Empowering Your Mind – Mindset, Motivation and Empowerment

Guided Meditation to Align Your Heart with Your Vision

August 20, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart Comments 0 Comment

When your will, or what you consciously want, conflicts with your imagination, or what your subconscious is comfortable with, your imagination wins. But you can guide your imagination, and gently direct it to accept something better. This video leads you through a short guided meditation using a time-tested technique to dissolve internal resistance and gain the cooperation of your subconscious mind. Watch Guided Meditation to Align Your Heart with Your Vision.

Transcript:

Welcome to this month’s mindset tip. Did you know that when the vision for your goal and your heart are in conflict, your heart will prevail? In other words, when it’s your will versus your imagination, your imagination will win? This is the Law of Reversed Effect, an idea that psychologist Emile Coue originated.

But there is a way to direct the imagination, so that it more aligns with your will or goal. And that’s either through visualization or phrases that gently guide your subconscious mind, or imagination or heart, in the way you want.

I’d like to guide you through a very effective technique to help you bring your heart and vision into alignment. This will be by using relaxation and auto-suggestion, or affirmation or self-talk.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor, writer and hypnotherapist. These videos are dedicated to empower you to focus and align your heart with your vision so you can achieve your goals.

As a hypnotherapist, I’ve led hundreds of people through this kind of process. It’s very effective and one you can do for yourself. This is only to give you the idea of how it can work for you.

If you choose, close your eyes.

Take 3 deep breaths, relaxing more with each one.

3, 2, 1.

Now, repeat your auto-suggestion or affirmation or self-talk phrase to yourself. Repeat it slowly, with feeling. It could be something like, “Every day, in every respect, I’m getting better and better.” Or, “Every day, in every way, my mind, body and affairs are becoming happier, healthier and more abundant.” Or, “I expect and accept that everything works out in my favor.” Or some other positive and constructive phrase that appeals to you. Let it sink in and integrate into your mind.

Open your eyes.

Now let it go. Your subconscious mind will do the rest. The more you repeat your phrase, in a relaxed state, the more your heart and vision will begin to align. This is a technique you can use for yourself every day, and even several times a day. For one thing, it’ll reduce stress, and who doesn’t want that?

Thank you for watching. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up. And 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. As always, stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 2.

Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 2

August 5, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart Comments 0 Comment

by Linda-Ann Stewart

“When the imagination and will power are in conflict, are antagonistic, it is always the imagination which wins, without any exception.” Emile Coue

Emile Coue was a psychologist and originated the Law of Reverse Effect concept in the late 1800’s. He studied under hypnotists of the time, and noticed that whenever your conscious mind (will power) and subconscious mind (imagination) are at odds, your subconscious will always win. Essentially, when you try to will yourself to do something that your subconscious mind objects to, you’re unlikely to succeed.

Your Subconscious Is Trying to Help

For instance, suppose you want to lose weight, but you want the piece of cake in front of you more. Trying to force your subconscious to comply, and resist the cake, will cause it to rebel. The cake is a more immediate pleasure. For you to be successful, your conscious mind and subconscious minds must align, and be in agreement, otherwise your subconscious will sabotage you.

Your subconscious was programmed with beliefs and ideas when you were younger, and it’s simply following its programming. It doesn’t realize that your life, needs and desires have changed. Your subconscious is trying to help you by resisting new ideas from your conscious mind. Your subconscious needs reassurance and convincing that it’s safe to accept what your conscious mind wants.

How to Overcome Subconscious Resistance

From his observation of hypnosis, Emile Coue developed the auto-suggestion method. He’s famous for formulating the phrase, “Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better,” and instructed his followers to say it while relaxed. In this way, he helped them overcome their subconscious resistance to change.

You can use this same auto-suggestion method, or the similar self-talk or affirmation concepts, to persuade your subconscious mind. Repeat general suggestions, like “Day by day…,” to gently gain your subconscious mind’s cooperation are useful to begin with. Once your subconscious mind’s resistance has reduced, you can use more specific suggestions about your goal.

Understanding how and why this Law works explains why you may have been blocked from succeeding in the past. With this knowledge, you now have the ability to overcome the Law, empowering you to improve your life and achieve your goals and dreams.

Affirmation:

Something wonderful is happening through my life right now. I know the Universe wants the best for me in all areas of my life. I expect and accept that everything works out in my favor. Every day, in every way, my mind, body and affairs are becoming happier, healthier and more abundant.

Read the first part of this article, Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1.

