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Guided Meditation for Self-Acceptance

Guided Meditation for Self-Acceptance

Would you like higher self-esteem and self-worth? Accept yourself more. Self-acceptance is important for a sense of well being and for you to be able to live up to your potential and achieve your goals. Accepting yourself is easier said than done. Use this short, guided meditation to embrace yourself, so you treat yourself better and are happier.

Transcript:

Thank you for joining me. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart. Wouldn’t you like to accept yourself more? Self-acceptance is one of the components to self-esteem and self-worth. These are important for you to feel comfortable in your own skin, have a sense of well being, and live up to your potential.

Accepting yourself doesn’t mean that you don’t want to improve or make changes. You can recognize your failings and still accept yourself. Self-acceptance just means that you’re acknowledging yourself and that you’re ok in the moment.

The opposite of self-acceptance is self-rejection. This resistance to parts of you generally manifests as self-criticism and self-judgement. Neither of those feel good, do they? And they don’t help they way we think they should. They just make things worse. There’s an old saying, “What you resist, persists,” and it’s true about aspects of yourself you don’t like. The more you resist them, the more they persist. 

Learning how to accept yourself is easier said than done. When you’ve criticized yourself for years, it’s hard to turn it around and not judge or reject yourself. I’d like to lead you through a short meditation that will help you begin to embrace yourself.

If you so choose, close your eyes.

Think of some things you like about yourself. These may be characteristics, talents, skills, traits, how you express yourself and other things. They are things that you appreciate about yourself. They make you a unique individual.

Consider your strengths. You’re better at some things than at others. Recognize what it is that you do well.

You’re not perfect. No one is. Everyone has things they do well, and things that they don’t do as well. Everyone has pieces of themselves that they would rather weren’t there. But the totality of you creates the person you are right now.

You’re a constantly growing, learning individual. You will always become a better person, if you so desire. By accepting yourself, as you are now, with all your flaws, means that you have an easier time becoming that better person. When you accept yourself, you can accept others.

So think of one thing you don’t like about yourself, and say to yourself, “I recognize that it’s a part of me.” “I acknowledge that it’s a part of me.” “I accept that it’s a part of me.” If it’s something that can be changed, and you want to, then you set an intention to do so. If it cannot be changed, accept it.

You are a unique and whole individual. The things you like about yourself, your strengths and your flaws make you into the person you are. Accept yourself as you are, right now. Repeat to yourself, “I accept myself.”

Change the things you want to and can. And recognize that if you can’t change them, it’s better for you to accept them. When you do, you’re happier and have a greater sense of well being. You treat yourself and others with more compassion. How can you show yourself more compassion?

Open your eyes.

When you accept yourself, with compassion, you’re embracing your whole self. It allows you to be more authentic. Self-acceptance gives you the motivation, inner resources and empowerment to change habits and achieve your goals. 

For more articles and tips on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please visit my blog, EmpoweringYourMind.com

Thank you for watching. How can you accept more of yourself today?

Read the accompanying article The Importance of Self-Acceptance.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

How One Small Technique Can Improve Your Attitude

How One Small Technique Can Improve Your Attitude

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When you’re in a bad mood or feeling down, it seems like nothing goes right. If you can shift your attitude to being more upbeat, life flows more smoothly. There is a simple technique you can use to improve your mood and attitude, and it just takes a minute. Here are 3 tips on how to use it to feel better and be happier.

Transcript:

Thank you for watching. I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision empowerment coach. Everyone has bad days, right? When you’re having one, it’s hard to get anything done, isn’t it? You feel like you’re wading through molasses. You know you’re fighting an uphill battle with your attitude and it seems that anything that could go wrong, does go wrong.

You realize that if you can shift your mood to a better one, everything flows more smoothly, right? What if I told you there was one small action you could take that could boost your attitude, lower your stress, and be happier? Would you try it? I certainly would.

