Empowering Your Mind

by Linda-Ann Stewart

For most people, change isn’t easy. I’m not talking about the rearranging of your environment, like redecorating, or taking trips. Those can be either distractions to avoid the discomfort that comes with change or a way of shaking things up to be able to view them from a fresh perspective. But if you’re like most people, even when it’s best for you, you do your best to postpone change. You may even deny you need to change, and then the Universe hits you with a cosmic hammer between the eyes, and it’s impossible to avoid the issue. Some smoker’s won’t quit even if their smoking has put their lives at risk.

Most people hope that some outside force will rescue them and put their life in order. But there is no Knight in Shining Armor or Superhero who will sweep you away and make your life whole. If there’s a financial issue, it’s unlikely you’re going to win the lottery. A person who is taking advantage of you isn’t going to miraculously stop unless you start saying, “no.” God can only do for you what It can do through you. The Universe isn’t going to save you from yourself. Affirmations and positive thinking change your mindset to allow more good in, but you’re the one who has to make the shift.

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It would be like someone with heart disease, who has had multiple heart attacks, refusing to change their lifestyle and eating habits yet expect their health to improve. There’s an old joke about a man who goes to the doctor and says, “It hurts every time I hit my hand with a hammer.” The doctor recommends, “Quit hitting your hand with the hammer.”

Most people have to be pushed into a corner before they finally make the leap. You might have been getting postcards from the Universe that you need to deal with a problem at your job, a friendship or relationship that you’ve outgrown, or your current location. Each message you get, like not being appreciated or getting recognition for your talents, is a signal that you need to commit yourself to your well-being. You may hope that things will get better without your doing anything. But instead, they will deteriorate, and as time passes, so will your options. Ask yourself, “How bad does it have to get before I take some action?”

Deciding to go in a different direction takes motivation and commitment. Many times, life has to get intolerable before people decide to change. Most want a magic wand to take away the discomfort and put them on the new path without any work on their part. It would be nice, and occasionally does happen that way, but not very often. Change generally only happens after a lot of contemplating and planning for it.

Sometimes, when you get your mind clear, the Universe will bail you out of a difficulty. But if you haven’t changed your behaviors or learned from the experience, each time you pray to be rescued, you will receive less and less assistance. It’s similar to the fable of the boy who cried, “Wolf!”

When you first get some clues that something in your life needs to be addressed, you need to take stock and bring awareness to the issue. Where are you feeling uncomfortable? What’s the problem? What caused it? What needs to change? Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” What are you willing to do, and not willing to do?

Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors a prepared mind.” Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for change. Visualize the improvement you want in your life. Write down the steps, no matter how small, you need to take and begin putting them into action. Use affirmations to motivate yourself and stay focused. As you do, the Universe will bring unexpected opportunities to you.

Affirmation

I am now willing to make the changes in my life that will bring me greater harmony, abundance, health, and joy. Whatever I need to do, I now commit myself to putting into action. I am guided to anything and everything I need to make the positive changes in my life. My resolve strengthens, I am motivated and inspired, and all of Life supports me in my goal to improve my quality of living.

Copyright 2008 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, motivation

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Some years ago, a friend and I discussed how scared we felt when we thought of others seeing us clearly. Most people think they want to be accepted fully for who they are, but in reality, it can feel threatening. We took it to the next level and explored how it would feel for someone to view our true potential, to recognize our spiritual core, which is powerful and magnificent in everyone. Very quickly, we mentally backed away from the concept because it created such anxiety. Many people hide their true self, not wanting to have their deepest self exposed and vulnerable.

When I talk about having our potential appreciated, I don’t mean when someone sees us through rose-colored glasses, considers us to be perfect, or puts us on a pedestal. That’s not reality. They’re not seeing the real person, but a pale version. If they actually see us for the wonderful person that we are, accepting all of our flaws and idiosyncrasies, it can make us uncomfortable.

For one thing, it’s unfamiliar. We’re used to putting ourselves down, deflecting compliments, diminishing our talents, or conversely, overcompensating by exaggerating them. Many of us avoid threatening others by discounting our abilities, talents, or skills, because they could punish us for their feelings of inadequacy.

As children, we’re taught not to “blow your own horn,” be too powerful, unique, or stand out too much. Someone once put me down with, “You just want to be different.” Conformity is encouraged and excelling is discouraged, unless you’re an overachiever. Overachievers work hard and use perfectionism as another way of gaining esteem. Either way, approval of those around us is the goal. When we choose a spiritual path, we continue to downplay our abilities to avoid our ego being in control.

Imagine someone truly accepting us totally, as we are, approving of us and recognizing our true potential. Most people think that would be such a gift, when in reality, it can produce deep apprehension. In “Return To Love,” Marianne Williamson said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?”

