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Craft a Sustainable Well of Happiness

Craft a Sustainable Well of Happiness

Contrary to western beliefs, rather than success bringing happiness, happiness brings success. In great measure, your happiness is within your control. You can increase your level of happiness that will bring you multiple benefits. Watch Craft a Sustainable Well of Happiness.

Transcript:

Welcome to this month’s mindset coaching tip. Everyone could use more happiness, right? But trying to find it through achievement or awards is fleeting, at best. Happiness is much more persistent and powerful when it’s developed by  activities that you have the ability to do each day. I’d like to share a couple of tips on how you can craft a more sustainable well of happiness.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor and hypnotherapist. I empower people to focus and align their heart with their vision so they can achieve their goals. And being happy makes success more likely

The first tip to developing happiness I’d like to share with you is to take 15 minutes a day to do something that feeds your soul. Take a walk, get into nature, play with your dog or cat, or garden.

This gives your brain a boost of pleasure chemicals that increase your sense of satisfaction and joy. You know how you feel when you take time for what matters to you, right? So make sure you take at least 15 minutes a day for you.  

My second tip to crafting happiness is an outgrowth of the first tip. Get creative with some sort of craft. It could be something like quilting, embroidery, needlework, jewelry making, beading, knitting, crocheting, or my favorite, weaving. Crafting can reduce stress and anxiety.

The same is true of any art or creativity, such as painting, sculpting, music, pottery, photography, cooking, baking, or woodworking. And there are so many more.

Because you’re focused on something enjoyable, it puts you in a state of flow. In addition to increasing a sense of satisfaction, flow is where ideas and insights can start to surface. This makes achieving your goals easier.

So there are multiple benefits for taking the time for you and also for enjoying some art or craft each day. Not only will you reduce stress, and  improve your mood, but you will begin to build a well of happiness and fulfillment within yourself.

What can you do for you today? I’m going to go take a walk and then go weave. Thank you for watching. If you’d like to be notified when I release more videos on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please like my channel and click on the bell. Stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, How to Improve Your Happiness Level.

Be as Kind to Yourself as You Are to Others

Be as Kind to Yourself as You Are to Others

Being kind to others brings great rewards. But there are times when you get depleted when you’ve been kind without paying attention to your needs. Learn some signals that let you know when you need to be kind to yourself. Watch Be as Kind to Yourself as You Are to Others.

Transcript:

We all know that it’s important to be kind to others. One small act of kindness can spread, like the ripples in a pond. But there are times when giving too much of yourself can deplete you. People can expect too much, take advantage of you, or you just can’t draw the line. It’s hard to say “no” when your spirit is willing, but your physical, mental and emotional well being is drained.

I know how it is to be stretched beyond your limit by volunteering and giving of your time and energy. At one time, I’d overextended myself so much that my health suffered.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor and hypnotherapist. I empower people to focus and align their heart with their vision so they can achieve their goals.

I learned that to be able to have enough energy to give to others, you need to be able to replenish what you have. Being kind to yourself is as important, if not more so, than being kind to others. If you’re depleted, then you can’t help anyone.

One of the ways to make sure you stay balanced is to know when to pull back and say “not now” or “no.” Some good signals to do this are when you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, resentful,or exhausted. These indicate that it’s time for you to step back, be kind to yourself and restore your energy.

Kindness begins with your being kind to yourself. Give yourself the same thoughtfulness that you give to others, and then you’ll be able to spread that kindness in a much greater way. How can you be kind to yourself today? Thank you for watching.  If you’d like to be notified when I release more videos on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please like my channel and click on the bell. Be kind, to yourself and others, and as always, stay focused.

Please read the accompanying article, Can Kindness Backfire?

Avoid the Paralysis of Perfection

Avoid the Paralysis of Perfection

Do you try to get everything done perfectly? That can lead to procrastination and undermine the outcome you’re seeking. Instead of trying to be perfect, use this mindset tip to complete your project and move to your next accomplishment. Watch Avoid the Paralysis of Perfection.

Transcript:

Welcome. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart and I empower people to focus and achieve their goals and vision. Today, I’d like to talk about perfectionism and how it holds you back.

I once knew an artist who was a perfectionist about her paintings. She worked on one for years. It was of dried leaves and a tree stump. You wouldn’t think that subject would be interesting, but her depiction of it  was beautiful.

For one thing, the leaves that she’d completed were amazing. You’d have sworn they were real. But she spent so much time on each leaf, meticulously trying to get it perfect, that she never finished the painting. Eventually, she moved on to work on other pieces.

