together.

How Kindness Affects You

Our brains were developed for us to be kind to each other. When you help someone, chemicals rush through your brain creating euphoria, empathy, connection, and well being.  Kindness also increases self-esteem, self-worth and optimism. It feels good to be considerate of others, and that encourages you to repeat the behavior. Practicing kindness rewires your brain to create more neural pathways for compassion and empathy.

Choosing to be kind is in your enlightened self-interest, as long as you’re doing it for others and not just for yourself.  Helping others lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and anxiety, and decreases risks for cardiovascular disease, among other benefits.  If you’re kind out of a sense of routine or obligation, you miss out on the advantages of someone who gives out of caring for others.  Kindness must be a sincere interest in others well being.

All major spiritual traditions consider kindness to be integral to their teachings. When you’re able to give of yourself, you’re at peace with yourself and your fellow humans. You open channels to allow more blessings to flow into your life. 

How Kindness Affects Others

You have no idea how a small act of kindness can impact someone. A smile, opening the door for someone, or a simple “thank you” can not only make a person’s day, but alter the course of their life. They may not remember you, but they’ll remember that you improved how they felt. Whether small acts or large, doing good for others creates change that goes far beyond what you’ll ever know.

Kindness spreads, like ripples in a pond. When you’re kind, with no expectation of reward, it inspires other people to follow your lead. They also become altruistic, and others pay it forward. Your impact multiplies as it affects even more people. If you want to make the world a better place, start with one good deed a day because that generosity will be contagious. Being kind is a gift to yourself, society and the world.  

Affirmation:

Kindness is an innate trait within me, and I now choose to practice it in all ways. I choose to be kind in my interactions with others. As I do good for others, expecting nothing in return, I uplift my spirit and the world around me. I am compassionate towards the people around me, knowing that they have their own trials to bear. Kindness is contagious, and others are inspired by my example. My life and the world at large is a better place due to my kindness and compassion.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Practicing Goodwill to Yourself

Practicing Goodwill to Yourself

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Heart shaped Christmas wreath

This is the season for “Peace on Earth, goodwill to all.” But how is your goodwill towards yourself? In other words, how are you treating yourself? Are you doing things that nurture and nourish your inner being or are you putting yourself last on your list? The way you take care of yourself impacts your relations with everything in your world. When you don’t give your inner self importance, Life treats you much in the same way.

The Bible says to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” This has been interpreted to mean that we’re to put others first. But read of the whole quote, “Love thy neighbor AS thyself,” not more than yourself. If you don’t love yourself, you can’t love your neighbor. Love of self and goodwill extends outward like the ripples in a pond. When you tend to yourself, you can tend to others because you have more love to spread.

There’s an old saying, “Charity begins at home.” This is because if you give all of yourself away, there’s nothing left for you, therefore there’s nothing left of you to give. If you don’t nurture yourself in a healthy way, your inner self will insist on it. For instance, if you work too hard, you might get sick to get some time off.

How can you nurture yourself? I’m not talking about eating a pound of fudge, but doing something that makes your inner being feel nourished. Getting enough sleep and eating healthy meals would be a good start. Other things to do could be to take a walk, get out into nature, meditate, do yoga, take a bubble bath, rent a video, or something else that makes you feel special. For you are special to the Universe. The Infinite wants you to show goodwill to yourself, so that your peace will spread to the world.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Optimism: The Key Ingredient for Success

Optimism: The Key Ingredient for Success

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Your attitude determines your direction

When I first began my hypnotherapy practice, I was in a depressed emotional state. After I opened, some people said that hypnosis wasn’t in demand in our area. That belief lodged in my already disheartened mind. Although I advertised, spoke at clubs, networked, and gave seminars, my attitude was such that my efforts did very little. Not surprisingly, I had a hard time paying my bills. The Universe and my creative mind were just supporting my negative conclusion that there were few clients available.

One day, I decided to change my mindset about the number of people who wanted to use my services, and just see what happened. I began to market myself by giving talks about hypnosis, and promoting these talks with fliers and through press releases. This time, I held the attitude that I would reach the people who were interested. Almost immediately, my practice began to grow.

