focus » Empowering Your Mind

Deal with thoughts during meditation?

Mar 032021

Question: How do I deal with overwhelming thoughts when I’m trying to meditate?

Answer: It’s normal to have problems with thoughts distracting you during meditation. It happens to those first starting meditation as well as seasoned meditators. It’s one reason why there are so many meditation techniques that use some sort of focus, like a mantra or staring at a candle.

When I use self-hypnosis at the beginning of a meditation, I go deeper than with any other technique. And because you’re focusing on relaxing your body, counting down and then imagining a special place, it helps to calm down the errant thoughts. However, it is a constant practice to keep them calm and not let them distract you.

Whenever you have a thought try to get your attention, bring your focus back to your special place, affirmation or any visualization you’re using. You’re in the process of training your mind. Letting it know that you’re going to take charge. Once you’ve practiced enough to get the thoughts quieter, the next step is to be able to simply observe them and let them go.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Sparks of Insight

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Feb 222021

The subconscious always is working. You may not be getting the outcome that you want, but that’s not the fault of the subconscious. It’s only doing and giving you what you’ve programmed into it in the past or present. The subconscious has rules, principles, and ways that it functions. And just as with federal law, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” Just because you don’t know what those rules are or choose not to follow them doesn’t mean you’re excluded from their effect. To get positive results, focus exclusively on what you want for a couple of minutes, twice a day. Imagine that it’s happening, feel its reality, and take action towards it.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

How to Become More Positive When Things Go Wrong

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Jan 072021

By Linda-Ann Stewart

Haven’t you had days when everything seemed to go wrong? You spilled your coffee on your proposal, the copier jammed, and you had a flat tire. Or maybe you’ve had times when the future looked dark and it was hard to see any light. When you’re down, it’s hard to see that there’s a way up. It becomes difficult to remember a time when things went well.

In these times, it’s challenging to stay positive, even when you know that being optimistic brings better results. You know shifting into a more upbeat frame of mind can turn things around and open doors for you. But when you’re down, it’s hard to focus on being positive. And this shuts down your ability to innovate.

What if you had a journal of evidence to remind you of times when things worked out? When you read about instances when you had good things happen, your mood lifts. Shifting your attention to something better changes your perspective and life flows more smoothly. You open to a broader range of possibilities and engage your creative mind to find solutions.

When you keep a journal of times when you were happy or when a situation worked out, it keeps you focused on the positive. And a journal gives you something to refer to when you need a mental boost. The more often you add to this journal, the more you train your mind to look for joy in everyday occurrences. You create an upward spiral of positivity that buoys you up when things go wrong.

There are several types of journals you can keep, and none of them take much time to update each day. Consider creating one of the following:

Gratitude. Evidence shows that writing three to ten gratitudes each day can improve your attitude within three weeks. People who keep a gratitude journal feel better about their lives as a whole and make more progress on their personal goals. Also, they better at bouncing back after adversity.

Falling Star. This is when you have something amazing drop into your lap. For example, you talk to someone in line at the store and gain a new customer. Or you mention that you need a plumber, and your neighbor gives you a great reference for one. By remembering that good things come when you least expect it, you prime your mind to seek opportunities for you.

Bright Side. This is when a situation looks grim, but suddenly turns around. For instance, I had to find a new home insurance policy after my old one had increased substantially. My new agent found one, with the same coverage, for almost half the price. This one could also be called “Dawn,” as in, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.”

Awe. What inspires awe for you? A beautiful sunset, a hummingbird hovering, or crashing waves? Awe can be found in the smallest of moments and can bring a sense of happiness and joy. When you take note of them, you remember how you felt at that time. Referring to a moment of awe can reduce stress and improve your well being.

Manifestation or the Law of Attraction. When have you successfully attracted or manifested something you were focusing on? Describe it in this journal so you can recall it in the future. Include your attitude and belief about the situation. Your item could be as simple as finding a great parking place or as complex as being offered the perfect job. This journal can encourage and support your spirituality.