Although that painting wouldn’t have been as detailed, it would have been better for her to have completed it without agonizing over every vein in every leaf. No one would have noticed them missing, and the picture still would have been phenomenal. Unfortunately, that partially completed masterpiece sat in the closet and few people ever had the joy of seeing it.

Do you avoid finishing a project, because you don’t think it’s perfect enough? Perfectionism can lead to procrastination, which can create paralysis. You dread dealing with the project, and that resistance takes energy away from it and other things. The dread hangs over your head, taking up valuable mental real estate.

My coaching tip is a mindset shift. There are motivational statements like, “Done is better than perfect,” and “Progress, not perfection.” They may be trite, but they’re true, and important to remember if you get bogged down in trying to be perfect. No one but you is going to know your project is not up to your standard of perfection. It will be perfectly acceptable to them and appreciated. 

Like my friend’s painting, it really is better to just complete what you’re working on. You’ll get so much more done. Even if the result isn’t as great as you’d like, you can then move on to your next accomplishment. Thank you for watching. If you liked this video, please like my channel so you’re notified when I post future ones. Stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Seek Persistence, Not Perfection.

Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin

Most people tend to avoid changing until it becomes too painful to stay where they are. They fear the unknown and the effort to change more than they fear the difficulty they’re in. Change isn’t easy, and it takes motivation, determination and commitment. Sometimes, it means you have to make tough choices. When you get tired of being uncomfortable, unhappy, and distressed, you’ll gather your resources and say, “Enough! I can make things better.” 

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Guided Imagery to Break Through to Your Goal

Guided Imagery to Break Through to Your Goal

Are you holding yourself back from moving forward with a goal, or making an improvement in your life? Before you can make any changes, you need to be aware that there’s a problem. Then the solution can be identified and acted upon. This short guided meditation will lead you through a 4 steps process to break through the barrier and help you achieve your goal.

Transcript:

Are you holding yourself back from moving forward with a goal, or making an improvement in your life? If so, being aware that you are is the crucial first step to changing that. I’d like to share a very short guided meditation to help you to break through that barrier and allow you to make progress on your goal or vision. 

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision empowerment strategist helping women business owners focus, as well as a hypnotherapist with over 30 years experience. This meditation will lead you through some imagery to help you assess how you’re holding yourself back and examine why. Then, the imagery will encourage you to consider how your lifestyle would be with your goal, and imagine your next steps.

If you choose, close your eyes:

You have a goal or an improvement you want to make in your life. Envision it clearly… Your goal is important to you. But you’re aware that, for some reason, you’ve been holding yourself back from taking action. How are you doing that? What are you doing, or not doing, that’s preventing you from moving forward? Examine this without judgement or emotion…

Once you’ve examined what you’re doing, or not doing, dig a bit deeper. Why are you doing, or not doing, that? Why are you holding yourself back? It may be some idea that served you in the past, but isn’t any longer.

Right now, simply intend to explore the reason. That reason might surface now, or surface later today, or in the near future. Once you’ve identified the reason, you can decide whether or not you want to change that belief so it serves you in the present.

Now, consider how your life would be, having achieved your goal or vision. What would be different in your life and lifestyle? How would your beliefs be different? What habits would you have developed that you don’t have now? How would you feel, and feel about yourself, having achieved your goal? Allow this feeling to grow and expand within you. 

With that feeling motivating you, what decisions do you need to make now, so you can move forward? What step do you need to take in the next few days to make progress? Can you commit to taking that step? Imagine yourself taking the next step, and the next, all the way to your goal.

Open your eyes. In this meditation, once you’ve resolved what’s been holding you back, you imagine you’ve accomplished your goal. As you use this imagery, you give your subconscious mind a map to follow. With this map, your subconscious mind finds it easier to solve problems that come up along the way. Step by step, you can move closer and closer, until your goal is a reality in your life.

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

Thank you for watching. Stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Simple Steps to Positive Change.

Take Charge of Your Life by Living with Intention

Take Charge of Your Life by Living with Intention

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Plane flying

Most people live on autopilot. They routinely think and behave in the same way day after day. If a situation comes up, they unconsciously act as they’ve done in the past. They go through their lives without taking the time to consider what they’re doing. And because they simply react to circumstances, the overall condition of their life rarely changes.

When you react, you’re reinforcing Einstein’s definition of insanity, “Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result.” For your life to improve, you have to change your thoughts and beliefs first. Even if you try to change your situation, it will return to what you’ve experienced in the past unless you shift your attitude.

How to Stay in a Self-Sabotaging Rut

For instance, Sara was a graphic artist. In a proposal early in her career, her estimate to complete a project that was too long for the client, so they went elsewhere. Because of her inexperience, she didn’t realize that their requirement was entirely unreasonable. But from that time on, she was afraid that if she didn’t offer to do the work in a ridiculously short amount of time, she’d lose the job and have very little business.

So she gave completion estimates that she’d barely be able to meet, even if they were her only client. Since she regularly missed her deadlines, she got a reputation of being late with her work. Of course, she lost business because of this, yet she never changed her protocol. Her fear of losing work became a self-fulfilling prophecy. She continued to react to a previous situation, never changed her policy and continued to lose business.

By reacting, you behave the same way you have in the past, which keeps you right where you are, just like what happened to Sara. And you’re acting out of the same mindset, generally one of fear, anger, or sadness. This negative space isn’t a good place to act or make decisions from. As one of my mentor’s said, “Fear isn’t a guidance system.” It won’t bring you the results you want.

How to Change Your Results

Only by intentionally choosing your thoughts and actions will you be able to change your results. It’s not an easy path, but it’s more rewarding and will create better outcomes. To do so, you have to stay aware of what’s transpiring, and not give into impulse.

If Sara had been more aware of her actions and their consequences, she would have chosen more realistic time estimates for projects. It would have been scary at first. She would have had to face down her fears. But she would have gotten more confident as customers approved her proposals and were happy with the end product being delivered on time.

When you live with intention, it means that you’re choosing to respond to situations rather than react to them. You’re being more deliberate and aware with your thoughts and actions. When a situation arises, you’re proactive, thinking your words and actions through. This puts you in the captain’s seat of your life.

How to Become Mindful

The first step is to become mindful of what thoughts you focus on, because they develop into your beliefs. Your beliefs shape how you feel and how you act. For instance, depending on whether you feel comfortable with accepting a compliment or not, you’ll either be delighted or deflect it.

Your second step is to become aware of how you habitually react to specific situations. Does it get you the results you want? If you feel defensive and attack whenever anyone questions you on your work, does this help your career to progress? Or would being open to constructive suggestions help more? Assess whether your reactions are helpful or sabotaging you.

The third step is to consciously choose and implement your new response. When a coworker asks you to lunch, instead of isolating yourself at your desk, go with them. This step gets tougher when crises come up and you don’t take the moment or two to remember your intention. But with practice, this will become easier.

Living with Intention

This is living with intention. You’re being responsive, aware of your choices and purposely choosing your actions. Jack Kornfield, author and Buddhism teacher, said, “Intention leads to behaviors which lead to habits, which lead to personality development which leads to destiny.”

Be deliberate about your thoughts, words, and deeds. You’ll get better results. Instead of riding helplessly in a rudderless boat, at the whim of the wind and water, take the helm. By living with intention, you take control of your destiny.

Affirmation:

I become aware of how I react to situations, and assess whether it’s helpful or hindering me. It’s safe for me to make a different decision than I normally would. I have the knowledge and the resources to deal with the challenges of my life in a new and better way. By choosing to live with intention, I take control of my life.

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Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

Sparks of Insight

Peace and relaxation is your natural state of being. When you are at rest, your muscles are at ease and energy flows through you. This allows your body and mind to recharge and heal. If you become anxious or upset, this ties up the energy in tense muscles. It doesn’t mean that relaxation isn’t there, it’s just blocked. When you’re able to let go, do or think of something more enjoyable or positive, then relaxation surfaces again. Practice taking a relaxation break every hour for just one minute and notice the difference in how your day goes.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Do You Suffer from the Shiny Object Syndrome?

Do You Suffer from the Shiny Object Syndrome?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Shiny Pennies

The Shiny Object Syndrome has many names: bright and shiny syndrome, bright penny syndrome, squirrel, or just plain scattered. Mainly, it’s a condition in which you’re distracted from working towards an objective by something new and different. This means that you don’t complete what you were working on because you’ve abandoned it for something more attractive.

The Shiny Object Syndrome has also been called by its initials, “S.O.S.” This term originally meant, “Save Our Ship,” indicating a ship was in distress and urgently needed help. The same is true of the Shiny Object Syndrome. It’s a signal to you that there’s something amiss with your vision or plan, and you’re going off course personally or professionally.