The Role Optimism Plays in Success

How many people do you know who begin a project, a hobby, or a new business with stars in their eyes? They have the ability, the desire to make it a success, but after the first couple of bumps or setbacks, they give up and quit. These folks lack one ingredient they need to be successful – optimism. This concept gives them the attitude that with a bit more work and perseverance, things will get better.

A person can have incredible gifts, but if they don’t do anything with them, because they don’t believe in themselves, they won’t achieve anything. That same person can have all the motivation and desire to get ahead, but if they lose heart and get discouraged when things don’t go their way, they will begin to give up and stop doing what’s necessary to create a success. In Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman, it states that talent plus desire, but without optimism, will result in failure. Therefore, optimism and belief in oneself is absolutely paramount to succeeding in any venture.

Your Attitude Helps or Hinders You

When a person has a belief that things won’t work out, the Universe fulfills that concept. When an obstacle comes up, we need to seek out new avenues of expression rather than just giving up, or just going through the motions. It’s been said that, “God can’t steer a parked vehicle.” As long as we’re moving in a direction, we can be guided, if we believe we will be. If we figure, “What’s the use?” then the Universe has no opening to help us. We’ve blocked It out. We then sink into a swamp of despair of our own making.

If I hadn’t changed my attitude from being pessimistic to optimistic, my practice would never have thrived. I altered the way that I perceived the public and my marketing methods. In so doing, my more positive attitude unconsciously communicated with people. Telemarketers are instructed to smile as they call, because the person they talk with can hear it in their voice. Having an optimistic attitude, in addition to ability and motivation, is essential to success in any area of life. The Universe flows into the positive attitude to create new possibilities, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Affirmation:

I have the talent, ability, desire and motivation to achieve my goals. Negative beliefs that I won’t be able to reach my goal can be self-fulfilling. I examine those concepts to identify what may be holding me back, and change them to more positive ideas. As I move in the direction of my desire, I remember that the Universe is guiding me. I open myself up for that guidance, recognizing it when it comes, and following it. I now have all the attributes I need to be a success.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Reprogram Your Negative Self-Chatter

Reprogram Your Negative Self-Chatter

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Thoughts in a head

Have you ever monitored what you say to yourself? Listened to the self-talk that chatters away without your being aware of it? Automatic phrases, such as “I can’t do this,” “I’m not worthy,” “I can’t handle this,” “I can’t afford it” and others. You may even find yourself saying them to the people in your life. These are beliefs that have been programmed into you, just like into a computer. Suppose the boss asks you to come into his office. Your first reaction may be “Uh, Oh. I’m in trouble,” even though he may want to praise you.

These ideas come from your past, but  they create a self-fulfilling feedback loop in your subconscious. Without your being aware of it, they provide background noise in your life. Is it any wonder that it’s hard to make any changes? They echo the words of parents, siblings, friends, teachers, anybody whose opinion you ever accepted, whether it was true or not. You were hypnotized into believing them, and you’ve stayed true to the conditioning.

How to Reprogram Negative Thoughts

An affirmation is a statement that confirms what you hold to be true, and though we generally use the term for positive declarations, these statements can be either positive or negative. When you tell yourself over and over that you’re not worthy , it convinces your subconscious that this is what you want, and your subconscious creates this reality.

The first step is to become aware of what you’re telling yourself. Write down these statements. Then formulate a sentence that counters what you’ve been believing all these years. Use it repetitively, because that’s how you were programmed in the first place. By hearing the same or similar things over and over.

Remain conscious of the background noise of your thoughts. And when the negative statement rises up, use your new phrase. Be patient. That original idea has been there a long time. It’ll take time, consistence, and persistence, but eventually you’ll change the thought to one that more truly reflects the Universe’s loving opinion of you.

Affirmation:

I monitor my self-talk and now become aware of what I’m telling myself. I realize that these negative ideas came from the past and have no relation to my present life. I recognize my own worth and the authority of my positive declarations. I am patient, consistent and persistent in reprogramming my mind, for I know that the changes are happening with every constructive affirmation that I state.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, freedom, wellbeing and prosperity. Register for her FREE Design Your Best Day guide and guided meditation video at www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html. You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.