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.
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.
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.
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.
Have you ever been caught between two decisions? It may be one in which that you habitually take the easy path, and that undermines your well being. What if you could, in the moment, receive encouragement to choose the more difficult road? This guided meditation will help you encourage and support yourself to take the actions that lead you towards your goals.
Transcript:
Thank
you for watching. Wouldn’t it be nice to stop procrastinating, to eat and drink
in a way that’s good for your health, to encourage and motivate yourself in a
positive way? When you turn away from the path of least resistance to the path
that is best for you, you’re building self-respect and demonstrating self-love.
Treating yourself kindly, and gently guiding yourself to decisions and actions
that support you and your endeavors brings you a better life.
I’m
Linda-Ann Stewart, and would like to lead you through a short guided meditation
to help you choose the best path that brings you long term benefits. In this
meditation, you’ll be encouraging yourself to make positive choices.
If
you feel like it, close your eyes. Imagine another version of yourself nearby.
This version of yourself knows what your goals are, and knows the actions that
can help or hinder your goals. This version of yourself also cares about your
well being, is more objective and able to see things more clearly.
Now
imagine that you are faced with a choice. It’s a choice between doing what’s
familiar, what’s easiest, what will bring you immediate gratification, but will
ultimately not be helpful for you… and acting in a more mature, intentional and
reasoned way. A way that is better for you and for the outcomes you want.
Now
imagine that version of yourself is encouraging you to make the more difficult,
but more enriching choice. This part of you gives you reasons for for making
those choices, and reminds you that you will ultimately feel better about
yourself. This part’s guidance is reassuring and inspiring to you.
Imagine
that you follow that version of yourself’s advice. That you make the choice it
recommends. It could be to eat healthy foods, do the task you’ve been avoiding,
or take action towards your goal. Imagine yourself acting on the decision and
how you feel good about yourself once you’ve done so. Your choice leads to an
outcome that benefits you in the long term.
Open
your eyes. The version of yourself I mention can help by supporting you in
making decisions that will improve your well being. In a way, you’re being your
own cheerleader. When you take the time to check in with that more objective
part of you, you’ll recognize the guidance that can keep you on course. Acting
on that advice demonstrates your care for yourself.
If you’d to achieve a 90-day goal more easily, download my free comprehensive Strategic Vision Guide. You’ll receive the guide, as well as a training video that walks you through it with tips and directions to support you in accomplishing your goal.
Thank you for watching. What one thing can you do today that supports your well being?
Your perspective is your mindset or attitude towards life. Your perspective either helps or hinders your success. Fortunately, you can build one that enables your to build a positive one, that allows you to succeed in life. Use these 6 tips on how to change your perspective so you can create your dream life.
A study has showed that mindfulness meditation can alter genes linked to inflammation, stress, and pain relief. The benefits were found in experienced and newly trained meditators alike. And just over an hour of training can reduce pain by 15-30% more than morphine. Learn more about how mindfulness can change your genes and bring you long-ranging benefits.
The Stoics were a school of Hellenistic philosophers who inspired much of modern psychology. Their ancient wisdom gives us inspiration to take control of our attitudes and beliefs so that we can be happier in our lives. These 6 attitude shifters have questions to ask yourself so you can create better peace of mind.
VideoComments Off on Guided Meditation for Kindness
Dec102020
Do you want to be happier, more positive, kinder and have better emotional control? Studies show that meditating on kindness and compassion can bring you all that and more. Linda-Ann leads you through a short meditation that induces a sense of compassion towards yourself and others. And you’ll also learn how you can maximize its effectiveness in your daily life.
Transcript:
Thank
you for joining me. Do you want to be happier, more positive, kinder and have
better emotional control? There’s a very simple way to do that. It’s by
meditating on kindness and compassion. Within two weeks of practicing this type
of meditation every day, you’ll notice an improvement in all that I mentioned.
I’m
Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist. This type of meditation will also cause
you to feel better about achieving your goals. A meditation like this will
actually change your brain to cause you to be more compassionate. Isn’t that
amazing?
To
give you an idea of how to do it, I’m going to lead you through a very short
example of this type of meditation.
Close
your eyes. Take a deep breath. Bring to mind someone you love and care about
deeply. As you think of them, imagine a warmth in and around your heart towards
this person. Notice your feelings of love, caring, well being and good will
towards this person. You want the best for them. Imagine a golden light
surrounds your heart and contains all of these beautiful feelings. Imagine that
light goes out towards that person, filling them with all these wonderful
feelings.
As
you do, say phrases like the following to yourself, feeling each one as a wish
for that person:
May
you be whole.
May
you be well.
May
you filled with peace.
May
you be happy.
Take
a deep breath. Now, imagine all the good wishes from that golden light directed
towards yourself. Feel them. Again, repeat phrases like the following:
May
I be whole.
May
I be well.
May
I filled with peace.
May
I be happy.
Take
a deep breath… and open your eyes. It feels good, doesn’t it?
You
don’t have to use the phrases the I used. Find phrases that work for you. The
best results happen when you do this type of meditation for 30 minutes a day.
As you go through the process, you can add different types of people.
For instance, imagine an acquaintance or someone neutral, someone that you know but don’t really feel one way or the other about. Send them compassion. And then imagine someone that you’ve had a falling out with, a conflict with, or some other negative experience with. Send them good will. This meditation will help to free you from the burden of the negative emotions associated with that person.
Although
the recommendation is to devote 30 minutes a day to the meditation, once you
know how to do it, you can practice it at any time during the day. When you get
up, you can send good wishes to your loved ones. On the way to work, you can
send good will to your fellow commuters. And, eventually, when you have to deal
with a grumpy boss or nasty customer, you can imagine sending them kindness. It
may not improve their disposition, but it’ll do wonders for yours.
I’ll post links to a recordings that can help you. The first is a Compassion Meditation by the Greater Good Science Center that will lead you through the entire half-hour sequence. The second is a short song on Loving-Kindness, by Karen Drucker. You can memorize the easy chant and use it during your daily life. It’s one I sometimes use when I’m walking or when I’m driving.
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 accomplishing your goal.
Thank you for watching. May you be filled with peace and happiness.
Mindfulness can be difficult in the middle of the hustle and bustle of life. Time is always at a premium. But you don’t need to meditate every day to experience the benefits of mindfulness at work. Here are a few ways you can inject mindful moments into your day so you can de-stress and do your best.
Daily brain breaks are key for mental and emotional health. Giving your mind a rest throughout the day allows it to recharge, stay focused and positive. Included with the reasons you need to give your mind a break during the day are ways to do so.
Everyone has uncomfortable emotions or undesirable habits they want to change. Fortunately, you can develop new methods to cope with those issues and improve your life. Use this 4-step method to handle unwanted thoughts that can derail your focus.
Mounting evidence from multiple studies indicate that mindfulness builds resilience and helps energize you. Here’s how mindfulness gives you the space to respond calmly under pressure. The article includes a meditation for lowering stress levels.
It’s not uncommon to feel disorganized and forgetful when you’re under a lot of stress. But over the long term, stress may actually change your brain in ways that affect your memory. Stress management may reduce health problems linked to stress, which include cognitive problems and a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Western society celebrate self-confidence, and encourages people to build this quality. But for greater success and happiness, self-compassion may be more beneficial. Self-compassion encourages you to acknowledge and accept your limitations and flaws. This can lead to positive changes in your life because instead of tearing yourself down, you accept that you’re human.
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.
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.
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.
VideoComments Off on Guided Meditation to a Calm Mind and Better Life
Sep102020
When you’re upset, it affects your body, tensing your muscles. The reverse is also true, if your body is relaxed, then your mind is calm. You can control your state of mind through relaxing your body so you can be more peaceful. A calm mind allows you have a sense of well-being and to think more clearly. Use this meditation to access a peaceful state that can contribute to more success and satisfaction in your life.
Transcript:
Thank you for joining me. Have you ever noticed that when you’re upset, stressed, anxious or worried that your muscles are tense? And that you breathe shallowly, from your upper chest? Your thoughts are telling your body that you’re feeling threatened, and they’re responding to protect you.
But
did you realize that when you deliberately relax your muscles and take deep
breaths, your mind begins to calm down and you feel more peaceful? It’s true.
What affects the mind will affect the body and vice versa. You have the power
to take control over your state of mind, by affecting your body.
I’m
Linda-Ann Stewart, of Heartvision Consulting. I’m a vision strategist, helping
women program their business for success by creating a master plan. But I’ve
also been a hypnotherapist for over 30 years. I’ve helped hundreds of people to
improve their quality of life through relaxation and then to achieve their
goals.
I’d
like to lead you through a short meditation of deliberate relaxation that will
help you find more calm, so you have a better life.
If
you want to, close your eyes.
Take
a long slow deep breath. Now let it out, letting it go. Take another deep
breath in. Now exhale, letting it go, all the way out. Take one more deep
breath. And let it go, all the way out.
Now
place your attention on your scalp. Let go of the muscles there. Imagine them
becoming like a floppy rubber band.
Bring
your attention to your face. Relax your facial muscles.
Place
your attention on your neck, and let those muscles relax.
Now
your shoulders drop, loose and limp.
Your
arms relax, like a rag doll.
Your
chest and abdoman become soft and relaxed.
Place
your attention on your back, and you let it relax, becoming like soft putty,
relaxing all the way down to your hips.
And
now your legs relax, all the way down to your toes.
Just
relaxing your entire body from the top of your head to the bottoms of your
feet.
Now
imagine that you’re feeling calm, peaceful, serene, like your mind is a calm
pool of water. Safe and secure. Floating with a sense of well being.
I
wonder how you can create this calm, peace, serenity, safety, security and well-being
in your life from this moment on? Maybe you can create it with 3 deep breaths,
and a quick relaxation. Maybe you can simply remember how it felt to be at
ease. No matter how, it can be easy for you now to create this calm and well
being in your life. And you can bring this peace with you into your life as you
open your eyes.
How
did that feel? The more you practice it, the easier it becomes. The effects
accumulate over time.
Whenever
your mind is calm, you have a sense of well being, are able to think more
clearly and make better decisions. You’re more creative, resourceful, and
resilient in the face of challenges. In addition, you’re more attractive to
people, both in your personal and professional lives. You’re able to feel more
fulfilled and satisfied in your work. Isn’t that worth taking a couple of
minutes out of every day to practice this exercise?
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 of that walks you through it with tips and directions to support you in being able to accomplish your goal.
Thank you for watching. I hope you’re able to take this meditation and practice it daily to bring you a much better life. Take care.
Sometimes affirmations don’t work because you don’t think about them when you say or meditate on them. You’re just repeating them by rote and your feelings aren’t engaged. A thought always precedes a feeling, so think about what the affirmation means to you as you meditate or state it. The emotion you put into it is what powers the affirmation and makes it manifest.