What Can Detour You

There are so many opportunities, ideas and temptations to divert you from your goal. Many times you get lured from a goal with a shiny object because you’ve gotten bored, stuck, dissatisfied or hit a snag. Rather than working through the issue, and sticking to your plan or practice, you jumped to something different that caught your attention and seemed to be more interesting.

For instance, you’re cleaning out your garage, and get distracted by a lawn chair you want to fix. After pulling together all the materials for the repair, you find some old magazines you want to go through. You get sidetracked by each item you find, and don’t finish the garage cleaning.

Or, in your business, you find yourself going through a dry period. Instead of doing what you know will bring you clients, you’re introduced to a new marketing technique. While learning about and executing that new tactic, you decide to also add another service or product. All the time spent with the latest idea is time away from the tried and true, which means the original problem gets worse.

Why You Get Distracted

Your brain loves the excitement and stimulation of something new. That’s why, when you’re bored, you seek out a more exciting activity. Anything novel triggers the reward centers of your brain and makes you feel good. It could be something as simple as checking your email or getting a text on your phone. But it’s a false sense of accomplishment and won’t help you in the long term.

The problem is that when you chase the new and different, it creates confusion and stress. Rather than deliberately following through on your plan so you can learn and grow, you react to whatever shows up in your immediate vicinity. Your chaotic thinking keeps you from being deliberate in your decisions. Instead, you react based on old programming and information, and stay stuck in the same old rut.

How to Overcome S.O.S.

There are some definite steps you can take once you’ve noticed that you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. Here are some questions and steps to take.

Clarity. Figure out how you got off course. What’s at the core of the issue? Are you avoiding something? If so, what and why? Once you’ve determined the issue, get clear on what it is you want.

Vision and plan. Your vision evolves from what you want. It’s your destination in a year to three years. From that, you determine your plan of how to get there. Without a vision and plan, you’ll continue to chase shiny objects.

Focus on priorities. What you focus on at any moment becomes your priority. Is your priority going to chase something new that triggers your reward circuit in the short term? Or are you going to work on more practical tasks that will allow you to get to the next step of your plan?

Dealing with the Shiny Object Syndrome isn’t hopeless. With understanding of the cause, and some direction of how to tame it, you can overcome S.O.S. Recognizing the syndrome when it happens, and taking immediate action, will allow you to take charge and fulfill your goals and vision.

Affirmation:

When I’m scattered and distracted, I become aware of it. I recognize it simply as a signal that something is amiss. The signal allows me to take stock of what I’m doing and what I want to achieve. The Universe guides and directs my thoughts and actions. As I focus on my desires, the Law of Attraction provides me with all I need to be successful.

Watch the accompanying video, Defuse the Shiny Object Syndrome.

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Transform Motion Into Action

Transform Motion Into Action

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Merry go round

Cookie was a fantastic artist, and art was her passion. She had all the tools of the trade, brushes, paint, easel, palette, canvas, etc. But she didn’t paint much. Being a wife and mother took up most of her attention. But she did make time to read artist’s magazines, go to art shows and talk with people about art.

She kept her skills sharp with her imagination. Neither the mind or body can tell the difference between the imagination and reality. When she saw something she’d like to paint, she’d describe how she’d get it onto canvas to her daughter. This satisfied her creative urge. She had hundreds of unpainted pictures in her head. The problem was that they didn’t make it to canvas so other people could appreciate them.

Doing the training and foundational work to support your goal or passion is important. You also need to have focus and know where you’re going. Without knowing how to draw, mix colors or compose the picture, an aspiring artist could start throwing paint onto a canvas and have it look nothing like they wanted. Working towards a goal, you could splash around great energy and enthusiasm, but create nothing worthwhile.

The Difference Between Motion and Action

Don’t confuse motion with action. Motion is when you do busy work that causes you to procrastinate taking action. You could spend your life in motion, like walking on a treadmill trying to get to China, but never get anywhere. It will build muscle and endurance but won’t get you where you want to go. Motion activities can be helpful, like when Cookie read her artist’s magazines. It creates a structure, supports your goal and can motivate you. But motion won’t translate into momentum.

When you have a goal, don’t get stuck in thinking, planning, organizing, and strategy. They’re motion related and all vital and necessary. But if they become all that you do, you’ll get stuck on the treadmill and never achieve your goal. They create the form for the Universe to flow into, once you act on them, by themselves, they accomplish nothing.

