Browsed by
Category: Article

Cultivate Self-Love to Flourish

Cultivate Self-Love to Flourish

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Heart Tree

People always talk about loving others, but what about loving yourself? Loving yourself is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your life. It means that you care for yourself, and will take care of yourself. There are many words that people use to define caring about themselves, such as self-esteem, self-worth, self-compassion, self-care, and self-acceptance.

All of these descriptions go into building self-love, which is a deep appreciation of who you are as a person. Self-love is created by all those qualities, and at the same time, it’s the foundation of them all. It’s a feedback loop that strengthens each of those other qualities.

You’re an individualized expression of the Universe, and the Universe loves you unconditionally. How could it be otherwise? How could it not love a part of Itself? And if you love the Universe, then you must love Its form in and as you.

Self-Love vs. Narcissism

Unfortunately, many people confuse self-love with narcissism. They are actually opposites. Narcissists are concerned with comparing themselves with others, and try to drag others down to build themselves up. Contrary to this, self-love is about having a profound interest in your own well being. Self-Love has nothing to do with comparing yourself to other people.

Narcissism seeks its validation from external factors and at the expense of others. Self-love is developed from within, and dependent on your approval of yourself as an individual. You value your welfare, and don’t sacrifice it to others demands or expectations.

The Universe prizes your well being, and wants you to be true to yourself. Because when you are, then you’re creating the best conduit for Universal Love.

When You Love Yourself

People who want to feel good about themselves work on self-esteem and self-worth issues. Those issues block the flow of Universal love to and through you. And those issues are well worth dealing with, for they’ll help you understand that you deserve love. And when you reach that awareness, you’ll begin to reap the benefits of loving yourself, such as the following:

* You have more love to give to yourself and others.

* You’re less critical of yourself. 

* You take actions that support your physical, mental and emotional well being.

* Your relationship with yourself, and others, improves.

* You’re kinder with other people.

* You make better decisions because you trust yourself more.

* You have stronger boundaries.

It will take some effort to develop self-love, but the rewards are well worth it.

Self-love prioritizes your welfare, and empowers you to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life. When you love yourself, you have a stronger connection to your inner self and the Universe.

How to Build Self-Love

To build a stronger foundation of self-love, take actions that are supportive of your health and well being, such as the following:

* Use positive self-talk or affirmations to counter all the negative messages you’ve received.

* Pay attention to your needs and well being, and prioritize them.

* Use self-care techniques to reduce stress and build your peace of mind.

* Be kind and compassionate towards yourself when you make mistakes.

* Accept yourself as you are now, knowing there’s always room for improvement.

* Acknowledge your achievements, small and large.

* Recognize your values and strengths, and commit to living them.

Challenges

When you reach the point of being comfortable within yourself, and love yourself, you’ll attract people to your warmth and authenticity. But it won’t be all unicorns and sunshine. There will still be challenges.

There will be those who will be jealous of your serenity and try to tear you down. And some people will be uncomfortable around you, and try to extinguish your light. They’ll try to undermine you and make you doubt yourself, so they feel superior. Unfortunately, this is a normal response by insecure people to anyone who is self-assured, talented and creative.

You’re Stronger When You Love Yourself

But the good news is, with your greater sense of self and well being shielding you, you’ll emerge stable and intact. Remember, their problem isn’t really with you, it’s with them. They don’t have the inner security that you have. Learning to love yourself is a life-long journey, and takes constant awareness and vigilance. And it will bring you the rewards of wholeness, peace and understanding. The Universe completely supports you embracing yourself.

Affirmation:

The Universe loves me just as I am, because I’m an individualized expression of It. When I love myself, I’m loving the Universe and Its creation. I appreciate myself, my needs and my well being. I deserve love and recognize my true worth. I embrace my true self and now commit to taking the actions necessary that show my love of self. The Universe guides my response to people who try to drag me down. I am kind and compassionate towards myself and others. The Universe completely supports my self-love.

Please watch the accompanying video, Meditation for Self-Love.

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

How to Practice Goodwill and Preserve Your Peace

How to Practice Goodwill and Preserve Your Peace

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Hanging hearts

In my last article, I wrote about The Power of Goodwill, describing the benefits for you and others. However, having goodwill towards others doesn’t mean that you passively tolerate whatever treatment comes your way. Instead, when you practice goodwill, you initially choose to believe that the other person’s intentions are positive in some way. At least, at first.

