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Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

Reduce Stress and Improve Your Life With Positive Self Talk

Self-talk is the way your inner voice makes sense of the world around you and the way you communicate with your inner self. Self-talk influences your experience of stress, positively or negatively. You can stop yourself from using negative self-talk and use your mind to boost your productivity and self-esteem and relieve stress. Use these 7 ways to take charge and change your negative self-talk to something more constructive.

Most Productive People: 6 Things They Do Every Day

This article is based on six tips from Tim Ferriss, author of the international bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek. It describes the science behind why the tips work, and insight from the most productive people around. And much of it has to do with being calmer, more focused and happier.

17 Ways You Can Develop New Habits and Improve Your Life

Trying new things makes you healthier, happier, and more creative. It also builds new neural pathways in your brain. It’s possible to adapt to new ideas and habits if you’re open to the possibilities and willing to try new activities.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Guided Meditation to Find Powerful Motivation to Achieve Your Goals

Guided Meditation to Find Powerful Motivation to Achieve Your Goals

When you’re pursuing a goal, you have to have some sort of motivation to either jumpstart your action or keep you going. There are two basic kinds of motivation, and each has their place. But there’s one kind of motivation that will inspire you in the tough times. Learn what that motivation is, and use this guided meditation to uncover the motivation that will see you through.

Transcript:

When you are working towards some goal, you’re motivating yourself in one of two ways: either by external or internal rewards. External motivation is what’s been called the carrot and stick model, or pleasure/pain principle. You’ve heard of that, right?

In essence, you hold something pleasant in front of you to keep going, the carrot, or you remind yourself of something painful that could happen if you stop, the stick. Have you ever done either of those? External motivation works to get you started on a project or goal, but it doesn’t really keep you committed.

However, internal motivation keeps you going through the tough times, because it comes from within you. You’re like an energizer bunny. Internal motivation brings you more satisfaction,  fulfillment, and greater productivity. So how do you find your internal motivation to pursue a goal? I’d like to share a short meditation to help you discover it.

If you want, close your eyes. Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

Think about a goal you have, or something you want to change in your life. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Why is it you want your goal or change?
  • What is your reward or how will you feel when accomplishing your goal or achieving the change? When external reasons come to mind, such as money or approval, go beyond them, dig deeper. Find what truly inspires you. 
  • What will encourage you to keep going, even if you have setbacks?

Open your eyes. Just asking yourself these questions will begin to stir up your internal motivation. Pick one of these questions and ask it once or twice a day. You may be surprised to find an answer will pop into your mind when you least expect it. Then use it to keep you on course to your goals.

To achieve your goals with confidence and ease in 4 powerful steps, watch my FREE training video, Set Your Course to Success. Register for the video and accompanying action planning guide at www.SetYourCourseGuide.com. One of the steps has to do with finding and using your motivation. Find the motivation that will keep you committed, and you’ll persist until you achieve your goal.

Book Review: Bex Beltran’s Journals

Book Review: Bex Beltran’s Journals

Bex Beltran’s Journals

I love journals that you write in. Research has shown that writing by hand is more effective than typewriting or using a keyboard. Using a pen or pencil engages the mind more, allows more inner communication, processes information better and remembers the material better.

Bex Beltran has created a line of journals to cover all sorts of issues, from intuition to lists, manifestation to a crystal journal. Some are for business and business development, like the networking followup, client record, or social media content creator. And others are for personal use, like one for goal setting, reviewing accomplishments, or self-care for a highly sensitive person.

I especially love that some have questions to inspire you, for insight or help you overcome blocks. In a way, some could also be called workbooks. At this writing, there are almost ninety of them, and she continues to add more. I’m sure there’s one that you’ll find valuable. I’ve linked to the page that lists them, so you can browse through these amazing, inexpensive journals.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Don’t Slow Before the Finish Line

Don’t Slow Before the Finish Line

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I don’t watch much sports, but my husband and I do enjoy the summer and winter Olympics. Over the years, I’ve noticed something interesting about many athletes who are in speed contests. Whether they’re runners, ice skaters or cyclists, when they’re in a race, they often ease up as they approach the finish line. Sometimes the front runner, who has slowed down, is passed by another athlete who has kept up their pace until after they’ve crossed the finish line.

