Ask, believing that you can receive, in meditation and affirmation for what it is that you want. Then go out into the world, asking for guidance every step of the way. No matter what path you take, if you’re open and seeking, you’ll be directed. And persist, not giving up. This convinces the subconscious, which is the part of you that needs convincing, that you really do want it.
~ Linda-Ann Stewart
Are you believing the excuses you’re telling yourself? These are the reasons why you aren’t going after what it is you want or taking an action that will move your forward to your dream. You may think that it’s a valid reason, but generally, it’s not. It’s simply a way to keep you in your comfort zone and from doing something that makes you uncomfortable. Learn how you can stop believing your excuses and start creating ones that support your goals.
Transcript:
Are you believing the excuses you’re telling yourself? These are the reasons why you aren’t going after what it is you want or taking an action that will move you forward to a goal or dream. You may think that it’s a valid reason, but generally, it’s not. It’s simply a way to keep you in your comfort zone and from doing something that makes you uncomfortable.
I’ve been a hypnotherapist for almost 30 years. Clients came to me to create change in their lives. They might want to stop smoking, lose weight, feel better about themselves, or reduce their stress, and they hadn’t been able to do it on their own. And much of those reasons were because the things that they were telling themselves about it. So one of my tasks was to de-hypnotize them of those incorrect/false beliefs. Think about that. And many of those beliefs were wrapped in excuses. I’d like to touch on how you can stop believing your excuses so you can have a freer, happier and more successful life.
I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, Heartvision Consulting. I’m a vision strategist and help women entrepreneurs align their heart with their vision. As a hypnotherapist and coach, I’ve helped clients achieve their goals. Now, as a vision strategist coach, I help women entrepreneurs who are stuck, scattered and tired of being run ragged by their business to align their heart with their vision, get clear, focused and accelerate their business to the next level.
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One of the things I do is help them to recognize their excuses and what they’re believing that’s holding them in that self-sabotaging feedback loop. It’s the same type of cycle you get into when you find yourself making excuses why you don’t…. go to the gym, refuse that cookie, make that follow up phone call, finish your project on time, stand up for yourself …. Fill in the blank. Those excuses become self-fulfilling prophecies.
You tell yourself why you can’t do something/aren’t doing it this time. If you keep telling yourself that same idea, it becomes a belief, and then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Without realizing it, you’re making sure that belief becomes true, which just confirms it for you. That’s the feedback loop you have to de-hypnotize yourself from and break.
For instance, I had a client come in to reduce stress. One of her complaints was that she didn’t have enough time and get everything done in her work. That’s a common enough complaint, isn’t it? Do you have it? There’s so much to do that we just run out of time and energy to get it all done, right? And you can’t do anything about that, right? Time is finite, right? Well… that’s a belief. And believing it means that your actions will make it into a reality. Bear with me.
My client and I worked to deal with some of her issues to reduce stress and this was one of the big ones. I gave her the suggestion that she was able to get twice as much done in half the amount of time. A bit of an exaggeration, but… she found that she got creative. She figured out how to ditch some of the things she really didn’t need to be concerned with and how to streamline others. Within a short time, my client was able to get all her work done with time to spare.
What excuses are you turning into beliefs and making real? What are you preventing yourself from having? The mind is very creative when you give it a goal, whether that idea is good, bad or indifferent. Belief becomes a goal. With my client, we just had to de-hypnotize her of the false belief and then get her mind focused on a new idea so it would figure out how to make it real.
For you to overcome your excuses, you have be become aware of them. Notice what you tell yourself whenever you’re avoiding something, or telling yourself “I can’t.” Those are 2 signs of an excuse coming on. Confront and challenge your excuse. Why do you think it’s true? When might it not be true? What can you do to undo it?
These are all things that I help a client with. But you can do it for yourself. When you de-hypnotize yourself of false beliefs, and start to focus on ones you want to be true, you’ll make them real. It takes some dedication, stay focused, but you can do it.
If you’d like more tips on how to make your day flow more smoothly, download my free guide, Take Control of Your Day.
Thank you for watching. I hope you’ve gotten some encouragement and direction to support yourself in your quest for your goals and dreams.