We’re used to trotting out our flaws, and making sure people recognize them. “I can’t cook,” “I’m not enough,” or “I can’t be successful.” By placing walls around our truest self, we try to protect it. As we constantly limit ourselves, we expect others to agree with us and do the same. What if others took away our restrictions by seeing that they were just excuses? If others realize our greatness, they could have expectations that we can’t or don’t want to meet. We could disappoint them, therefore it’s better to create low expectations to begin with.

To counteract this negative conditioning, begin to list all of your positive attributes. Consider all the wonderful talents you have, even if it’s just that you make a dynamite instant pudding. Diminishing yourself doesn’t make you more spiritual, a better person, or even able to avoid another’s criticism’s. They can see you for who you are, whether you expose it or not.

Trying to hide your “light under a bushel” hampers your spiritual and personal development. You are a child of the Universe, and the Universe recognizes your power, glory, and greatness. You were created, and put here, to expand into expressing all the goodness of the Infinite. Accept and embrace your potential, glory and greatness.

Affirmation

I acknowledge and accept my true worth and potential. As an individualized expression of the Universe, I embody Its power and glory. I let go of the excuses I’ve used to keep myself small and allow myself to expand into the greatness that is who I truly am. I now accept acknowledgement and appreciation gracefully. It is safe for me to now recognize my light and allow it to shine.

Copyright 2008 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, inspiration

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Over the years, I’ve experimented with different techniques to manifest prosperity. Imagining the amount I want each month doesn’t work very well for me. Since I’m self-employed, I had to keep a running total in my mind. Writing the amount in an affirmation several times each day also wasn’t sucessful. Stating general affirmations of abundance out loud worked the best, until I discovered an additional visualization that supported my goal. I would imagine a specific amount in my check register by a certain day, generally the last day of the month. It would be a figure that was a little more than I could believe I could manifest. When I remember to keep that number in mind, I generally achieve it.

The second week of last month, there hadn’t been much financial flow. I realized I needed to do some goal-setting to get things moving, and I chose a sum I wanted in the bank by the end of the month. It would be a bit of a stretch, but I believed I could accomplish. As the month progressed, money started to stream into my coffers. I sold a piece of furniture that helped somewhat, too. With the appointments I had and other channels, it looked like I was going to easily make it. But then some appointments got re-scheduled or the person couldn’t make it this month. So it looked like I was going to miss my goal by a good bit.

As I was balancing my checkbook, I realized that the bank said I had more money in my account than I thought I had. When I checked all the debits and credits, I found a deposit I had forgotten to enter. That, along with what I knew was coming in, brought me almost to my goal. Although I didn’t consciously know about the extra amount, the Universe and my subconscious did. I was delighted to come so close. Then, two days before the end of the month, I received some unexpected money. When I deposited it, my account had what I had envisioned with twenty-five cents to spare.

There are a lot of techniques that can help convince your conscious and subconscious to manifest what you want.

• Write down an affirmation with the amount of income you want each month.
• Keep it in your mind and read your affirmation every day.
• You can write your goal ten or more times each day.
• Creating a treasure map, prayer wheel or wheel of fortune.
• Saying or writing affirmations, chanting, imagining that your goal has been achieved as you’re going to sleep each night
• Writing a letter to a friend or supernatural being from some months in the future as if the goal had happened.

And many more exercises expand your mind to accept more.

One secret is to choose something close to what you can believe you can achieve. If it’s too much, or you’re choosing something way outside of your comfort zone, like winning the lottery, your subconscious will not even try. It knows that you’re just reaching for the stars. Your goal needs to be close to what you can believe, but you can also choose an amount just beyond your reach to stretch your mind.

Another key is trusting the Universe, and your subconscious mind, to manifest your goal. The Infinite wants you to have it, or else you wouldn’t have been inspired to conceive it. Even though you may not have any idea where the money, job, or desire is going to come from, your subconscious mind does. You still have to take any action that you know to take, but it’s not up to your conscious mind to figure out how to manifest. That’s the responsibility of the Universe and your subconscious.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all technique or magic tool. What works for some, may not work for you. And what has worked in the past may not work in the present. So experiment to find what convinces your mind that you can be and have more. Keep your mind focused on what you want. One thing I have learned is that, if I can believe it, I can have anything I desire. So can you.

Affirmation

My subconscious mind can create anything I desire through the power of my Higher Mind. I may not know how this can manifest, but the Universe and my subconscious mind know how. I know that my desire exists in Universal Mind. I keep my mind focused on my desire and let my creative mind handle the details of manifestation. All that I need is provided in an harmonious way. I now trust that my desire is being fulfilled in Divine Order.

Copyright 2008 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development