This isn’t just true about athletes. It’s also true in any kind of goal achievement. The same problem affects changing a habit or achieving a sales target. Do you have the finish line in sight and slow down or stop your efforts? Often, when someone is about to accomplish a goal, whether personal or professional, they sabotage their attempt. They’ll stop putting energy towards the goal, try to coast across the line, stop just short of it, or abandon it completely just before they’ve reached their objective. If you do this, you restrict the amount of abundance from the Universe.

Some Reasons You Hold Yourself Back (and what to do about them)

There are a variety of reasons for this kind of self-sabotage. Here are a three of them, and suggestions to maintain your progress until you’ve accomplished your goal.

Fear of success. You hold yourself back because you’re afraid of what success would bring, such as extra responsibility, criticism or envy of others. As long as you fall short of your aim, you avoid the potential consequences. For instance, you work on a project, but as you approach completion, you get distracted. Or you procrastinate finishing, because it’s not perfect. If you turn in a less than stellar result, you can use it as an excuse for not getting that promotion.

If you’re concerned about extra responsibility, take some extra training so you can deal with the additional authority. And you aren’t responsible for how someone else reacts to your success. Don’t take it personally. You are simply their latest scapegoat for their own insecurities. Just focus on doing your work to the best of your ability and take pride in that. The Universe supports you and will provide whatever help you need to deal with your concerns.

You overreach. You set a goal that is more than what you actually want. For instance, you state you want to lose twenty pounds, when your actual intention is to lose fifteen. The issue is that your subconscious knows your actual goal. You can’t fool it. Your subconscious will support you to your true target, but not any farther. That means that as you approach your desired weight, you start eating foods that aren’t on your diet. You indulge in some snack chips, then a cupcake, and your weight reduction grinds to a halt near your internal desire.

To remedy this, remember that your goal is an artificial ideal. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, shift your attention to the process that’s getting you there. In this case, your attention would be on eating healthier foods, in smaller amounts, and getting more exercise. Small servings of desserts would only be for special occasions. Your reduced weight is then the outcome of your lifestyle shift.

This can be true of sales goals, as well. Spend more time concentrating on your daily task of creating and contacting leads instead of your eventual sales. Your process will result in with more sales than aiming at a target, though the target is helpful to keep you going in the right direction. Your goal tells the Universe what you want. Your job is to follow through with your process and the Universe will provide the result.

Stay in your comfort zone. You’ve set a goal that you’re comfortable achieving. You have confidence that you can reach your aspiration without much difficulty. It doesn’t stretch you and you just go through the motions to accomplish it. Once you do, you feel so good that you repeat the process so you can feel uplifted again. But you stay in the same place and don’t improve.

Stop limiting yourself. Open your mind to the abundance of the Universe. It is safe to accept more good. If you’re not expanding out of your comfort zone, that zone will shrink and it will be harder to maintain your current level of performance. Motivational gurus and coaches encourage people to choose a goal that scares them. This allows you to grow, learn and gain more confidence as you progress. What objective would make you feel a little intimidated and uncomfortable? Start taking steps, baby ones if need be, and accept the fear.

Focus on Your Steps

If you undermine your progress when approaching your goal, stop thinking about the end result. Instead, focus on the steps of your plan and your procedure for moving forward. When you accomplish one step, tackle the next one. That way, you won’t be as intimidated or concerned about where you are in relation to the finish line. And who knows, you might exceed your goal and reach the stars.  

Affirmation:

The Universe wants the best for you and supports you in all your endeavors. Whatever you need to achieve your goal is provided. You’re Divinely Guided in your direction and activities. As you take the steps necessary, the Universe takes care of the result.

Watch the accompanying video, Overcome the Obstacles to Your Goal.

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Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

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

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

How Mindfulness Improves Strategic Thinking

It’s well documented that meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, accept and handle difficult emotions. Now mindfulness meditation is being used to bring focus and intention into business decisions and leadership. Leaders, entrepreneurs and organizations can use three ways to help identify important ideas.