Believe it or not, it’s something as simple as smiling. Please, bear with me. I know, when you’re feeling down, the last thing you want to do is smile. But smiling, whether you mean it or not, will make you feel better. It stimulates your brain into a more positive state, fooling it into thinking that you are actually feeling good. The old cliché, “Fake it until you make it,” is true in this situation. The brain can’t tell if your smile is real or forced. 

My first tip is going to look silly, but try it. You have nothing to lose, except your dignity. When you’re not feeling like smiling, but want to feel better, take a pen or pencil and put it between your teeth. [DEMO]

Looks silly, right? But notice how it activates the same muscles you use when you’re smiling? The muscles of the corner of your mouth turn up. Your brain doesn’t know that you’re just pretending. Hold it for a minute or so, and then take it out. Try smiling on your own, and see if it isn’t easier. 

My second tip is to start the day by deliberately smiling for 30 seconds to a minute. That will set your day up to be more productive, and you’ll approach your work with a more positive attitude. When you’re more positive, your day goes smoother, doesn’t it?

My third tip is to do the same thing when you hit a slump or start to feel stressed during the day. Smile for 30 seconds to a minute, again. It will cause you to be more upbeat, lower your stress and energize you.

So, “Turn that frown upside down.” Yes, I know, it’s corny. But smiling will encourage your brain to shift into a more positive state. You’ll look at your life differently. And when you change your attitude, then your responses, and your life, changes.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive more mindset coaching tips to improve your life.

Thank you for watching. And remember, smile.

Please read the accompanying article, How Simple Actions Improve Your Attitude.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Guided Meditation to Create a New Self-Image

Guided Meditation to Create a New Self-Image

Your self-image can either support or sabotage your goals. If you’ve been having trouble reaching a particular goal, your view of yourself is probably involved. Fortunately, you can change your self-image. This short guided meditation will get you started to improve your self-image regarding a particular goal.

Transcript:

Are you having trouble achieving a particular goal? If so, your self-image may not be in alignment with it. When your view of yourself conflicts with the goal you want to accomplish, you’ll either sabotage yourself or won’t be able to maintain the goal.

The good news is that you can change your self-image. It’s only a belief, and beliefs can be changed with some work. I’d like to lead you through a short meditation to get you started on improving your self-image regarding a specific goal.

If you’re so inclined, close your eyes. Think of a goal you want to accomplish. It could be changing a habit, developing a talent, changing your lifestyle or something else. But pick something specific you want to work on or that you’ve been working on.

Now, consider how your self-image fits in with it. Can you imagine yourself achieving your goal easily and maintaining whatever change it would require? Is there something in you that might undermine your progress with it? Can you identify yourself with the completion of that goal? For instance, “I am a..” fill in the blank with how the goal would change your identity. If you have any part of you that doubts you can achieve it, there’s some issue with your self-image.

Shifting from considering your self-image, think of how achieving your goal could benefit you. This is your “why.” Imagine how your life would be different once you’ve accomplished your goal. Don’t just imagine the immediate change, but how your life would be a year from now. How strongly do you want that? If you can, enhance your motivation with whatever will support your endeavor. You are worthy to be successful with this.

Once you’ve realized what your life would look like with your goal, how good it is for you, what actions do you need to take now to move towards your goal? Imagine yourself going through those steps, a little at a time.

If you can only imagine taking a baby step, that’s fine. Visualize one, feel and sense yourself doing it, while reminding yourself why you’re doing it. As you accomplish that one, visualize yourself taking the next step. How can you get comfortable with these actions?

Now, imagine it’s a year from now and you’ve achieved your goal, and it’s become a fact of your life. Imagine how elated you feel, and how you can now identify yourself with having accomplished your goal.

You may notice other changes in your life, in the way you think and feel. How do you view yourself in this future, that’s different than it was at the beginning of the goal process? How can your self-image be even better? You deserve your success.