As a focus mentor, hypnotherapist, and writer, Linda-Ann Stewart motivates women entrepreneurs and small business owners to focus and transform their business through deliberate actions that break through distraction and overwhelm to greater success, wellbeing and prosperity.To boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, register for her FREE guide, Design Your Best Day, at https://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html

Surmount the Law of Reverse Effect

July 16, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart Comments 0 Comment

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Have you ever unsuccessfully tried to force your way through an obstacle? This generally just results in frustration and stress. Here’s a tip on how to overcome this tendency and maintain your peace of mind. Watch Surmount the Law of Reverse E ffect.

Transcript:

Welcome to your monthly mindset tip. Have you ever found yourself trying to push through an obstacle, only for it to become more solid? I know I have. My mom used to say that, “Banging your head against a brick wall, will only get you a sore head.”

The Law of Reverse Effect, or Reversed Effort, explains this tendency. The harder you try to force something, some action, some result, the more that energy is going to build to block you. That’s why it’s called the Law of Reverse Effect or Reversed Effort. Putting effort into a goal or activity is valuable, but when it’s not getting you anywhere, except a sore head, it’s time to try something else.

I’d like to share a tip on how to keep you from having a sore head.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor, writer and hypnotherapist. These videos are dedicated to empower you to focus and align your heart with your vision so you can achieve your goals.

To surmount the Law of Reversed Effort, the first thing to do is to notice when you’re starting to feel pressure or frustration. Like you’re trying to force a particular result to happen.

When you recognize the stress building, find a way to shift your energy. Walk away from your efforts for a little while. Do something pleasant or enjoyable. I do this when I’m having trouble on a creative project, or even when my checkbook won’t balance. Give your subconscious mind some time and space to find a solution, a new insight or a new direction.

After you’ve restored your sense of balance, return to your endeavor and consider it from a fresh perspective. This will likely give you the breakthrough you need. And it will keep your composure, and head, intact. Thank you for watching. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up. And 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. As always, stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1.

Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1

July 2, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart Comments 0 Comment

by Linda-Ann Stewart

“The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed.” Aldous Huxley

Have you ever tried to force yourself to go to sleep? What about willing yourself to relax or meditate? Usually, the harder you try to do any of these the opposite happened. The more tense or more awake you got. This is called “The Law of Reversed Effort,” popularized by Aldous Huxley, or “The Law of Reverse Effect,” first described by Emile Coue.

Willpower Alone Can Sabotage You

Whenever you try to compel yourself to do some action, you create stress, tension and anxiety. Tension shuts down your creative flow, and the flow of the Universe. Stress sabotages your automatic mental and muscle memory, much like an athlete who thinks too hard about their next move. Stress blocks your progress.

Have you ever tried to change a habit with sheer willpower? It’s like trying to hold water in your fist. There’s no room for the water in your fist, and it slips away. Putting more energy into pressuring yourself to do something stirs up resistance to accomplishing it. And the more effort you put into trying to push through, the more resistance there is.

As a result, you start to think negatively, which just makes things worse, and more difficult. It doesn’t matter if it’s trying to balance your checkbook, complete a project, or change a habit. The more you try to force an outcome, the less success you’ll have.

How to Make Progress

Instead, you have to lighten up. Open up and relax your fist, and use it as a cup to gather water. Take a step back, and let your subconscious work on a better way of achieving your next step. Often, when I’ve hit a snag with a creative venture, like writing or weaving, I take a break. When I come back to it, the answer is there or the activity flows more smoothly. For instance, to go to sleep you have to allow drowsiness to creep through you.

Other ways to make progress are to take small steps. This results in small successes, which triggers your reward center, and gains the attention of your subconscious mind. You could also focus more on your process, the steps you’re taking, rather than your ultimate goal or vision. This reduces some of the pressure, and is a valuable technique when you’re struggling to get something done.

In part 2, you’ll learn about why the Law of Reverse Effect functions the way it does and one powerful way to overcome it. Read Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 2.

Watch the accompanying video, Surmount the Law of Reverse Effect.

Affirmation:

Instead of trying to force things to happen, I step back and allow them to take place. I now let go of all stress and tension. I open up to new ways and new ideas of doing things. By doing so, I allow the Universal flow of good to expand in my life. I’m guided by the Divine life within me to make the decisions and take the actions that benefit me the most.

Rewrite the Stories Holding You Back

June 18, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

As children, we often believe false ideas about ourselves that adults told us. These ideas become beliefs, and we act on them as if they were true, even though they weren’t. You can begin to rewrite those old stories, using the simple exercise in this video. Watch Rewrite the Stories Holding You Back.

Transcript:

Thank you for joining me for mindset tips.

Did you know that, as children, we believe stories about ourselves, and then act on them as if they’re true? A budding artist gets told by a teacher that she has no talent, so she abandons her passion. An elementary school teacher can’t explain math, then blames her students for being dumb when they don’t understand. In the years following, the students under perform in that subject. A frustrated parent lashes out and tells a child that they’ll never amount to anything. And the child grows up to sabotage themselves just before they’re about to succeed.

All of these opinions are demonstrably false, but the children who received them accepted the ideas were true. Then those children grew up acting on the lies, and those falsehoods became self-fulfilling prophecies. Do you carry any such stories that you believed that then became true for you?

Judgements that you’ve accepted about yourself were programmed into you earlier in life. Just because you believe them doesn’t make them accurate. I’d like to share a short, mindset exercise to help you begin to erase those lies and rewrite your story about yourself.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor, writer and hypnotherapist. These videos are dedicated to empower you to focus and align your heart with your vision so you can achieve your goals.

Here’s the exercise. Divide a piece of paper into two columns. In the first column, write down something you’ve been believing, some judgement, some idea from childhood that’s been holding you back. Something like, “I’m not good enough.”

Beside it, in the second column, write, “That’s a lie” or “That’s a falsehood” or any other phrase that denies its validity.

Below, in the first column again, write the opposite of that false belief, such as, “I am enough.” Include comments from friends, co-workers, or even superiors that support your new idea about yourself.

Include any objective measurement that confirms this new belief. Then, in the second column, write, “This is the truth,” or “This is the fact,” or anything else that confirms it for you.

It may take some time, but this exercise will help you deconstruct childhood programming, and recognize and accept what is true about you. Keep repeating the new idea to yourself. As you do, you’ll begin acting on your new belief, which will change the course of your life for the better.

Read the accompanying article, What Stories Are You Telling Yourself That Are Holding You Back?

What False Ideas Do You Believe?”

June 15, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

A client came to me with very low self-esteem. In our consultation, she stated that her parents had told her that she was “worthless,” she’d “never amount to anything,” and they “wished she’d never been born.” She wondered why she’d sabotaged her professional career, tried to avoid attention that could further her career, and had trouble with relationships. The trouble was that her subconscious had accepted her parents’ edicts as fact, and was following its programming.

No matter what she tried to accomplish, her subconscious was acting on false information about her as if it were true. It viewed everything about her through the incorrect lens of those ideas. If she began to succeed, it said, “No, you can’t. If you do, you’ll violate the beliefs of worthlessness that your parents taught you.”

When she tried to assert herself, her subconscious held her back with fear, because she’d disagree with what she’d been told about herself. She attracted friends and lovers who echoed her parents’ ideas, putting her down and belittling her. All of this was her subconscious mind manifesting her belief, or lack thereof, of her self-worth, and making sure that she stayed within the boundaries of its information.

Ideas Your Subconscious Mind Accepts

The subconscious mind will act on an inaccurate concept as if it were true. If you’ve accepted an idea that you can’t lose weight (stop smoking, make money, succeed, can’t paint or anything else), then your subconscious will make sure that the belief gets justified. These may be attitudes that were handed to you by parents, teachers, friends, family, or society and because of the emotional impact, you soaked them up like a sponge. From then on, the subconscious will view everything in your life through these attitudes and make sure that they’re confirmed. It’ll attract situations that will verify your beliefs.

Even if there’s an experience that could change your mind, because of the programming, your subconscious will only accept the information that would validate your preconceived notions. For example, Jo might receive a compliment from the boss on her work. But because she doesn’t believe she’s that capable, she’ll ignore it, telling herself that the boss just said that to make her feel good.

Your Beliefs Can Change

The good news is that these false concepts can be changed. It takes persistence and consistency, but by using affirmations or self-hypnosis, you can change the incorrect facts. The first step is to recognize what erroneous ideas you’re acting on in the present. Where are they holding you back? Without identifying the problem, you can’t move to the solution.

Examine the thoughts that come into your mind when you’re about to succeed at whatever goal you have. If they’re negative thoughts about you or your goal, those are the incorrect assumptions you’ve been acting on. Then create a positive statement that counters the negative one. This is your affirmation that you use whenever you think of your goal. You can also use it in self-hypnosis when your subconscious is more receptive.

My client and I worked to improve her self-esteem, convincing her subconscious that her parents were incorrect in their assessment of her. They’d done the best they could with their background, but that they were wrong when they’d said those things to her. She began to do things that were more self-affirming, and soon had a promotion at work. It took some time, because the programming had been there a long while, but soon she attracted new friends who appreciated her. And as her opinion of herself improved, so did her entire life.

Affirmation:

Any thoughts that have restricted my good are false ideas that my subconscious has accepted. They are counter to what the Universe wants for me. I accepted those false concepts before I knew any better. My subconscious mind knows that I no longer need or want them. I release them and now create new ideas that are more in alignment with the good that the Universe holds for me.

What Stories Are You Telling Yourself That Are Holding You Back?

June 11, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When Tammy was very young, her mother had a good friend with several children Tammy’s age and younger. When the lady would come to visit, her brood would come with her. They’d bully Tammy, play with her toys, destroy them and steal from her. When Tammy objected, the lady said that she had no right to complain, because Tammy had advantages that her children didn’t have.

This idea was reinforced several times during Tammy’s childhood. If Tammy excelled, there was often a teacher or adult who told her that she was making others, who hadn’t done as well, feel bad. As a result, the story she told herself was that if she made herself small and invisible, others would feel better.

Did it work? No. They never felt better. Tammy has worked her entire life to overcome the story that her achievements harmed others. That story derailed her in many areas of her life.

What Are Your False Stories?

Unfortunately, many times, opinions that we received from adults when we’re kids build into self-sabotaging beliefs. What false stories are you telling yourself that are holding you back? They may be ideas that an adult or friend told you when you were a child.

The ideas may not have been malicious, but simply to deal with an unfortunate or uncomfortable situation for them. And although you were never meant to take those ideas to heart, they might have impressed you deeply. Then, you created a whole false impression about yourself based on them.

Think about some of the beliefs you hold about yourself and your world that have been undermining you. Ask yourself:

“Where does that belief come from?”
“What was the intention of the person who gave it to me?”
“Is it actually true?”
“Does that belief serve a purpose now?”
“If so, what?”
“What can I do to change it?”

Update Your Stories

When Tammy finally realized how those adults had impacted her, one way she began to dismantle the story was to ask herself, “What kind of adult says those things to a child?” That helped her realize that the adults were being unreasonable and cruel to her. The adults were trying to protect their kids, or other children, at her expense.

When you’re able to realize your self-sabotaging beliefs were often based on someone else’s frustration, inadequacy, or convenience, you can begin to deconstruct them. They don’t benefit you now, or reflect who you are. It’s time to dispose of them, and begin creating stories that reflect who you truly are. Develop beliefs and stories about yourself based on reality, your strengths, values and abilities, and that support your goals and aspirations.

Affirmation:

I deserve to be myself. I give myself permission let go of old, false and outdated ideas that I once accepted about myself. They never reflected who I was. The Universe loves and approves of me as I am. I now accept myself, right here and right now, knowing that who I am is enough. It is safe for me to be true to myself.

Break the Habit of Complaining

May 18, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

Did you know that the average person, in general, complains 15-30 times, or about 8 minutes, a day? Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to fall into a habit of complaining without even realizing it. And it can be a difficult habit to break. Discover a mindfulness tip that can help you, and shift your mindset to be more positive. Watch Break the Habit of Complaining.

Transcript:

Welcome to mindset tips.

Did you know that the average person, in general, complains 15-30 times, or about 8 minutes, a day? From what I hear around me, I’d bet it’s a lot more than that. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to fall into a habit of complaining without even realizing it. Have you ever noticed that? And it can be a difficult habit to break. I’d like to share a mindfulness tip that can help you break the habit, and shift your mindset to be more positive.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor, writer and hypnotherapist. These videos are dedicated to empower you to focus and align your heart with your vision so you can achieve your goals.

This is a tip that has been used for decades, in one way or another, and it’s very simple. Mainly, it’s to make you aware of when you complain, which means you can then decide whether you want to continue or not. When a habit is brought out of the shadows and into the light, it can be changed. This empowers you and shifts your attention from being negative, to giving you the choice of being more positive.

The technique is to get a rubber band or bracelet and wear it every day. Any kind of bracelet, [Bands, elastic, sparkly, fabric, stones]…. Then, every time you complain, you switch the band or bracelet to the other wrist. No, you don’t snap it. … Just switch it from one wrist to the other. This allows you to turn the page….With practice, it can automatically create a mind shift to a more positive thought process.

You’re bringing the habit out of an unconscious behavior into being aware of it. You may discover that many of the things you grumble about are trivial, and you’re letting them pull you down. Some things may be out of your control, and complaining doesn’t help. Either way, the point is to notice when you’re complaining, and what about, and choose what to do from that point.

Since complaining compounds stress and stifles creativity, you may decide to simply refrain from contributing to the negativity. Shift your attention to what you can control and what you can do about the situation. This is more productive and will bring you greater rewards mentally, physically and in your personal and professional life.

If you’d like to break the habit, find a band or bracelet and start practicing.