Don’t Jump to Conclusions

When someone distresses you, it can be challenging to practice goodwill. When someone upsets you, it’s normal to go on the defensive to protect yourself. But it may not be necessary. Before you jump to a conclusion, realize something else may be going on.

For instance, if you love the color blue, and they say they hate that color, don’t take it personally. It’s just their opinion. Don’t try to be a mind reader and assume they’re calling your taste into question. In other situations, it’s possible you misunderstood their actions or meaning, or they misunderstood yours. Pay attention to their other actions to determine if their motives are benign, or not.

When People Have Malicious Intentions

But there are exceptions. When you recognize someone is attacking or trying to take advantage of you, their intention is destructive. In that case, your goodwill would be encouraging bad behavior. And that would be counterproductive for you and could make things worse. The Universal law of karma exists for this reason.

For years, someone I knew constantly, good-naturedly, needled me. But, as time went on, it wasn’t mischievous any longer, but was increasingly malicious. I could no longer attribute positive intentions to that person. As a result, I cut off all contact with them. I wasn’t angry, and I wish the person well. I just choose not to tolerate their escalating abuse.

What to Do

As much as you can, disengage from someone who is negative or whose motives are detrimental. If you can’t separate from them physically, do it emotionally. They’ve put themselves outside of your zone of forbearance. And you don’t owe them an explanation as to why you’ve distanced yourself. They probably know why. Realize that they have their issues, and they’ve been taking them out on you. But you’re not obliged to remain their target. It wouldn’t help either of you.  The Universe does not hold you responsible for another person’s problems.

When you assert your boundaries, and protect your peace, you’re practicing goodwill towards yourself. You’re opening yourself to the flow of love from the Universe. This will build your sense of self-worth and serenity. By doing so, you’ll create a well of strength and calmness to draw from for the future.

Affirmation:

The Universe constantly pours love and goodwill into my life. As I project it to others, it flows back to me from the Universe. I am Divinely guided as to when to distance myself from those who mistreat me. I can project goodwill to them from afar. I realize that by separating myself, I’m practicing love and goodwill to myself, and am protecting my peace of mind.

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

What You Wish For Others, YOU May Get

What You Wish For Others, YOU May Get

by Linda-Ann Stewart

moon and stars

Have you ever wished that something bad would happen to someone who’d wronged you? Not just that they’d learn not to do it again, but they’d be hurt as badly as you were? It could be a partner cheating on you, a coworker undermining you, or even someone cutting you off on the road. It’s natural to have the impulse that they should pay. Even as you become more spiritual, it’s hard to stay positive and objective in these difficult situations. But there’s a practical reason to avoid descending to the level of wanting retaliation and staying there.

Whatever you wish for someone else, you’re also wishing for yourself, whether it’s positive or negative. A friend of mine would unconsciously hurt himself whenever he got angry. He’d accidentally slam his hand in a drawer, kick the desk, or fall over the trash can. His anger, a strong emotion, connected with the image of retribution he wanted for the person who’d harmed him. This deeply impressed his subconscious, which didn’t recognize that the picture was for someone else.

How the Subconscious Functions

All the subconscious knows is that there’s a lot of energy attached to an idea, and it performs its role to fulfill the mold you give it. If you dwell on the desire for revenge, and you think about it frequently, the subconscious will figure that’s what you want for yourself. It will make sure you get what it thinks you want. This same principle is true if you’re jealous or envious of someone and hope they fail.

If you have a fleeting desire for payback, but dismiss it fairly quickly and move on with your life, the subconscious won’t act on it. It’s only when a person consistently and constantly wishes for vengeance that the subconscious takes notice.

The subconscious uses whatever you’re focused on for its model. When your predominant thinking is concentrated on retribution, the subconscious thinks you want the condition you’re intent on in your own life. This is the underlying reason why forgiveness is emphasized so much in various spiritual systems.

The Meaning of Forgiveness

Forgiveness releases the hostility and bitterness that you have towards a person. That energy can then be directed into a more beneficial purpose. But even more basic than that, your subconscious is given a more constructive image to work with and fulfill. When you want the best for someone, you know that you’ve forgiven them. This doesn’t mean that you give them permission to hurt you again. You forgive the person, not the offense.

You can be angry at what someone has done, or be in conflict with them, but still have a feeling of goodwill towards them. If compassion isn’t possible, then maybe you can simply remind yourself that the offender will experience what they need to eventually learn their lesson. It’s not your job to be the instrument of justice the Universe.

Find a way to let go of the negative image, preferably turning it into a positive one. The next time someone cuts ahead of you in line, bless them and let it go. Because whatever condition you want for someone else, you’re also asking for yourself.

Affirmation:

If someone harms me, I acknowledge my feelings, but let go of any wish for revenge. The Universe will deal with them in the best way for their evolution. I take care of myself and my feelings, and learn what I need to do so that I am protected from it happening again. I now desire for others what I desire for myself. In so doing, I’m expanding my level of acceptance of good.

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

The Power of Goodwill

The Power of Goodwill

by Linda-Ann Stewart

heart shaped Christmas wreath

For a good part of the world, the holiday season is upon us, along with its theme, “Peace on earth, and goodwill towards men.” It’s a wonderful sentiment, isn’t it? Instead of enjoying peace and goodwill only at a certain time of year, wouldn’t it be nice to experience it all year long? With some awareness and intention, we can create a lifestyle that’s devoted to promoting goodwill. And it’s well worth the effort. It can become an important spiritual practice.  

What Goodwill Means

When you have goodwill, it means that you feel benevolent and compassionate towards other people. You have a friendly and helpful attitude towards another person, desiring the best for them. Even if someone has hurt you, and you don’t want them in your life, you can still wish them well. Being able to reach this viewpoint means that you’ve been able to forgive them and move forward. You let them go to their highest good, while moving onto yours.

What Goodwill Means for You

When you have a sense of goodwill, you’re remodeling your brain to create more cells that reflect kindness.  By focusing on this attitude, you’re building more neural pathways of happiness and optimism. And as you act on your goodwill, you trigger your brain’s reward centers, which releases pleasure chemicals. The more you choose goodwill, the more goodwill you’ll feel.

Paradoxically, projecting goodwill towards others reflects back to you. When you radiate goodwill, you’re more attractive to others. The Law of Attraction will then attract more good to you. Displaying goodwill creates healthier relationships, as goodwill towards a friend or partner is vital for a positive connection. Having good intentions towards others also builds trust in yourself and your interactions with others.

How Goodwill Promotes Peace

Although peace on earth may seem out of reach, there’s a song that goes, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” Each one of us can contribute to peace on earth by having goodwill towards the men and women we meet and interact with. Like kindness, goodwill spreads, like the ripples in a pond. When we emanate goodwill, we’re expressing the love of the Universe and this allows a closer connection to the Infinite. Carry the spirit of this season throughout the year, and let it change your life and the lives of the people around you.

Affirmation:

Goodwill is always flowing from the Universe to me. I give that goodwill a channel to flow through me and into my life. No matter what the circumstances, I choose to radiate goodwill to all those around me. As I choose kindness and compassion, it reflects back into my life. Goodwill has the power to spread peace and joy and change my life and the lives of those around me.

Watch the accompanying video, How to Develop a Sense of Goodwill.

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

There Are No Mistakes

There Are No Mistakes

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Have you ever made a choice that you regretted? I have. I spent years berating myself for getting involved with a disastrous relationship. Even though I learned valuable lessons from the experience, I continued to consider my original choice a mistake.

Only years later was I able to take some of the advice I give to my clients, “There are no mistakes, just learning experiences.” Many people come to me with perfectionist expectations of themselves. If they actually make a mistake, such as choosing a path that didn’t turn out the way they wanted, they continue to criticize themselves for the rest of their lives. Something as simple as saying the wrong thing turns into a huge mountain of regret.

It’s all About Learning

I remind them that it’s simply a choice that they made at the time, with the information they had available. We’re here to experience, and to learn what works and what doesn’t. Edison experimented with over a hundred filaments before he discovered the one that would work in the light bulb. A baseball player is considered to be the best of the league if he hits the ball one-third of the time. Can we expect more of ourselves than that? Life is an experiment.

A mistake is simply that, a “mis-take.” We tried something and it didn’t work as we had expected. It’s like the repetitive takes when shooting a scene for a movie. Hopefully, we learn from our experience and do better the next time. Entrepreneurs, on average, fail three times before they are successful. Each time, they find something new that helps them succeed a little bit more the next time.

