beliefs » Empowering Your Mind

Sparks of Insight

Dec 182019

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.”- Marcus Aureleus

This statement was written almost 2000 years ago. Even then, they knew how your thoughts affected your life. Your subconscious takes the average of your thoughts, both constructive and destructive, and manifests whatever seems to be strongest. That’s why you’re instructed to watch what you think, and stay positive.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Guided Meditation to Overcome Resistance to Your Goal

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Dec 112019

Resistance to achieving a goal is natural. It’s a response of your inner mind to your feeling uncertain about the change that comes with achieving a goal. When you’re committed to a goal, but the resistance persists, it can be discouraging. This guided imagery meditation can begin to dissolve your resistance to moving forward and getting on course.

Transcript:

Thank you for joining me. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist. I’d like to share a short meditation to help you overcome any subconscious resistance to your goal, vision or dream.

Resistance is natural. It means that you’re leaving your comfort zone, where you feel secure. The subconscious wants to keep you safe, so it creates anxiety and resistance in the form of procrastination, negative self-talk and the like. I’m sure you know what it is for you, right?

Well, though it doesn’t feel like it, your subconscious is performing a service for you. It’s helping you decide if your goal is more important than the uncomfortable feelings that will surface to keep you in place.

If you are committed to your goal, you can use this guided imagery meditation to convince your subconscious of your intent.

If you want, close your eyes. Imagine an image for your resistance, in whatever way your resistance manifests. It could be procrastination, fear, self-doubt, an old belief or something else.

Your image could be literal, or it could be symbolic, like a locked door, an anchor or a wall. It could also be simply a sense or feeling or a sound. Accept whatever image comes to mind. Imagine it bright, strong, and big and close to you.

Now shifting your attention to one side or the other, beside it, imagine an image for your goal, vision or dream. Again, it could be literal, like you accomplishing your goal, or it could be symbolic, like a sunrise. It could be a sense of satisfaction or the sound of people clapping. Accept whatever image comes, but imagine this one is faded, weak and small and a little bit of a distance from you.

Realize your resistance is trying to keep you safe. But it’s doing it now in a way that’s not helpful. You are committed to your vision, dream or goal, and are willing to face the uncomfortable feelings that might rise as you move forward. As they surface, you remind yourself that they’re just your subconscious being concerned for you.

As you understand this, the image for your resistance begins to fade, to weaken, to become smaller and recede away from you, into the distance. It’s served its purpose and knows it’s ok for you achieve your vision, goal or dream. As it fades, your image for your goal begins to become brighter, stronger, and bigger and comes closer to you. It fills your world.

You know the actions you need to take to make this goal, vision or dream a reality. You feel confident and eager to now take the steps necessary to move forward. You take this confidence with you throughout the day and days to come.

Open your eyes.

This meditation won’t do all the work to get you on course. It’s a big part of it, but you actually need to take definite actions, specific ones to move you forward. Actions convince your subconscious of your sincerity and dedication, and ease its concerns about your safety. With that, your subconscious will minimize its resistance and it will help you to achieve your goal.

If you’d to achieve a 90-day goal more easily, download my free comprehensive Strategic Vision blueprint at www. Linda-AnnStewart.com/setyourcourse.html. You’ll receive the blueprint, as well as tips and directions about the 4 vital areas that support you in accomplishing your goal.

Thank you for watching. What actions can you take right away that will begin to dissolve your resistance? Take care.

Read the accompanying article, Are You Resisting Your Vision?

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Are You Resisting Your Vision?

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Dec 052019

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Do you find yourself putting on the brakes when you’re pursuing a dream, vision or goal? You could find yourself procrastinating, allowing yourself to be distracted or just feeling uncomfortable about moving forward. This is your subconscious mind causing you to resist taking the actions you need to bring your vision to life.

Your subconscious isn’t a bad guy; it’s just following previous instructions from you. If you’re feeling at all anxious or uncertain about your goal, your subconscious will interpret that as you feeling threatened about change. Since the role of your subconscious is to keep you safe, it will throw up roadblocks to maintain the status quo.

Reasons You Resist

There are three major reasons why you resist taking action:

1. You have the wrong vision. Although you have an idea of what you want, it may not be the right direction for you.
• You’re following a goal someone else laid out for you. For example, someone told you what worked for them, and expects it will work for you, too. What part of your dream excites you the most?
• You’re violating your values. Family time is important to you, but your goal requires you to sacrifice that time to be able to accomplish your goal. How can you adjust your vision to support your values?
• You’re out of alignment with who you are. For instance, you could be an introvert trying to become the best cold calling salesperson in the office. What best aligns with your skills and personality?