Thank you for watching. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up. And 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. As always, stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Complaining Trains You to Be Negative, Part 2.

Focusing Beyond The Problem

May 15, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

There’s a secret to a martial artist breaking a board, brick or any other solid object with his hand (or foot or head). He aims his force, not on the target, but a foot beyond it. If he focused his energy on the surface of the board, the object would abruptly and painfully stop his hand. Instead, he imagines his hand going through the wood to the space behind it, where he wants the energy to dissipate.

The same thing is true when we have a problem we’re trying to solve or eliminate from our lives. If we focus on the challenge, we’re concentrating on the surface issue, and our subconscious simply creates more of it. The solution can’t appear as long as the condition fills our consciousness. When we affirm about a solution appearing, but feel frustrated, upset or concerned about the situation, or think about the problem in any way, then our belief in the challenge stops any resolution from manifesting. Just like the board stopping the martial artist’s hand. We’re focused on the surface and not seeing through it to the possibility of a solution.

There’s Always an Answer

In every problem, there is always an answer available. When we’re affirming things to change, however, we may be trying to control how the situation resolves. We may not like the remedy the Universe has for us. Instead of a troublesome coworker changing their attitude, we may have to change jobs. Or we may have to alter our attitude to be more tolerant. Other priorities may make what we believe to be our answer obsolete. We may want more abundance, and try to increase our income at our present job, only to find that we’re unexpectedly moving to another location.

If we’re still stuck in the problem, one of the best ways to get a way to appear is to do what Emmet Fox called “The Golden Key.” Remember that God, and all Its goodness, is always at the center of every situation, no matter how negative. Turn the attention from the problem to the Universe and all of Its qualities. Meditate on and affirm harmony, abundance, joy, health, etc. in all areas of life. Remember that God is everywhere present, knowing and seeing all, has infinite power and authority, is perfect action and divine order.

Change Your Perspective

These are the ideas we want to fill our minds with when we feel blocked. In so doing, we’re getting our limited perception of the situation out of the way. We’re taking our attention from the problem to the perspective of the Universe, where the difficulty doesn’t exist. This begins to uplift our consciousness to allow more creative solutions to flow.

Frederick Bailes says in “Hidden Power for Human Problems” that we “…need to be well schooled in the art of looking through the frightening condition rather than at it.” Just like the martial artist aims his energy beyond the board, we need to focus our attention past the problem to the potential of a solution. Only in this way will we be able to break through our blocks and challenges and experience a greater and better life.

Affirmation:

I am one with the Universal Spirit, which is God. All the good of God flows in and through me and my affairs. I know that there is a perfect answer for my situation. God and all Its goodness is everywhere present, including the center of the challenge. I am open to whatever solution is for my Highest and Best good, no matter what changes it might require.

Complaining Trains You to Be Negative, Part 2

May 6, 2026 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

In part 1, you learned that complaining harms your brain and body, but you can undo the damage. By taking control of your thoughts and refocusing, you can reprogram your subconscious to be more positive. You free up mental circuits to be more creative and seek solutions.

Reverse the Tendency to Complain

Within a few weeks of not complaining, you’ll notice a difference. You’ll have a more positive outlook, and have grown new neurons that support calm and peace of mind. The Law of Attraction will respond by bringing you the dominant ideas you’re now focusing on.

Here are some ways that will help you refrain from complaining and build a stronger, healthier, mindset.

As soon as there’s a problem, acknowledge it and how you feel about it. Then, deliberately choose to look for a solution. You may not find one immediately, but your subconscious doesn’t like to leave a question unanswered. It will continue to work on it until it finds an answer.

If a solution doesn’t come quickly, move on to ask yourself, “What can I do to change my perspective on the situation?” It’s said that “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Changing your viewpoint opens you up to ideas and opportunities that would have been invisible to you otherwise.

You could ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” As an alternative, you could even ask your subconscious to find some good to come from the situation. Your subconscious is a problem solver, and will seek ways to make lemons into lemonade. Leave it up to the Universe to find the good. This has always been my favorite response for any difficult situation. It’s amazing how effective this tactic has been.

Being mindful takes more effort, but can reverse the tendency to complain and the damage it causes. You’ll build stronger mental connections to be positive, and this ultimately brings you a healthier, happier, more successful, life.

Affirmation:

Whenever I have a problem, I focus on finding a solution. The Universe inspires me with ideas of what I can do to resolve the situation. I keep my mind open to unexpected opportunities as I step back to be objective. I don’t know how, but the Universe finds a way for something good to come to me as a result of this situation.

Watch the accompanying video, Break the Habit of Complaining.

Read Complaining Trains You to Be Negative, Part 1.