Continuing to berate yourself over a difficult choice is a waste of spiritual energy. God doesn’t care that you’ve made a boo-boo. The Universe knows that you’ll get it eventually. Learn and move on. I am finally coming to the place where I can forgive myself for getting involved in that devastating relationship, and you should also be willing to forgive yourself for your mis-takes.

Affirmation:

Since God forgives me for my errors, I now forgive myself for any so-called mistakes that I’ve made. I recognize they were just learning experiences, and I now let go of any self-criticism and move on. Anything that I might need to learn from the experience I now integrate into every level of mind. It now becomes simply a resource and a lesson learned.

Failure: The Great Teacher

Failure: The Great Teacher

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Have you ever fallen off your diet, not reached your monthly financial target, or had a relationship fall apart and felt like a failure? Most people have had some experience of not meeting their goals or expectations and feeling discouraged.  There’s no shame in not hitting your mark or having a setback. Everyone has disappointments when they’re making progress. You can’t have success in anything without a few mis-steps. Failure is a valuable teacher. The Universe obviously is using the situation to help you grow and expand.

Failure Isn’t Final

Author Robert Allen said, “There is no failure. Only feedback.” An infant falls many times before they finally walk. Each time they fall, they strengthen their muscles and improve their balance. An entrepreneur generally makes several attempts before their business is a success. With each failure, they learn more, such as where to focus their marketing efforts.

When someone is changing their eating habits, they’re going to have multiple slip-ups their new habits become permanent. They may discover that they need to have other tactics in place. No matter what you’re striving for, the lesson is to learn from your mistakes and apply that to your next endeavor. When you’re open to discover what the situation can teach you, the Universe provides you with inspiration and guidance.

How to Learn from Failure

Instead of viewing failure as the end of your quest, view it as feedback. Consider that there are still things for you to know, understand and implement before you can reach your goal or vision. The Universe has a greater vision for you. When you shift your perception from being dejected that things didn’t work out as you expected, to it being a learning experience, you take back your power and control. And when you reclaim control, you reduce stress and open up to having more resources to innovate. And more Universal Good can flow to and through you.

Once you’ve changed your position towards the situation from failure to experience, you can ask yourself some questions, such as:

* What tripped me up?

* What can I learn from this?

* What can I do differently next time?

These questions trigger your subconscious mind, which is a problem solver, to find the answers. You can then use those answers to formulate how to do better next time. Each setback is a step forward, if you use it constructively. When you choose to learn from your experience, there is no failure, only feedback.

Affirmation:

Every step forward brings me closer to my goal, even if it’s a step back. Any setback has the potential to give me better understanding and knowledge for my next steps. The Universe has a greater vision for me and is guiding and directing each step along the way. As I view setbacks as learning opportunities, I open to greater possibilities of good.

Watch the accompanying video, How to Turn Failure into Success.

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

The Amazing Power of Your Imagination

The Amazing Power of Your Imagination

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Imagination

A few years ago, I was making breakfast with my then boyfriend, now husband. We were talking and, not paying attention, I reached into a 450 degree oven with my bare hand to pull out a cookie sheet. Not very smart. As soon as I put it down (no, I didn’t drop it), I ran cool water over my scorched fingers, then sat down to use the self-hypnotic pain management techniques that I know. I imagined the pain shrinking.

As the pain began to reduce, I had a spontaneous image that the heat from my fingers should drain into an ice cube. Although I thought it was an odd idea, I complied, because I recognized my subconscious mind was instructing me on how to perceive the pain. Within ten minutes, my fingers felt nearly normal. That’s the power of visualization.

The Power of the Subconscious Mind

The mind cannot tell the difference between reality and the imagination. If you get angry at someone on Monday, and tell a friend about it on Thursday, you’re going to feel all the sensations of being mad all over again. The subconscious doesn’t realize that what you’re relaying actually happened three days ago. It thinks it’s happening again, because it’s so real to you.

The same thing is true if you begin to imagine something wonderful happening to you, as long as you can believe it’s possible. I’ve helped people stop smoking, reduce weight, improve their self-esteem, increase their income, be more successful and make many other improvements through the use of their imagination.