This Is Your Brain Under Hypnosis
As a hypnotherapist, this article was especially interesting to me. Unfortunately, so many people have misconceptions about this process, including that it doesn’t exist. Now, neuroscientists are taking an interest in and researching it. They’re beginning to understand its mechanisms. This article shows an experiment with one of those mechanisms.
You Are What You Think
Neuroscience tells us to “Be careful what you wish for,” because you may get it. Your brain follows your attention, and will take you where it thinks you want to go. This applies to both positive goals and to negative thoughts. This article gives you 4 steps to creating your perfect world and solving problems using the power of thought.
“You’ve got this!”: How “You Statements” enhance self-regulation
Life is a giant game of self-regulation. If you can manage yourself and your thoughts, then you’ll have a better life. However, it’s not easy to develop and act on these skills. Positive and supportive self-talk are very helpful in sticking to it. Research is showing that giving yourself positive support in the second or third person is much better than just saying, “I.” Learn how your inner dialogue helps you to improve your self-management skills.
Most people have misconceptions about what hypnosis is and isn’t. What they don’t realize is that they’re using this process in their lives every day, for their benefit or detriment. This is a brief explanation of hypnosis, by a hypnotherapist of 30 years. Join me to learn what it is, how you’ve been using it, and how you can use it to now benefit yourself.
Transcript:
I’m Linda-Ann Stewart. Ok, so I’ve been a hypnotherapist for almost 30 years. But most people have all sorts of misconceptions about hypnosis. They think that someone takes control of their mind and makes them do things they don’t want to do. Not. They don’t realize that it’s a normal, natural process that they access several times every day. And they walk around in a trance that’s impacting their ability to either achieve or sabotage their goals and their vision.
So today, I’d like to give you a very brief explanation of the natural process of hypnosis. I hope that you’ll walk away understanding how you hypnotize yourself every day. And how you can use this natural ability to benefit yourself.
I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist. Like I said, I’ve been a hypnotherapist for almost 30 years. Clients came to see me to create change in their lives. Over time, I discovered that they had to also have a vision of where they wanted to end up with that change to be truly successful. Now, as a vision strategist, I help women entrepreneurs get a clear vision, get focused on its strategies and get back in control so they’re able to accelerate to the next level of their business.
When people hear that I’m a hypnotherapist, they have various reactions to it, based on their beliefs about hypnosis. Swinging watch. “Look into my eyes, and sleep.” It’s not true. And I can’t tell you how many clients have asked me, “Am I going to walk out of here barking like a dog?” My reply, “Not unless you want to.”
Not their fault. Their beliefs are based on what they’ve seen on TV and in movies. They don’t believe that an ordinary man can really “leap tall buildings in a single bound,” but they believe how writers sensationalize hypnosis because there are already so many misconceptions about it.
What TV and movies depict isn’t hypnosis, it’s Hollywood.
Did you realize you’re in a mild state of self-hypnosis several times every day? When you’re daydreaming, watching a movie, get so involved with a project that the distractions of the world go away, you’re in a light state of self-hypnosis. You’re driving down the road, daydreaming, and miss your turn. Have you ever done that? Should ask, “How many times a day.” We all do. Light state of self-hypnosis.
You walk around in a trance much of the time, not fully aware of what you’re saying (“Hi, how are you”), thinking (“I’m never going to get it all done”), doing (eat that donut without being aware of it, and wonder where the powdered sugar on your fingers came from).
That trance is self-hypnosis, and you’re hypnotizing yourself every day. It isn’t magic, a strange, mystical or other state of mind. Nor is it the “deep sleep” that people normally associate with hypnosis. It’s a natural state that most people drift into and out of many times during the day. Hypnosis is when the rational, analytical part of your mind isn’t as present. Hypnosis is simply a more focused state.
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis defines hypnosis as a state of inner absorption, concentration and focused attention.
Secret – hypnosis also occurs whenever you’re upset, stressed or worried. Just for a moment, think about what you think about when you’re upset or stressed. Those thoughts become auto-suggestions. Scary, huh?
What most people don’t realize is that the things you say to yourself over and over that you’re only half aware of, are actually being said when you’re in a light state of hypnosis. Things like, “I know this won’t work,” “I don’t have enough time,” or “It can’t fail.” Do any of these sound familiar?
You then act on them as if they were true, whether they were or not. How that works is, suppose you’re afraid that your phone call to a potential customer won’t be welcomed. If you call at all, you’ll be nervous, not make a good impression, and end the call quickly. Your belief would have become a self-fulfilling prophecy. All from what you were telling yourself. Has that ever happened to you?
Remember, hypnosis is just focusing the attention. So it all depends on the direction and the beliefs that you’re focusing your attention on. And your attention determines your actions. “Energy flows where attention goes.” Heard of that before? Not airy-fairy. Psych truth.
It’s like driving a car. You’re aware of the traffic, the landscape, your dashboard. But the majority of your attention is on the direction you want to go to your destination. If you’re driving, and you stare off to the side, what’s your automatic response?…. To drift in the direction of you’re looking, isn’t it? The same principle applies to your daily life. Your attention drive your actions. So keep your vision directed towards where you want to be headed and not rear view mirror.
So how can you use this natural process for yourself – other than just focusing on your direction? When you have a goal or a vision, become aware of what you’re telling yourself about it. They’re auto-suggestions. Do you doubt you can make it? Are you afraid of any step along the process? If so, these are the hidden hypnotic suggestions you’ve been giving yourself. Break your trance. Change them with auto-suggestions. You can do this. Even if you don’t believe it right away, repeating new ideas with consistency and persistence will start changing the old ones. The old beliefs were simply ideas that you accepted some time in the past.
When you change your beliefs, your emotions and responses change. You’ve already been using the process of hypnosis every day, by what you’ve been focusing on. I hope you start using the natural process of hypnosis to create what it is that you want.
If you want tips to you increase your productivity and accelerate your success, download my free guide Take Control of Your Day. It will also give you information on a process I used with my clients that helped them achieve their goals and vision.
Thank you for watching. I hope you’ve learned how to use this process for your benefit and use it to improve your life.
When I was in school, I had a debilitating fear of tests. Even though I’d studied and knew the material, the stress would cause me to freeze up. It sent me straight into fight-or-flight mode. I viewed the test as a threat and couldn’t remember the answers. Sometimes, if I had time to go over the questions a second time, I would be more relaxed and more answers would surface. Despite this, my grades were decent. But I know they could have been better without the paralyzing fear and stress.
This is one of the things stress does when we feel threatened. Our bodies were developed to deal with physical dangers by having extra energy to fight a danger or flee from it. But in our modern society, having a tense relationship with the boss, a deadline for a project or taking a dreaded test can trigger the exact same response. The mind doesn’t distinguish between a physical danger and a mental threat.
But stress does have a good side. When stress is controlled, then it helps us to learn and grow. To build a muscle, we stress it by lifting weights or going a bit beyond what’s comfortable. When we feel excited, creative, stimulated or challenged, we’re triggering the same pathways as when we have excessive stress, just not to the same degree.
The downside of stress is that it can also make us feel anxious, tense, hypervigilant, drained, depressed and hopeless. We feel like we have no control. There will always be some stress we can’t control. The best we can do is minimize its effects on us. For instance, when we have too many things to do, a toxic boss, or a loved one who is ill, we need to take steps to take care of ourselves.
But there’s research that shows that if you don’t believe that stress is harming you, it doesn’t. Your belief and perception that stress is a challenge reduces the dangers of the same amount of stress that harms other people. I once had a friend who refused to use the word “stress.” He didn’t like the connotation, so he used the word “pressure” instead. Research is showing he had it right.
In an eight year study, researchers found that people under high levels of stress had a 43% increased risk of dying. That’s not unexpected. We all know the dangers of stress and how it can affect our health. Those who had a negative view of stress were most likely to die.
But the study also found that those under high stress, who didn’t believe that stress harmed them, and instead perceived it to be a benefit, were less likely to die. They also had the least negative effects from stress, almost equivalent to people who reported low stress. Their bodies secreted a hormone that counteracted the cortisol that stress creates.
Those who worried about stress and believed it was harming them suffered more consequences. Their belief became a self-fulfilling prophecy for them. In the same way, those who perceived the stress as energy, preparing them for a challenge or excitement minimized the unhealthy effects. Changing your mind about stress changes your body’s response to it.
Belief is powerful. Not everything you believe is factual or real. But you make it so by your attitude towards stress. Henry Ford said, “Whether you believe you can, or you believe you can’t—you’re right.” You are instructing your subconscious mind and the Universe how you expect stress to affect you. And it complies with your expectation. So how can you shift your attitude and make stress work for you? Reframe your perception of it.
For instance, when I got into college, I decided to change my attitude towards tests from one of fear to thinking of them as a challenge. It allowed me to more easily retrieve the answers from my memory and my grades reflected my improved mindset.
When you reframe your attitude towards stress, you shift your relationship with it. No longer are you helpless in the face of stress. You’re taking control, which is one of the ways you reduce stress.
To downgrade your emotional charge around the idea of stress, use the word “pressure,” like my friend did. Or use some other word to describe it, such as “hassle.” Words matter. When you use a different word, it immediately changes the way you feel about the subject. And the way you feel affects your body, your thoughts, and your responses to the situation.
Like my shift in perception about tests, look at the situation or condition as exciting or a challenge. Instead of resisting the stress, which increases its power, change your attitude so it becomes natural and something that you can handle. By viewing it more positively, it also allows you to think more clearly about what you want to do. You open a clearer channel for your intuition and Divine guidance.
Your beliefs can put you in control of how stress affects you. When you change your beliefs, you you change your life conditions. Once again, the idea that Norman Vincent Peale stated, “Change your thoughts and you change your world,” is confirmed.
Affirmation:
Stress is a normal part of life and I have control over how I believe it affects me. I now choose to change my beliefs about the stress that I experience. It simply primes me for action and keeps me on alert for anything unexpected. By shifting my attitude, I’m able to think more clearly and be more open to my intuition and Divine guidance.
Can You Have More Willpower?
Most people think that you don’t have any control over how much willpower you have. You’re either born with it or you’re not. But recent research debunks that myth. Instead, studies find that it’s more like a muscle that gets better with exercise. Willpower helps you be able to fulfill more of your goals and potential. Learn 3 approaches to learn how to do increase your use of this valuable trait.
5 Reasonable Ways To Be Optimistic
Optimists aren’t born that way, they learn this perspective over time. Research shows that optimists are healthier, more successful and more resourceful. You always have a choice of what to think, and this impacts how you feel. Learn some simple ways to practice being more optimistic and reap the benefits that brings.
The Power of Mind Map: Get More Things Done & Make Creativity Easy
The concept behind this idea has been around for decades. It’s one that allows you to access more of your creativity and innovation. You can identify more of what needs to be done and in what order. This article gives some step by step directions on how to utilize this valuable technique.
Book Review-Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life
I’ve worked with visualization and imaging for over forty years, and in that time have read many books on the subject. This is one of the best books I’ve read that not only describes the process, but also explains how it can specifically help in various aspect of your life.
Dr. Peale doesn’t define imaging as a magical process that alone will make all your problems disappear, but as one that opens up the way for solutions and guidance. Once the goal has been set and visualized, then there must be “discipline, determination, patience, and persistence” for the idea to become reality. Using examples and success stories, Dr. Peale explains how imaging can improve self-esteem, finances, success, worry, relationships, health, faith and much more.
Known for his wisdom and ability, Dr. Peale helps people change their attitudes towards their everyday problems. This book shows how using the natural ability of imaging, your challenges can be conquered. The technique he describes is very simple, and is used by everyone each day. I recommend it highly for anyone wanting to learn more about the important tool of visualization.
7 Ways To Truly Master Your Own Mind
Your thoughts determine the quality of your life. They’re like nutrition for your mind.It’s not easy to have the discipline, but the rewards are tremendous. Use the ways in this article to monitor your thoughts so you have a fulfilled life.
‘No’ Is A Complete Sentence: 11 Tips
This is a lesson I’ve learned and that I share with my clients. It’s an essential one of you want to be authentic, stay on your purpose and honor your priorities. It’s not easy, but the tips from this article will give you the strategies you need to hold your ground.
Psychological Well-being Can Shorten the Road to Wellness
A large percentage of business leaders believe that a good business culture gives them a competitive advantage. Yet, an almost equal amount believe they have a problem with employee retention and engagement. Including psychological well-being in wellness programming makes a huge impact in employees happiness.
~ Linda-Ann Stewart
Marie went in to interview for a job she was fully qualified for. But she’d had several recent interviews, and hadn’t received an offer from any of them. As a result, she didn’t have the best attitude going into this situation. When she didn’t get the position, she said, “I knew it. I didn’t think I was going to get it.” Unfortunately, she got what she expected. Her belief became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The attitude you have when you approach a challenge, or a change, greatly determines your outcome. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you’re right.” Your belief will affect your actions and the way you project yourself. If you don’t think you’ll be successful in a venture, you won’t give it 100% of your effort. You might think you do, but part of your energy will be held back to deal with potential disappointment.
Think about a recent goal you had. Did you believe that you could achieve it? What was your attitude towards it? You may have spent lots of time and action to move it in a positive direction. But if you didn’t believe that you would be successful, guess what? It would be unlikely that you could achieve your goal.
I’ve worked with hundreds of smokers in my practice and classes. If they repeat to themselves, “I can’t quit,” then it will be practically impossible for them to quit. When the smoker changes their attitude to “I can quit,” their subconscious works with them to make it possible. Until then, no matter what tools and techniques they use, they’ll be fighting against themselves and the directives they’ve been giving their inner mind. Your subconscious seeks to prove your belief is correct.
Your subconscious must act on what you tell it. If you want a new direction in your life, or to accomplish a goal, first you have to believe that it’s possible. Your subconscious will take its cue from where you focus your attention. Taking action without believing that you can be successful undermines your abilities and determination. You might make progress, but it’ll be a hard road with few rewards in comparison to the amount of labor you’ve put into it.
If you’re thinking, “This is never going to work,” then your subconscious will follow your direction. Not only that, if opportunities do come your way, you won’t be aware of them. Your subconscious will filter them out of your consciousness. It will be as if they don’t exist. Either you won’t recognize them or you’ll dismiss them. Your subconscious mind has to be congruent with your beliefs.
However, if you decide, “This has a good possibility of being successful, and I’ll do everything I can to accomplish it,” your subconscious will help you. For instance, when you’re choosing to change a habit, your inner mind will be in alignment with your goal and make it easier. If you’re working on a project, opportunities and information may drop into your lap.
What if you want to improve a corner of your life, but aren’t sure you will be able to believe you can accomplish it? Are you doomed to failure? Not necessarily. The more difficult you believe a goal will be to attain, the more commitment you have to bring to it as you work towards the goal. Your attitude needs to at least entertain the possibility that you can be successful.
Then you need to put more effort into the steps that will bring it to fruition. An abundance teacher says that the further away from Source you feel you are, the more action you have to take in the physical world.
Make sure your attitude isn’t one of “Just going through the motions,” because that will short-circuit your efforts. Take small steps, and praise yourself when you successfully complete each one. Your activity and dedication will impress your subconscious with the importance of your goal.
You may take two steps forward and one back, but you will start to make progress. And as you recognize the positive results of your efforts, and begin to believe that it is possible, your progress will accelerate.
Combining a positive attitude with being willing to do whatever is necessary to succeed is an unbeatable recipe for success. When you believe you can, your subconscious will help you to be right.
Affirmation:
If I can believe it, I can achieve it. The power of the Universe is at my command when I decide to commit to an intention. I realize that when I believe I can accomplish it, my subconscious seeks to prove me right. The Universe and my subconscious mind know how to bring about my intention, in a way that resonates with me. As I pair action with my belief that I can succeed, the Universe supports my every effort.
The Backfire Effect: You’re Right to Get Emotional About this Cognitive Bias
The backfire effect is when a person won’t believe facts that contradict their beliefs. They actually attach to their beliefs even stronger. In business, false information about you on social media can destroy you. This article gives suggestions on how to counter that effect and salvage your reputation.
10 Words People Who Are Not Confident Always Use
Words have power. They project your intentions and they also reinforce your beliefs about yourself. If you use wishy-washy words, you’re not only going to be seen that way, but you’ll have trouble believing in yourself. However, when you change your words, you’ll notice an improvement in the way you feel and how others respond to you. Learn 10 words to avoid.
10 Toxic People You Should Avoid At All Costs
Some toxic people have no idea how they affect people. Other toxic people derive satisfaction from the chaos they create. No matter which category they fall in, they are difficult and stressful to deal with. Toxic people take a toll on you, physically, mentally and emotionally. If you can, avoid them. But first, learn to identify them with the help of this article.