Why You Never Seem to Have Enough Time

Feeling pressed for time is more due to our own psychology of what we value and mindsets about time. When you can reframe your attitudes, you can lessen the pressure you put on yourself. Here are three scientific insights that can help create an inner shift that then eases your time crunch.

Warren Buffett Says This 1 Simple Habit Separates Successful People From Everyone Else

To be successful, Warren Buffet and Steve Jobs realized that they needed to focus on what was important. And that one mindset was vital for them to accomplish what they wanted. Learn what that lesson is, as well as 7 ways to put it to use in your life.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

If You’re Just Not a Morning Person, Science Says You May Never Be

I admit, I am not now, nor I have ever been, a morning person. My brain just doesn’t work well in the early part of the morning. I can function, but that’s about it. Now this article explains why that is. Morning people and night owls are born that way. It’s time we accepted that.

How to Get Motivated Every Day When You Wake Up

There are two types of people. There are those who are stuck or satisfied with the status quo, and don’t do anything about it. And then there are those who set goals and take action to achieve more in their life. The difference between them comes down to motivation. To get into a motivation flow to improve your life, use the 3 parts of it described in this article.

5 Neuroscience Based Ways to Clear Your Mind

Everyone deals with negative thoughts, anxiety, or worry at some point. It’s only a problem when they stick around. But there are tactics you can use to take back control and overcome those wayward thoughts. Neuroscientists have identified some very effective ways to forget unwanted thoughts and get back on track.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Trending Articles of the Week

Trending Articles of the Week

Why Our Brains Like Short-Term Goals

Achieving goals is more than just staying the course and taking action. It has to do with your brain. Your brain likes the feeling of reward when you accomplish a task. The more you succeed, the more you’re motivated, encouraged and inspired. Learn what kind of goals to set to keep your brain happy and ultimately create more success.  

The Neuroscience of Savoring Positive Emotions

You are in control of your mood  by what you focus on. And you can turn a positive mood on or off, like a switch. Sustaining positive emotions is key to your sense of well being. Learn how you can take charge of your emotions and improve your well being.

Self Awareness Is Underrated: Why the Conscious Mind Leads to Happiness

Being self aware helps you improve your well being, behavior and success. It enables you to be more authentic. Follow these 5 tips to self awareness to help you to be more successful personally, professionally and emotionally.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Creating A Treasure Map To Achieve Your Desires

Creating A Treasure Map To Achieve Your Desires

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Sages say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This is true because images are the way the subconscious mind processes information. A word or verbal phrase translates into images in the inner mind. Think of the difference between reading “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” versus watching the movie. Which one was more powerful and evoked more emotions? Most likely it was the movie. The words on the page had to be transformed into mental pictures, but the movie was in the very language of the subconscious, thus grabbed it more directly.

This is why so many goal setting techniques suggest using visualization and cutting out pictures of what you want to help to manifest your desires. We co-create our world by the images we hold in our minds. Looking at pictures of our goals helps to keep our minds focused on what we want. There are lots of different terms for this technique. Master Mind designates it “image book pages,” Joseph Murphy and Mary Katherine MacDougall call it “treasure mapping,” and Catherine Ponder’s phrase for it is a “wheel of fortune.” More recently, they’ve been called, “vision boards” or “dream boards.”

The Basic Technique

No matter what it’s called the basic technique is the same. A person cuts out and collects pictures from magazines that represent what he/she wants. The action of finding the pictures, cutting them out, then pasting them onto paper helps to convince the subconscious that you really do want this goal. The pictures may simply evoke the feeling of the desired result, such as a sunset for peace, or a lit candle for enlightenment, or specific pictures of a cruise, car, income or job. The idea is to find pictures that speak to you. For a job, you might find pictures of someone doing that specific job, or a picture that symbolizes it to you.

Underneath the pictures, you write an affirmation that directs the mind. The affirmation can be “I know that my Higher Mind wants this for me, and my creative mind finds the best way for it to manifest” or “I now have a lavish income of X coming to me easily and freely.” Any statement that clarifies your goal and supports the belief that Spirit is manifesting it now will work. This helps keep you aware that the Universe wants this for you as much as you want it for yourself.