Daily practice with any of these types of journals conditions your mind to seek out the positive, which keeps you more optimistic. And being able to refer to them when you’re down reminds you that things can, and will, get better. It brings you back into a sense of balance. It takes a bit of effort and dedication, but the rewards will be long lasting.

Affirmation:

The Universe supports all of my endeavors. When I keep my thoughts positive, I provide a clear channel through which the Universe can work. I stay positive by remembering times when events have gone well for me. In so doing, it creates an upbeat attitude and allows me to be more effective.

Watch the accompanying video, Use Journaling for Mindfulness and Success.

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.

Set Your Course to a Better 2021

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Jan 042021

Achieve the success you want with this free masterclass

With the free masterclass, “3 Keys to Set Your Course to Success: Achieve the Success You Crave in Difficult Times,” you’ll learn what you need to propel your business and personal life forward in the upcoming year. The masterclass will be held Thursday, January 14th at 2 p.m. MST on Zoom. If you can’t attend in person, you can view the replay for a short time. Learn more and register now at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/3keys.html

In this masterclass, you’ll Identify and overcome the biggest blocks to your success. You’ll also learn what powerful elements bring you the most success and maximize your efforts. In addition, you’ll discover how to take charge of your business to break the feast or famine cycle.

“In my hypnotherapy and coaching business, I found that there were three elements that were necessary for my client to be successful,” Linda-Ann Stewart said. “They had to have an empowered mindset, a strategic vision, and a consistent focus on what was important for their success. If any of these three were missing, they wouldn’t achieve their goal.”

Although this masterclass is designed for business owners and solopreneurs, its principles apply to personal and other professional goals as well. If you’re ready to propel yourself into the New Year, register for this complimentary masterclass.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

How to Stay Mindfully Focused

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Nov 172020

It’s hard to stay focused and not get distracted in our frantic, fast-paced lives. But focus is the best way to achieve your goals and be productive. Focus is one of the most important skills a person can develop. Learn a simple technique to learn how to be more focused and get more done, more easily.

Transcript:

Thank you for joining me. In our frantic day-to-day lives, it’s hard to stay focused, isn’t it? We’re pulled in so many different directions. But being able to focus on a task or project is the way to get it done and done well. I’d like to share a simple technique for you to be able to hone your attention, to be more single-minded, and get more done, more easily. Wouldn’t that be great?

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist. The technique I’m going to share with you combines a couple of tactics. One is deep breathing, and the other is self-talk. Either of which is good to help calm you down and get focused. But together, they are an unbeatable combination.

Using this technique allows you to pay attention to what you want to pay attention to, to what’s important and not what’s trying to distract you. When you take care of what’s important first, you can deal with other things later.

When you want to focus on a task, first take three long, slow, deep breaths. This calms your brain and nervous system so you can focus. It also allows you to take a mental step back to make a decision on what to do next. Rather than being pushed by events, you can make a choice of what to do next. It’s the difference between reacting and responding. When you respond, you’re reclaiming your power over your actions.

Next, engage in talking to yourself to keep yourself focused. Just saying things like, “Focus” or “concentrate” or “stick with it,” will rein in your thoughts to stay on task. You could also talk to yourself as if you’re a third person, like, “Linda-Ann, continue working on this for the next half-hour.” When you say your name, it catches your attention, doesn’t it? And you’re more likely to follow your own directions.

When you stay mindfully focused you’ll find yourself being more productive and efficient, while increasing your peace of mind. As a side benefit, you’ll also be training yourself to be more focused, so the more you practice, the better at it you’ll become. You’ll be developing a vital skill that you can use for the rest of your life, in all areas of your life.

If you’d to achieve a 90-day goal more easily, download my free comprehensive Strategic Vision guide at www.SetYourCourseGuide.com. You’ll receive the guide, as well as a training video that walks you through it with tips and directions to support you in you in accomplishing your goal.

Thank you for watching. How can you use this technique of deep breathing and self-talk today? Take care.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Be Mindful of Your Vision

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Nov 062020

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Being mindful and having a vision may seem contradictory. Your vision is all about the future, where you’re going and your destination. Mindfulness teaches you to stay in the present moment, without concern about the past or future. It sounds like vision and mindfulness are in opposition, doesn’t it? But they actually have a lot in common to help you be successful and achieve your goals in life.

For instance, your vision, although you keep it in view, necessitates you to have a plan and take steps to reach your destination. With your vision, the Law of Attraction knows what to draw to you. Mindfulness involves being intentional, focusing on one task at a time. Once you’ve completed that item, you focus on the next goal. In this way, you stay on course to your objective. Being mindful also opens a clearer channel to the Universe.

Vision and Mindfulness Are Complementary

That’s where vision and mindfulness intersect. When you’re mindful about your vision, you focus on one step at a time, accomplishing it, then moving onto the next one. Each action builds on the one before and puts you in flow with the Universe. You know where you’re going (your vision), but your attention is on your current activity (mindfulness). By mindfully working through your plan, you’ll reach your vision with the Universe supporting your endeavors.

Being mindful of your vision can be challenging, as life is full of pitfalls and distractions. Only by navigating through challenges, and staying intentional and focused, can you be successful. Here are some suggestions to help you stay mindful and focused on your path, so you don’t get lost in the weeds. This makes it easier for the Law of Attraction to know what it is you want.

Execute your plan. You can’t just develop a plan and then ignore it. To stay on course, create mini-steps so you take one each day. With a plan, the Law of Attraction knows what to provide you to fulfill your goals. The habit of taking action will propel you along so that you then take bigger and bigger steps.

Be present. It’s easy to get lost in the future of what could be, or the past of what could have been. Instead of trying to leap forward, or berating yourself for what you didn’t do, ask yourself, “What can I do right now?” Pay attention to what you can control now. Those actions add up.

Don’t multitask. This is the very opposite of being mindful. You’re trying to do several things at one time, and this results in not doing any of them well. It gives you a false sense of accomplishment, but when you look back, you realize you haven’t really made any progress. Multitasking dilutes your energy and confuses the Law of Attraction. Take one task, complete it, and only then move on to the next.

Take a mental step back. When faced with the temptation to detour, stop and think about it. Be present with what’s going on. Why are you being distracted? Are you bored or uncertain about your next step? Mentally think it through and decide if that distraction or procrastination is worth taking the detour.

Talk yourself through temptation. If you aren’t paying attention to what you want in the moment, your environment is going to grab your attention. This is when distractions and interruptions pull you off course. After you’ve decided you don’t want to take that detour, keep yourself on course by being your own cheerleader. Tell yourself something like, “Stay the course,” “One thing at a time,” “I’ll take care of that detail later.”

Shift your attention to the positive. Sometimes your mental meandering will take you into the undesirable realm of negative thoughts. You doubt yourself, get upset at something not going your way, or become frustrated at not making progress as fast as you’d like. This blocks the flow of Universal energy. Again, take a step back and ask yourself, “Is it worth it to dwell on these ideas?” “Will this move me forward?” or “How much will this matter in a month?” Then shift your attention to something beneficial and productive. Acknowledge something that you’ve accomplished to change your energy.

In the best of times, mindfulness and vision complement each other. They make each other stronger and improve your success in every area of your life. Mindfulness connects you with the Universal flow and your vision gives the Law of Attraction instruction. As you keep your vision in view, and practice being mindful in your daily life, you’ll make the progress you seek.

Affirmation

The Universe wants the best for me. I develop a vision of what I want, and Universal energy and the Law of Attraction help me to fulfill it. As I am mindful about my steps, I remain on course, and stay in the flow of the Universe.