By forming a clear mental image, you’re giving the subconscious a picture to create in your world. The subconscious is already forming your life from the images you’re holding in your mind. Think about it. Are you visualizing lack and limitation, or health, abundance and harmony? The clearer the picture you have, the more often you mentally rehearse it, the easier and faster it will manifest.

How to Use Visualization

Many people complain that they can’t visualize or use mental images, but everyone does in some way. Visualizing is rarely as clear as watching a movie screen. Imagine you’re in your living room and describe it to someone. That’s visualizing. Some people imagine textures, how they feel, or hear in their imaginations before they will hazily see images. You can strengthen all of your visualization senses with practice.

When you use your imagination to improve your life, make a clear mental statement of your desire, as if you already had it. Do you want more income, if so, how much? Make it an amount that you believe you can have. Visualize that amount flowing into your bank account every month. Are you wanting to reduce your weight? Imagine yourself turning away from sweets, eating less, and imagine your body feeling more slender. Pay attention to any spontaneous images you get from your subconscious concerning your desire. Many times your inner mind will give you feedback as to what will best prime it to create.

Every time you think of your issue, substitute your mental picture and state the affirmation you created at the beginning. Visualize it as you’re going to sleep at night. Act in ways consistent with your goal. Take some action, even if it’s just symbolic or a ceremony, to show your subconscious that you really want your desire. If you want more business, place an ad, give a talk, or make contacts to start the energy flowing.

Although my grabbing that cookie sheet should have blistered four of my fingers, it didn’t. I had only momentary discomfort a couple of times that day, and used the ice cube image each time. The next day, I had only light red mark on the most affected finger, and nothing visible on the other three. Use the amazing power of  your imagination to create the life you want.

Affirmation:

I form a clear, mental idea of what I want. The Universe has already approved of it for me, so it’s up to me to accept it. I believe that I deserve it. I can feel its reality, see its completion, and recognize how it affects other areas of my life. My subconscious mind knows how to create it, and I trust my subconscious mind to fulfill my visualization harmoniously. I accept my desire, or something better, into my life now.

3 Powerful Ingredients for Success

3 Powerful Ingredients for Success

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Traffic light that signals both stop and go

When my friend Norah wanted to quit smoking, she threw away her cigarettes. Although she avoided them at home, when she was around someone who was smoking, she’d ask for one. To quit, she was using willpower to break the habit of smoking, but she hadn’t changed her attitude and feelings about cigarettes.

Even though she wanted to quit, she still viewed herself as a smoker. Cigarettes still had positive associations for her, and she wanted to fit in with her smoking friends when they were together. That lasted until she ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and almost died. Then, she finally changed her attitude about them and quit smoking permanently.

Ingredients for Success

To achieve your goals, you need to have your intention and beliefs aligned. Norah had a goal, but her beliefs and self-image weren’t in agreement with it. When your goal and attitude clash, your mindset will prevent you from meeting your goal. This is true for both your personal and professional lives. The Law of Attraction will act on your deeply held beliefs rather than your stated desire. For success, three powerful ingredients are essential.  

1. Willpower.

Willpower is a function of your conscious mind, which makes decisions and chooses your vision or goal. Although willpower will get you moving on a goal, it can only take you so far. After a while, your willpower wanes due to exhaustion and stress, among other factors. It then becomes hard to avoid distraction and temptation.

Willpower isn’t about forcing your desire into manifestation. It’s more about being self-disciplined and having self-control. You allow the Universe to work through you as you willingly take the actions necessary for your goal.

When you get tired or stressed, you become too overwhelmed to deal with the changes your goal requires and you return to familiar and known behaviors. It’s easier to be impulsive, and you may not make the best decisions. Rather than rationally deciding on the best course, you react from past beliefs and experiences.  

Use your willpower sparingly and realize it’s a limited resource. Instead, prepare for situations by making decisions ahead of time so that you can follow them automatically. Stay focused on small steps that will direct you towards your goal.

2. Mindset.

Your mindset has been programmed into your subconscious mind by your past ideas and experiences. To be successful, your thought patterns, beliefs and attitudes must be in harmony with your goal. Otherwise, the Law of Attraction will act on your deep beliefs and sabotage your conscious desire. When you want to achieve a goal, consider how you think and feel about it.

When you change your mindset to align with your new goal, you change your relationship to your goal and the actions you need to take. Changing the way you think about it means your actions come more naturally, and your willpower just implements them.  

When your mindset supports your goal, focus on the benefits of it and why you want it.