Open your eyes. Did you notice a shift in your self-image as you went through the visualization? The meditation gives your subconscious mind a map to follow as you rehearse your new actions and responses. If you do something like this every day, you will change your self-image, accomplish your goals and improve your life.

To be notified when new videos come out, please subscribe to my channel.

Thank you for watching. You do deserve all the best.

Read the accompanying article, 4 Steps to Create a New Self-Image.

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Guided Meditation to Focus and Accomplish More

Guided Meditation to Focus and Accomplish More

Cultivating focus is difficult in today’s world because of all the distractions. Fortunately, focus is a skill that you can develop with practice. When you visualize yourself focusing on a task, it makes that task easier to accomplish. You’re utilizing your natural ability to focus and rehearse your activity. Discover how this guided meditation can improve not only your ability to focus, but your success with any task.

Transcript:

Wouldn’t you like to learn one of the most important skills for success? That skill is focus and it’s hard to cultivate because our lives are filled with distractions from people, situations, and technology.

Fortunately, focus is an ability you have that you simply need to practice. I’d like to share a short, guided meditation that will make it easier for you to pay attention to an immediate goal or action. And it will improve your success with it. You can use this meditation at the beginning of each day or task.

First, what is your goal, desired action, task or project? Imagine that it’s something you want to work on and accomplish, just one item. Imagining doing it will make it easier to follow through on it. Visualizing also starts the subconscious mind to solve problems you might encounter.

Second, define what your motivation is to fulfill that goal, activity, or project. Why is it important to you? Dig down to the real reason, one that moves you. We’ll use that in our visualization.

Now, here we go. Close your eyes, if you’re so inclined. Take a long, slow, deep breath.

Think about what you want to accomplish, one task, today. Think of it in detail. Why is it important to you to take action on this? How will it benefit you? Consider that, and allow that motivation to grow and fill you.

Now, imagine yourself start working on your goal or task. Imagine it in detail. What does the room look like? How do you feel? What do you hear? Think, feel and imagine that it’s easy to focus on your task and bring all your resources and innovation to it.

Imagine that each step you take goes smoothly. Each step makes you  more enthusiastic to take the next one, to go further. Imagine that each action you take is easy and successful. You feel calm, relaxed, creative and engaged.

You easily find solutions for any challenges you encounter. Everything else fades away until you’re done. Imagine you stay with your task until your time is up or the work is done, whatever is right for you.

Think, feel and imagine that you’re delighted and amazed at how successful you were, how much you got done. Imagine how that success feeds into your next task or project, and propels you further.

Open your eyes. Something as simple as this visualization primes your subconscious mind to support your endeavors and create more successful outcomes. Your thoughts about a situation greatly influence its results.

You’re utilizing a natural function of your subconscious mind to program your activity, your thoughts about it, and your success. Practicing this kind of visualization, before any task, will make it flow more smoothly and easily, and you’ll accomplish more. And it will develop the habit of focus for you.

For more tips and articles on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please visit my blog, EmpoweringYourMind.com. Thank you for watching. I hope you practice this type of visualization each day, and achieve all the success you deserve. Take care. 

Read the accompanying article, Focus, the Power Behind Success.

Get Greater Satisfaction from Living Intentionally

Get Greater Satisfaction from Living Intentionally

Living intentionally brings better health, happiness, freedom and peace of mind. It’s not always easy to live intentionally, because you have to be pro-active or let other people or circumstances make the choice for you. Learn how making deliberate choices brings you better outcomes and the results you want.

Transcript:

Do you live intentionally? Living intentionally means that you deliberately choose a desired result and follow through to create it. It also means that you chose to live according to your values and beliefs. When you live intentionally, you’re healthier, happier, freer and more at peace. Who wouldn’t want that?

Living intentionally is not easy, because every day, your life is made up of a series of choices. You can either make a decision each time a choice arises or let that decision be made for you by other people or by circumstances. Many times, it’s easier to let other people or circumstances make the choice for you, but then you feel helpless and hopeless. And you probably won’t get the outcome you seek.