Different Ways to Use the Basic Technique

There are different ways to use the basic technique. For a single goal, such as a job, relationship, travel, or new house or car, you can get a page of colored construction paper or large posterboard and paste the pictures on it. Use a color that connects with you and your goal. Such as green or gold for prosperity, blue or green for relationships or relaxation, red or orange for a new position or some change in your life, purple or lavender for spiritual growth. I had a friend who created a treasure map and placed it on the inside of the door to her closet, where she saw it every day. You can also use a corkboard or styrofoam to pin the pictures and affirmations to, and change them as you choose.

For several different goals, you can get a posterboard and divide it into the areas of your goals. You could segment it into four parts, such as: work, play, relationships, and health. Then paste the pictures and write the affirmations as you would with a single sheet in each area. At the center, you could have a picture and affirmation that recognizes that the Universe is the Source of your good.

Another Way to Use the Basic Technique

One of my early metaphysical teachers used a notebook for his treasure map. He was a businessman and kept it in a drawer of his desk to look at several times a day and said that all of the desires he put into it came to pass. You can take a folder with fasteners, like you used in school, and put pictures and affirmations on sheets of unruled paper. Again, each goal should have its own separate sheet of paper.

How to Use the Treasure Map

With a treasure map, you need to have it where you can look at it several times a day, but where no one else can see it, such as a closet or drawer. This keeps it private, between you and your Higher Self. If you have someone who will be completely supportive of your goal, you can share it with them. Look at your map several times a day and each time give thanks that the Universe and your creative mind has already given you what the pictures represent. By giving your mind a picture of your desire, keeping your attention focused on it, the Universe will find the perfect way to transport you to your destination.

Affirmation:

I know that the Universe wants the best for me, the Highest Good of abundance, health, harmony, ease and comfort. As I put the pictures of what I want into my mind, it powers my Higher Mind to create a perfect outcome. I don’t need to know how it will manifest. My Higher Mind knows just the right way to deliver me to my desire. I give thanks, knowing that the Universe has already granted me what I want.

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How to Get Unstuck and Reduce Stress

How to Get Unstuck and Reduce Stress

During this crisis, people are feeling stuck, stressed and off balance. It’s hard to think clearly or to know what you can do that’s productive and positive. So most people just remain immobilized. Here’s a simple strategy you get you back in control, reduce your stress, and allow you to regain your balance.

Transcript:

Thank you for joining me. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist. Today, I’d like to talk a little bit about how you can reduce some of the stress you may be feeling as a result of our current crisis. We’re in unknown territory.

Everyone is feeling out of their depth and off balance. They’re worried about their health and that of their loved ones, worried about finances, and uncertain about how long this crisis will last. All of this worry and uncertainty causes stress. And with stress, it’s hard to make rational decisions. We react, and can’t think clearly of how to respond in a productive way.

Instead, it’s human nature to either fight, freeze or try to flee from the danger. We either feel angry, immobilized or fearful. It’s nature’s way of helping us deal with a threat, right? Well, we can’t fight a virus. I mean hand-to-hand combat. And we certainly can’t flee from it while we’re quarantined, can we? However, people  have complained the most to me about feeling frozen, stuck or helpless.

The way out of feeling stuck is to move, to actively do something positive. There are a lot of things you can’t control or do anything about right now. But what can you control? You can control your actions and attention. So focus on what you can do, just one thing you can do.

What one positive thing can you do today that will make you feel like you accomplished something? It could be as simple as taking a shower, changing out of your pajamas or changing a light bulb. That’s your first step. When you get one thing done, no matter how small, it will give you encouragement to do something else. You could reach out to a loved one or friend. Send a greeting card. Try out a new recipe. Do something creative.

As you take action, it becomes easier to do it again. Feeling in control reduces the feelings of stress, which means you’ll be able to think more clearly. You may be able to plan for what’s next. Who knows? You might even end up cleaning out the garage. Maybe. No pressure. But even if you don’t achieve that massive task, you will still have been able to regain your sense of balance, by just doing one thing at a time.

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 a video of that walks you through it with tips and directions to support you in you in accomplishing your goal.

Thank you for watching. My wish for you is to stay well, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Read the complementary article, When Life Gives You Lemons…

~ Linda-Ann Stewart