3. Imagination.

Your imagination is the creative part of you and also a function of your subconscious mind. A key to changing your mindset is imagining what can be accomplished. Use your imagination to visualize how your goal will look when it’s completed. The Universe will use your visualization as a model and bring you everything you need to achieve your goal.

When you imagine a situation, whether it’s choosing an apple over candy, making a follow up call, or working on working on your budget, you allow your subconscious to rehearse the motions of success. You familiarize your subconscious with your chosen actions and create pathways in your mind to make it easier to follow through.

Focus on the best outcome. When you do, instead of seeing the result as an observer, put yourself in the picture. Feel the satisfaction from accomplishing your goal. Then follow through with actions to achieve your vision.  

Align Your 3 Powers for Success

If your willpower, and mindset and imagination are in conflict, your mindset and imagination will win every time. However, when the three are in alignment, then success becomes almost inevitable. Once Norah changed her attitude about smoking, and imagined herself as a nonsmoker, it was easy for her to use her willpower to abstain from cigarettes. 

Your mindset and imagination fuel your willpower. As you change your thoughts and beliefs, and imagine the possibilities, your results change as well. Combine the drive of your willpower, the energy of your beliefs, and the power of your imagination to create the life you want.

Affirmation:

The Universe guides me to make the right decisions that support my goals. I set my intention to follow the ideas and steps necessary to fulfill my vision. I now align my thoughts, beliefs, actions, and mental pictures with my intended goal. When they are all aligned, the Universe can deliver everything I need to succeed. My desire to achieve my goal sustains me and assists me to stay focused. Each step I take makes it easier to stay on course and take the next one. I keep my mind focused on my direction and take the actions necessary to achieve my vision.

Watch the accompanying videos, Use Your Won’t Power to Strengthen Your Willpower and Visualization to Align Your Self-Image with Your Goal.

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

Achieve Your Vision One Step at a Time

Achieve Your Vision One Step at a Time

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Steps to Success

Grace’s desk was piled high and deep with paid bills, papers she needed to file, old mail to go through, and current projects she was working on. Because of the disorder, when she looked for something, she couldn’t find it. But every time she considered wading through it all, she felt overwhelmed, and would do something else.

Eventually, she decided to set aside 10 minutes a day to work on her pile. The was all the time she could handle at one time. It took a couple of weeks, but by chipping away at it, the pile slowly diminished. Finally, one day, it was small enough that she felt she could spend more time on the project. 90 minutes later, the disorder was gone.

What’s Your End Result?

It’s important with any goal, vision or intention to keep the end result in mind. But sometimes, you don’t have the necessary belief that you can accomplish the goal. Grace knew she wanted an organized desk, but couldn’t face going through all the papers in one sitting. So she started with the amount of time that was comfortable, what worked for her, and what she believed she could reasonably commit to.

When you have a goal, make sure that it’s reasonable and you believe it can be achieved. If you don’t have that necessary belief, then your subconscious mind will make sure it won’t be accomplished. Your subconscious works on the level of conviction you have that your vision is within your grasp. If you don’t have that belief, then start with what you do feel is possible.

How to Accomplish Your Goal

Keeping your outcome in mind, create a series of steps that will take you to your goal. Your first step should be one that you know you can handle. If you want to begin exercising, start with taking a 5 minute walk, if you know you can commit to that. To lose weight, work on the goal 5 pounds at a time.

Make sure the steps are within your control. For instance, if you want to dig yourself out from a mountain of debt, hoping to win the lottery is an unreasonable solution and subject to chance. Instead, address your current budget, which is within your control. What can you eliminate or reduce? Can you increase your income, either through a raise or creating a side business? What actions do you know you can take? Focus on the impacts you can reasonably make towards your goal and work on them. You have the power to find the solution, but you may have to take it a bit at a time.

Some people have a hard time believing they can find another job. If that’s the case, just take it one step at a time. First, work on your resume. Then, start looking for jobs in your area of expertise. Set up interviews. Make sure that each step is one that you know you can fulfill. Once you’ve completed one, move onto the next. Every day, spend a few minutes on some action that moves you in the direction of your goal.

Your Belief Plays a Part

Unless you believe you can accomplish the steps on the way to your goal, your subconscious won’t help you. Instead, you’ll discover that you’re sabotaging yourself. When you commit yourself to take action that’s within your control, it convinces the subconscious to support you. Succeeding steps may be easier, or important information may come your way. Create your intention and start working towards it from the location of your current belief.

The subconscious follows your focus. As you accomplish each step, your belief that you can ultimately achieve your goal will grow. Each completed step builds your belief in yourself and in your abilities. Moving towards your goal, step by step, will take you to your goal.

Affirmation:

My goal is within my grasp. What I can believe, I can achieve. Each step I take brings me closer to the fulfillment of my vision. As I move towards it, the Universe brings me everything I need to accomplish it.

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

Mindset, the First Step to Success

Mindset, the First Step to Success

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Steps to Success

When you want to move towards a goal, which comes first, action or mindset? Many coaches  advise you to get into action as quickly as you can. They say that swirling around in planning can suck the life out of a project, which is true. They also say that you’ll build your mindset as your actions are successful.

But if action was the first step to fulfill your vision, then everyone who did it would be successful. So many people jump into motion without considering where they’re starting and where they’re headed.

If mindset wasn’t important, then every person who started a business, quit smoking or set a goal would have been successful by simply taking action. And you know that isn’t the case. The vast majority of people don’t achieve their goals and their businesses fail. In fact, according to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 businesses fail. Some of the failures are due to not taking action, but most of them are related to a mindset issue.

What Your Mindset Is Composed of

Your mindset is a combination of thoughts, beliefs and attitudes about your vision. It frames your mental patterns about your life and your goal. Because you filter your world through your mindset, it also affects the way you respond to situations. The Law of Attraction operates through your mindset by drawing to you what you mainly think about. Just take a look at your life to see what the tendency of your mindset has been.

Your mindset has to be in alignment with your vision if you want to be successful in any area of life. Along with focus, it spurs your actions. By influencing the decisions you make, it can prevent you from taking action due to a fear of failure or success. To confirm some old concept about yourself, or success, it can also promote wrong action.

Without the right mindset, you could avoid following through with clients or making behavior changes that would improve your life. The wrong mindset is like dragging a 100 pound anchor behind you. You might be able to keep moving, but it’s exhausting and you’ll soon give up. Your mindset is your motivation to move forward, and action is the result.

How Your Mindset Obstructs You and What to Do

Do you have a focused mindset or does it vacillate day to day? An inconsistent mindset produces erratic actions, which leads to failed results. There are several ways your mindset interferes with your actions.

1. You don’t want to do the work. Instead of accepting a step by step approach, you want your vision to magically appear in your life. To remedy this, decide how important what you want is to you. If it’s off the charts, then get started on the consistent actions you need to take.  

2. You don’t want to step out of your comfort zone. Even though you’re not happy where you are, you’re not motivated enough to take the actions necessary to get to where you want to be. The only way to grow is to step into areas that feel scary and unfamiliar. Realize that fear is a normal response to the unknown.

3. You want to avoid pain. Change is difficult. Often you have to let go of ideas and behaviors that have been part of you for a long time. The discomfort will only last a short time. Accept that the benefits of your vision outweigh the pinch of releasing a mindset that no longer works for you.

4. You’re afraid of how the result will affect you and your loved ones. One of the side effects may be that you change the way they think of yourself and your world. And once you’ve accomplished your aim, you fear how others may feel about it. After you realize your vision, your whole world will improve and you’ll feel better about yourself. And the loved ones who are truly on your side will be supportive of your accomplishment.

5. You lack commitment to your vision. You’re ambivalent about whether or not you want to move forward. Many times, you’ll get close to accomplishing your goal, only to back away from it. The next time you’re on the threshold, understand that the fear is simply trying to keep you safe. Step through the doorway and keep going.

How to Move Forward

Once you’ve addressed your mindset and gotten it to support your endeavors, start taking small, consistent actions. This convinces your subconscious that you truly want your vision. Then the Law of Attraction will be successful in drawing possibilities to you. Taking action also builds momentum that helps you stay on course. Only by establishing your vision, and being consistent in your mindset, will you be able to take effective action. Your mindset plus your actions results in success.

Affirmation:

I release any idea, thought or belief that has undermined the accomplishment of my vision for my life. I fully commit myself to moving forward towards my vision. I attract all that I need for the fulfillment of my goals and vision. I deserve it and the Universe completely supports my endeavors.

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