Whether or not you live intentionally is like being in a canoe in a swift running creek. Do you want to use the paddle to keep you on course or throw that paddle away and let the creek toss you about every which way? This would be the proverbial, “Up a creek without a paddle” scenario, right?

If you don’t have a paddle, which is your decision making power, your canoe might run onto rocks and be overturned and you’d be in the water. Not a good result, right? Being intentional is like using your paddle to direct your canoe through the water safely.

When you’ve chosen a result you’re willing to work towards, or to live by your values, most of your choices become easier. You discard the possibilities that lead you away from your path, and choose the ones that support the direction you want to go. You’re more focused and fulfilled. You feel empowered, motivated and in control.

How can you become more intentional with your choices today?

For more tips and articles on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please visit my blog EmpoweringYourMind.com.

Have a wonderful and intentional day.

Read the accompanying article Why You Need a Vision and Plan.

Guided Meditation to Find Powerful Motivation to Achieve Your Goals

Guided Meditation to Find Powerful Motivation to Achieve Your Goals

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

Transcript:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Approach Change

How to Approach Change

Most people don’t like change. It triggers our fight-or-flight response and we resist it. This prevents us from being able to move forward or make good decisions. There’s one way you can shift from being a victim into taking control. This opens the door to new opportunities for you.

Transcript:

Most people don’t like to have change thrust on them. Change triggers our fight or flight response, because we feel like we’re going to lose something we value by moving forward. And sometimes, that’s true. And sometimes, that thing we value isn’t working for as well as it could.

When we’re in fight or flight, we resist the change, trying to keep our old, familiar ways. All of this prevents us from thinking clearly, and making good decisions that are for our benefit.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist coach. In over 30 years as a hypnotherapist, I’ve helped scores of people embrace change. I’d like to suggest a way to help you get out of the fight or flight response, become proactive and respond better to change. In other words, a better way to approach change.

Look for any positives that could come from the change. This may seem too simplistic or airy-fairy, but it’s effective. When you shift your attitude and reframe how you approach a situation, the outcome of the situation changes. You open doors for your subconscious mind to seek out, and find, opportunities for you. It may be a cliché, but look for the silver lining.

By adjusting your attitude to accepting the change and looking for advantages, you stop being a victim or feeling helpless. Instead of being in a boat being tossed about by the waves, you’ve set your sails to use the winds of change. Once you’ve taken control of your attitude, you can then make wise decisions and take positive action.

If this has been helpful, please like this video and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tips to reach your goals and improve your life.

Thank you for watching. What positive can you find in the change you are  dealing with?

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

If you’d like to achieve your goals with confidence and ease in 4 powerful steps, register for a FREE training video and accompanying action planning guide, Set Your Course to Success.

Act on Your Values to Improve Your Well Being

Act on Your Values to Improve Your Well Being

Your values are ideas that are important to you and that you choose to live your life by. When you act on them, your well being, self-respect and self-esteem rises. Here are a couple of ways you can use them in your life to feel more fulfilled and satisfied.

Transcript:

Values are principles that are important to you. They’re ideas that determine your priorities and that you choose to live your life by. When you violate them, your self-respect plummets. However, when you do live by them, your self-esteem and self-worth soar.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist, and I’d like to share how you can use your values to enhance your life and your well being.

What are your values? With a little refection you can discover what they are. Once you know your values you can use them intentionally in your life.

For instance, if kindness is a core value for you, you can use it in being nice to grocery clerks, even when they’re being surly. And that sometimes happens, doesn’t it? If you’re dissatisfied at work, figure out how you can utilize your values there. It will make your work much more fulfilling for you.

It’s not always easy or convenient to live according to your values. There are going to be situations in which it would be easier to take the low road, such as responding in kind to difficult people. And we all bump into people like that in our lives, right? But when you take the high road, and act according to your values, you will be rewarded by a sense of good will and well being.