2. Fear is getting in your way. You’re afraid of the unknown or changes that might happen.
• You feel intimidated to leave your comfort zone. When you try new things, you feel uncertain and uncomfortable. But if you don’t spread your wings, your world will contract.
• You’re afraid of criticism. When you start making changes, it draws attention to you, and others may object to how you’ve changed. You don’t exist to live according to other people’s expectations.
• You’re afraid of the extra responsibility. By taking on more, you aren’t sure of your ability to handle new things. The only way to grow in confidence is to take risks and learn.

3. Old beliefs are undermining you. You were programmed with these ideas long ago and they’re still controlling you.
• You don’t feel worthy to achieve your vision. Either you don’t take any action or you sabotage yourself whenever you get close to accomplishing your dream. Adopt a new self-image that reflects the possibility that you deserve the best.
• You identify too much with your old attitudes. How you describe yourself determines the actions you take. Change the way you view yourself to be more in agreement with someone who undertakes your goal.
• You don’t feel capable. Just because you don’t know everything right now doesn’t mean you can’t learn. Each step will bring you new knowledge and confidence.

Dissolve Your Resistance

Identifying what’s sabotaging you is the first step to success. Ask, “What is my resistance trying to tell me?” Or, “What part of my vision am I resisting?” Once you know what your reason is, you can begin to overcome the resistance.

Instead of reviling your subconscious and its resistance, appreciate that it’s been so helpful. Realize that your subconscious has been trying to keep you safe. Communicate to it that this thinking is outdated and now change is needed. Adjust your attitude or actions to ease your subconscious mind’s concerns.

There is a reason behind the resistance to your dream, vision or goal. Once you discover what that is and what it’s trying to do for you, you’ll be able to work with and through the block. Ultimately, you’ll be much more successful by listening to what your resistance is trying to tell you.

Affirmation:
My subconscious mind is trying to help me at all times. But sometimes it does it in outdated ways. It’s now safe for me to move forward with my dreams. I take responsibility for my actions and the results. I’m worthy of all the best Life has to offer and am capable of far more than I know.

Watch the accompanying video, Guided Meditation to Overcome Resistance.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. To achieve a 90-day goal more easily, sign up for her FREE comprehensive Strategic Vision blueprint at www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/setyourcourse.html. You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Book Review-Success Is Easy: Shameless No-nonsense Strategies to Win in Business by Debbie Allen

Sparks of Insight

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Nov 182019

“I now sense Divine Harmony all around me. Any discord or conflict within or in my environment is now dissolved in the Light of Spirit. Good flows to, through and around me.”

The Universe doesn’t hold back Its Good from you. Your thoughts that dwell on disharmony block the expression of Infinite good that is always flowing. Aligning your thoughts and feelings with higher energy will open up the conduit to allow it to pour into your life.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Are You Seeing Clearly?

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Nov 142019

At some point, we all make assumptions based on our expectations, preconceived beliefs and ideas. Most of the time, our conclusions are wrong and negatively impact our relationships, opportunities and possibilities. When you challenge your suppositions, you break through to a different perception, which allows for different results. Here are 3 steps to allow you to see more clearly.

Transcript:

Thank you for watching. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist and I want to tell you a story about how assumptions can be damaging.

I once had a friend who would take the things I said the wrong way. If I said I preferred the color green over blue, she’d take it as an attack on her taste, because blue was her favorite color. If I shared some achievement or good news, she assumed I was putting her down.

This didn’t happen all the time, but when it did, I felt like I’d walked into an episode of the Twilight Zone. I’d be disoriented, trying to figure out how she could have misinterpreted what I said. And then I’d try to assure her I didn’t mean it the way she took it.

Unfortunately, that never worked. Because of this, the friendship eventually ended.

In hindsight, I realized that she was expecting me to attack her, so she took everything I said personally. The story she created around that became her reality. And nothing could convince her otherwise. Because she’d filtered what I said through the lens of her belief and her motivations, she couldn’t see me, or what I said, clearly.

We all do something similar, don’t we, at some time or another? When you make an assumption, you’re filtering what’s said or done through your own expectations and motivations. Your perception is muddied by your preconceived ideas and beliefs. And it generally causes to you to jump to an incorrect conclusion and then act on it, most of the time to your detriment. It could cost you friends, promotions, sales or your self-confidence.

Haven’t you ever leaped to a conclusion, discovered it was wrong, and then had to apologize for it? You weren’t seeing clearly through your filter. Here are 3 steps to see more clearly:

1. Start becoming aware of your assumptions, not only about other people and situations, but about yourself, too. Don’t believe everything you’re telling yourself about the situation, because it’s probably wrong.

2. Question whether there may be another explanation, one that may be as or more accurate or realistic than your conclusion. This allows you to catch those false perceptions before you act on them.

3. Challenge your suppositions and look for evidence that supports or disproves them. When you do, you begin to clear away your filters and perceive things more clearly. And this opens up more possibilities and opportunities for you, in all areas of your life. It may even save a friendship.

Thank you for watching. How can you be more mindful and present, and become aware of your assumptions?

Read the accompanying article, Assumptions Don’t Serve You.

Sparks of Insight

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Nov 122019

“Money is the root of all evil.” Did you ever get told that? Actually, the full verse is, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It means that if we seek money to the exclusion of all else, and not care how we accomplish it, we’ll fall off the spiritual path. Money of itself is a nonentity. It’s simply a symbol that we use for an exchange of services or products. Choosing to have more of it is as positive as wanting to be healthier. As long as it remains the means by which you can expand your experience rather than the end in itself, you’re fulfilling your spiritual purpose.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Assumptions Don’t Serve You

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Nov 072019

by Linda-Ann Stewart

People make assumptions all the time. There’s even a cliché for it. “When you assume, you make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me.'” Not very classy, but it makes the point. It means that you suppose that you know all the facts when you form an opinion, when you don’t. And you aren’t questioning that maybe you you’re missing evidence on which to formulate your conclusions. You’re building a house on quicksand and don’t know it.

For instance, I’ve had a lot of people comment on my name, Linda-Ann. Many of them assume that I’m called by my first and middle name because I grew up in the south. They’re basing their assumption on some facts. Fact: I grew up in the south. Fact: Many men and women in the south are called by their first and middle names. Conclusion: That’s why I hyphenated my name to Linda-Ann.

The facts are true, but the conclusion is false. It’s missing another fact. I go by that name because, when I was young, my two best friends on my street were also named Linda. Everyone was confused when we played together. We never knew which of us was being referred to when someone called, “Linda!” said, “Linda did that” or, “Linda, stop that!” To tell us apart, our folks and friends started using both our first and middle names.

Facts Are Important

People draw the wrong conclusion because they don’t have all the facts. None of us know everything about another person or a situation. We can’t read someone’s mind. That’s why it’s dangerous to assume you know why someone did or said something to you. You draw a conclusion based on faulty or incomplete information. It doesn’t serve either you or the person you’re evaluating, because you’ve probably made an incorrect assessment. And you make flawed decisions and take actions accordingly.

For instance, you could think that you lost a sale because you didn’t deal with the prospect’s questions well enough. Instead, it could be that it just wasn’t the right product or service for them. Or you could assume that a friend is angry at you over something you said. But it could be that what you said triggered an unhappy memory and they’re just trying to process the emotions that have surfaced.

Unfortunately, assumptions lead to creating whole stories around the supposition. And those stories become real to you. They can keep you stuck, affect relationships, further miscommunication, and block opportunities and progress.

Reasons We Assume

There are a lot of reasons why we leap to an incorrect conclusion. Here are just a few.

It’s easier. Not taking the time to discover the truth means you don’t have to make any changes. For instance, you could decide that getting in shape is simply too hard, when you really don’t want to make the effort.

It’s expedient. It’s a shortcut to a decision about a situation or person. You want a quick answer and don’t want to take the trouble gathering information. If you act on your choice, it could lead you in the wrong direction, damaging relationships and your future.

It feels powerful. When someone jumps to a conclusion, it makes them feel like they have some control over the situation. Feelings of control reduce stress, so this is a way for them to ease inner anxiety.

It’s out of fear. You could be afraid of what you might find out, so drawing a conclusion feels safer. Unfortunately, it’s the more dangerous road to travel because it closes doors.

Gain Clarity for a Better Life

A way to gain clarity about your assumptions is to question them. What facts or evidence do you have that support them? Or that refute them? Do you have all the facts or evidence? What can you do to gain more? You can ask for more information and reevaluate your conclusion for accuracy. It feels risky, but people are usually delighted that you care enough to make a decision based on all of the facts.

Assumptions aren’t helping you. Instead, they’re hindering you. When you realize that, you open doors to much greater possibilities for a better life. Letting go of your suppositions, and checking the evidence, improves your mood, relationships and actions. Take back your power and find clarity, which will lead you to wiser decisions.

Affirmation:

I let go of my assumptions about myself, situations and other people. Instead, I take the time to seek out the facts and become clearer on what’s truly going on. The Universe guides and directs my inquiries; bringing me information I need on which to form a clear opinion. As I do, doors to a greater life full of harmony and joy open for me.

Watch the accompanying video, Are You Seeing Clearly?

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