Visualizing your goal, and how you’d feel when you achieve it, is important. But it can also distract and derail you, as it did Cookie. It could fulfill your desire to accomplish it without actually making any headway. To remedy this, make sure you stay motivated. If you have a hard time converting from the planning stage to the action phase, remember your why you’re doing this. Why do you want this goal? What will it do for you? What will change in your life? These answers can inspire you forward.

When to Take Action

When you’ve done all you can with your planning, take some action. You may not know yet what to do, but getting moving in a direction will ground your decision. This isn’t just motion, throwing paint on the canvas. You’ve set the groundwork. Now it’s time to build some momentum. It communicates to your inner mind that you’re ready to move forward. Action also makes your goal more real and believable to you.

Maxwell Maltz, author of “Psychocybernetics,” said “Your automatic guidance system cannot guide you when you’re standing still.” You’ll be guided when you have your goal, steps and planning in place, motivation, and take action. Even if nothing happens immediately, because  you’ve dedicated yourself to your goal, you’ll be Divinely guided to contacts, opportunities or information that you need. Action also intensifies the energy of the Law of Attraction.

All of Cookie’s motion activities finally resulted in her getting into action after her daughter grew up. Eventually, she joined a group of producing artists. In that supportive environment, she began painting again. She created dozens of beautiful paintings that will be loved for years to come.

Motion activities, such as training, strategizing and planning, build the foundation and framework for you. You can use them to inspire motivation to get you into action towards your goal. And once you’re in action, you’ll gather steam and momentum. Are you ready to move towards your dreams? Then take that first step now.

Affirmation:

I accept that my talents and abilities are gifts I need to develop. They are innate and need to be shaped and molded so that they can create a beautiful life vision. Once I’ve done my foundational work, I start taking action. My efforts are Divinely guided, and everything I need for success is now provided.

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How to Stick to Your Goals

How to Stick to Your Goals

Do you sometimes have trouble sticking to your plan, or get distracted from your goal? There’s a time-tested tactic that can increase your likelihood of success many times over. The technique makes it much easier to stay on course, whether you want to change a habit or stop procrastinating. Learn how to use this tactic to more effectively achieve your goals and vision.

Transcript:

Do you sometimes have trouble sticking to your plan for a goal? Do you fall off your diet or get distracted from your vision? If so, you’re not alone.

There’s a tactic that can increase your likelihood of success many times over. Researchers refer to this tactic as an “implementation intention.” Try saying that fast. In other words, you create an intention of what to do when a specific situation arises. More informally, they’re called, “If/Then” plans. That term is more understandable, isn’t it?

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision empowerment strategist, and I’ve been a hypnotherapist for over 30 years. I’ve taught this tactic to my hypnotherapy and coaching clients, to help them stay on course to their goals and vision.

The way this kind of plan is used is you identify traps or pitfalls or issues that can sabotage your goals. And you know what those are, right? And then you proactively decide how you’re going to respond to the situation.

The plan goes like this:

If (or when) [a specific situation arises], then I will do or perform [a specific behaviour or response].

Got it? In other words “If ‘abc’ happens, then I will ‘xyz.'”

As in: “If someone asks me to volunteer my time, then I will tell them I have to think about it first.”

The sentence becomes a trigger for you. You know ahead of time what action to take, instead of being confused in the moment. When the situation comes up, the decision is already made as to what behavior you’ll do. It’s like you’re programming your response. Execution becomes automatic.

It works for new habits. For instance, if you’re on a diet, you might say, “If I eat cookies today, then I’ll forgive myself and get right back on my diet.” This keeps you from getting discouraged and giving up.

Lets’ say you have a coworker who always interrupts your work, your cue could be, “If Jody wants to talk when I’m busy, then I’ll tell her I can’t talk right now, and will call her when I’m done.”

Or you can set an intention for something you might otherwise procrastinate, such as, “When I get to my desk in the morning, then I will start making follow up phone calls.”

This tactic takes the guess work out of what you’ll do and motivates you to follow through on your goals. It works for whenever you experience setbacks, distractions or get tempted to take a detour from your goals and vision. Simply identify the pitfall and decide how to address it ahead of time.

When you use this tactic, you’ll achieve your goals much more easily.

For ways to achieve your goals with greater 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

Thank you for watching. How can you use the If/Then tactic today? Stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, 4 Ways You Sabotage Yourself (and how to deal with them).

~ Linda-Ann Stewart