Thank you for watching. If you’d like 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.

Take some time to uncover your values, and then consider how you can act on them in your day- to-day life. You’ll be glad you did.

Read the accompanying article, What Do You Stand For?

3 Steps to Being More Focused and Effective

3 Steps to Being More Focused and Effective

It’s all too easy to get distracted or not pay attention to what you’re doing. When you do, you make mistakes and miss details that you need. Learning how to be more focused is important if you want to achieve your goals. Learn 3 simple steps to being more mindful that will improve your productivity and your life.

Transcript:

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision strategist coach for small business and entrepreneurs, and would like to share a tip on how you can become more focused, mindful and get more out of your life.

Last week, I was cooking a chicken dish that had an accompanying sauce. I minced some garlic for the chicken, and then another couple of large cloves for the sauce. I got distracted while I was cooking, and accidentally threw the garlic for the sauce in with the chicken, in addition to what was already there. Wow, was that a lot of garlic! It was almost overpowering. I thought I’d ruined the dish.

Have you ever been thinking of something else, and then made a mistake, like I did? Or been distracted when you’re talking with a friend or colleague and miss something important they said? This comes from your attention being diverted elsewhere and not being aware of what’s going on in the present.

In our fast-paced world, it’s hard to pay attention to what’s going on in the moment. But being able to focus on what you’re doing, or listening fully,  will mean that you are more efficient, more effective and will have better relationships, both personally and professionally.

There’s a simple way to bring your attention to the present, and stay mindful about what’s going on.

Your mindset tip has 3 steps to it:

  1. Become aware of what you’re doing, such as having a conversation or preparing a meal.
  2. Take a long, slow deep breath to slow your mind down and get focused on your priority.
  3. Decide what your intention is, and then act. It may be taking an action, or it may be listening fully.

This shifts your energy from being scattered and distracted to being focused and intentional. If I’d just followed my own advice last week, I wouldn’t have had a meal that I came close to ruining. As you practice these steps, notice how much more you accomplish and how much better you feel.

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. Remember, become aware, breathe, and then act. Take care.

Read the accompanying article, How to Take Back Control When Stress Overwhelms You.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Podcast Interview – Courage Rises

Podcast Interview – Courage Rises

Change Takes Courage

Susan Jeffreys is a life coach I met through a networking group we both belong to. Oddly enough, we met because most outside contact has gone virtual in this past year because of COVID-19. If not for that, we probably would not have met, because she belongs to one chapter and I belong to another. But we were able to virtually visit each other’s group.

Susan’s coaching specialty is helping people recognize and nurture  their courage so they can take their next step in their business or life. One day, as we were talking one-on-one about how change requires courage, Suki invited me onto her podcast, Courage Rises.

She’d been interviewing people about their personal stories of courage, but wanted to do something different. We decided to discuss how change takes courage, and some of the obstacles and stages that a person goes through as they’re changing. It’s a subject dear to my heart, as change is what I’ve helped people with for over thirty years.

We had a lively and interesting conversation about how courage affects the choices and changes we make in our lives. She commented later that, “You have a way of describing feelings and resultant actions that I really like.”

We chatted how change is a process, with several different components that people may not be prepared for. She had some great insights about the points we covered and talked about her experience letting go of a long-standing habit.

We discussed what happens when someone starts utilizing their courage and start changing. And I gave some suggestions on how a person can exercise their courage so they can stretch that ability. We ended with my personal story about courage, and how, as a young child, I had to cultivate that quality.

She is passionate about helping others understand that courage is within everyone. Her caring and compassion shines through her, and wraps people in warmth. I consider this a silver lining to the COVID-19 isolating, in that it gave me a chance to meet and get to know this awesome lady.

I hope you enjoy this interview on how change takes courage and find new ways to cultivate courage in your life.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart