Empowering Your Mind – Page 5 – Mindset, Motivation and Empowerment

You Are Your Authority

March 11, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Chains breaking — vector silhouette of a girl with raised hands and broken chains

Years ago, I discovered that the critical people in my life, who loved to pick at me and tear me down, were just echoing the condemning voices in my head. I’d spent so much time distracted, defending myself against those outer critics, that I hadn’t addressed the real issue, how I felt about myself. I’d given the past, and the people in it, authority over me.

Most of us have disapproving judgements about ourselves that tell us that we’re not good enough. Maybe you have an inner critic that tells you that you can’t do anything right, that you “should” be perfect, or that making a mistake is worse than death. I know of people who can’t take a day off because they’d feel guilty. And others who refused to hire someone to paint their house because they felt they “ought” to do it. Your internal judge pounds you with its condemnations, both from within, using guilt, and outwardly by reflecting your inner feelings in how the people in your life treat you.

Life Reflects Your Inner Struggle

Many people who have rebelled against authority figures in the past tend to have problems now with bosses, police, the IRS, etc. They defy internalized critical messages from their childhood environment, and don’t accept responsibility for their actions. Therefore, the energy that they have resisted and disowned increases and echoes back to them from the world.

Whatever you feel victimized by will mirror in your life. Just as my environment had been reflecting back to me what was already in my consciousness. I had to change my attitude from defending myself to addressing the internal messages from a position of strength. As I took responsibility for my own well being, the critics began to fade out of my life. I’m not saying it was easy. It wasn’t. But once I convinced myself that no one had the right to put me down, including my internal critic, my life began to improve.

How to Counter Your Critical Judgements

When you listen to the critical things that you say to yourself, you can begin to deal with them. As with everything in the subconscious, they once had a reason and a purpose to protect you. Although they’ve been trying to help you, they’ve been doing it in a way that you have outgrown. Those messages were patterned on the authority figures in your childhood so that you could fit into the conditions at that time. But they are no longer necessary, and won’t realize it until you tell them so. Believe it or not, they’re waiting for you to assert your power over them and reclaim your authority.

If the old ideas are telling you that you don’t deserve good, or that you’re not worthy, realize that the Universe has much more authority than the people who implanted those beliefs in you. And the Infinite knows that you deserve all the good that Life has to offer. Spirit is stronger than any outdated attitude. A Divine truth is that the Universe wants you to accept and express the wholeness of your being.

You Have the Right to Be Free

You have the right to re-examine the standards by which you have lived your life. Those condemning internal messages have been trying to keep you living within the bounds of someone else’s values. With all the knowledge you now have, you can change the attitudes that no longer serve you. Using affirmations and Divine guidance, you can transform the outdated values into ones that are in alignment with love, harmony, joy, abundance, and all the good there is.

Affirmations I used during this period were, “I am the authority in my life” and “I own my authority.” I had to review all the standards I’d grown up with, reassess them and release the ones that no longer served me. When I began to do this, it was scary. The first few times that I stood up for myself, I felt the sky might fall. It didn’t. Instead, the Universe rushed in to support me and my world expanded. The same will be true for you.

Affirmation:

I know that the Universe supports me in the good that I desire. The only one that keeps my good from me is my own thoughts about it. I now release any old concepts that might have restricted my acceptance of all the good I desire. As I place my desire in my mind, knowing that I deserve it, then the All of the Universe rushes in to fulfill it in a perfect way.

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

Meditation for Self-Love

February 17, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

Loving yourself is necessary to a strong sense of self-esteem and self-worth. When you love yourself, you have more love, compassion and empathy for yourself and others. Practice this meditation to develop self-love to experience greater well being. Watch Meditation for Self-Love.

Transcript:

Welcome. Today, I’d like to lead you through a meditation to help you cultivate more love for yourself. When I use the term “self-love,” I’m not talking about narcissism, which is more about complete self-centeredness, self-importance and a sense of entitlement.

Instead, self-love means you have a healthy interest in your own well being and happiness. When you love yourself, you have more compassion and empathy for yourself and for others. Does that sound good?

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.

The goal of this meditation is to allow you to feel your love for yourself. To benefit the most from this meditation, close your eyes.

Imagine someone, such as a child, spouse, family member, friend, or even a pet, in front of you. You care deeply about that individual’s well being. You want the best for that individual, health, harmony and happiness. Imagine that feeling of wanting the best for them welling up within you. That is love. Imagine yourself projecting an ocean of love towards that person, bathing them in love.

Now imagine, that the individual turns into a representation of you. It could be a photo of you, a reflection of you in the mirror, or something else. You want the best for that representation, who the representation reflects. It’s the same health, harmony and happiness you wished for the other individual a moment ago.

Imagine that feeling welling up within you again. That is love. You’re now viewing yourself, projecting love to yourself and receiving that ocean of love. Bathing in it. Open your heart to receive the love. Accept the love.

Open your eyes. Do you notice a difference?

When you can accept that love for yourself, from yourself, you have more love to give to those around you. You not only take better care of your well being, but you also care more about others well being.

If you practice this type of meditation several times a week, you’ll probably notice that your self-esteem and self-worth improves.

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.

Please read the accompanying article, Cultivate Self-Love to Flourish.

Cultivate Self-Love to Flourish

February 13, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

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.

Practicing Self-Directed Goodwill

January 13, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

Sending thoughts of goodwill towards others can be an effective way to increase your sense of well being. But always thinking of others, and not paying attention to yourself, can eventually deplete you. To make sure you have the energy to practice goodwill to others, and have energy for yourself, you have to find ways to replenish yourself. Discover some ideas on how to fill your own well of energy. Watch Practicing Self-Directed Goodwill.

Transcript:

Welcome. Sending thoughts of goodwill towards others can be an effective way to increase your sense of well being. But always thinking of others, and not paying attention to yourself, can eventually deplete you, can’t it?

To make sure you have the energy to practice goodwill towards others, and have energy for yourself, you have to find ways to replenish yourself. In this video, I’d like to share some ideas on how to fill your own well of goodwill energy.

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.

How can you practice goodwill towards yourself? Goodwill means to wish the best, in this case, to yourself. So what’s the best way you can recharge yourself? I don’t mean indulging in excess food or drink. That’s not what’s best for you, is it? But what are some ways you can revitalize yourself so you have the energy to care for yourself and others?

Here are some tips on how to fill your energetic battery: Like take a warm bath, take a walk, get into nature, meditate, read a book, do a craft or hobby, call a friend, write down your gratitudes or do something else that is inspiring to you. Do anything that’s just for you that makes you feel uplifted and that gratifies you.

By setting time and energy apart for you, you’re communicating goodwill to yourself. You want the best for yourself, and are making space to act on that intention. Practicing goodwill towards yourself will fill your energy stores so you have more going forth in your life. What can you do to fill yourself today? Even if it’s only for 10 minutes?

Read the accompanying article, How to Practice Goodwill and Preserve Your Peace.

Affirmation for Positive Thoughts Results

January 8, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: If I say affirmation for positive thoughts 10 times in the morning and at night, will I see results within a week?

Answer: If you say affirmations to be more positive 10 times in the morning and evening for a week, you might see an improvement in a week. However, it would also depend if you’re also monitoring your thoughts during the day.

Affirmations or any such reprogramming techniques work when you’re also addressing the issue during the periods that you’re not saying the, for example: the rest of the day. They’re not magical incantations.

Any reprogramming technique needs the conscious mind to support it and work with it. During the day, when you find yourself in a negative frame of mind, find a way to turn it around to think more positively about the situation, and then say the affirmation to yourself. This reinforces and strengthens the intention of the affirmation.

If you say the affirmation 10 times morning and evening, and during the day consciously choose to think about things differently, as well as using your affirmation at those times, you’ll probably begin to see a slight improvement within a week. If you keep doing it, that improvement will be progressive.

And when you find yourself more positive, you should keep monitoring your thoughts and saying your affirmation occasionally during the day to remind yourself to keep moving in the proper direction.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

How to Practice Goodwill and Preserve Your Peace

January 2, 2025 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

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.

How to Develop a Sense of Goodwill

December 18, 2024 Linda-Ann Stewart

Having goodwill towards others creates more peace of mind and happiness in your life. Goodwill develops positive qualities in you, which improves your quality of life. Discover the various ways to cultivate goodwill, and the one powerful way that will make a profound change in your life. Watch How to Develop a Sense of Goodwill.

Transcript:

Welcome. In this video, I’d like to explore the idea of goodwill, what it means to you, and how you can develop it.

To experience more peace of mind and happiness in your life, having goodwill towards others is vital. When you have goodwill towards others, you also cultivate it in yourself, for yourself. Having goodwill creates positive qualities in you, such as improved self-worth, which then filter into your having a better life. So it’s a win-win attitude to have.

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 develop goodwill, you can practice gratitude, kindness, give without expecting anything back, and compassion for yourself and others. With this attitude, you’re interested in other people’s well being and want it to improve. All of these ways work to increase your ability to have a sense of goodwill about yourself and others.

But one of the best ways to develop goodwill is to think this about those you meet, “I wish you the best,” and mean it. “I wish you the best.” You don’t have to think about what the best for them could be. Just wish them the best, however that shows up for them. Wish the best to your cashier, other drivers (even if they’re rude), family members, even your boss.

It’s hard, but also wish the best for those who have done you harm. By doing so, you’re better able to let go of them and the situation and move on with your life.

A sense of goodwill enriches your life and the lives of others. When you wish the best for others, without knowing it, you’re also wishing it for yourself. This practice can make a positive and profound change in your life. All it takes is a little thought and practice. How can you practice it today? 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. I wish the best for you.

Read the accompanying article, The Power of Goodwill.

What You Wish For Others, YOU May Get

December 17, 2024 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

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.

The Power of Goodwill

December 5, 2024 Linda-Ann Stewart

by Linda-Ann Stewart

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.

How to Turn Failure into Success

November 18, 2024 Linda-Ann Stewart

If you’re working to change a habit, learn a skill or build a business, you’re going to fail at some point. No one likes it, but it’s part of the process. This simple mindset shift will help you to overcome the disappointment and turn that failure into success. Watch How to Turn Failure into Success.

Transcript:

Welcome. In today’s video, I’d like to share a mindset tip on how to handle failure and cultivate success.

No one likes to fail, do they? But no one who succeeds hasn’t failed at their endeavor, at least once. Whether it’s changing habits, learning a skill, or building a business, everyone has setbacks, right?

It’s well known that while inventing the light bulb, Edison failed to find the right filament thousands of times. Instead of letting it defeat him, he said, “I have not failed 10,000 times—I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways it will not work.” What a way to think about it!

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.

Inventors and entrepreneurs fail frequently, as do those learning skills and those who want to change habits. They fail before they find success. Any “overnight success” has been at work at it for a long time. Along the way, they’ve learned valuable lessons that they’ve built on. Ways they discovered didn’t work, or needed to be tweaked.

Anyone who has achieved a goal or learned a skill or changed a habit has had mistakes and setbacks. It’s part of the process of learning, growing and discovery. If you haven’t failed, it will be harder to maintain your success, because you won’t have learned as much. Failure encourages resourcefulness.

My mindset tip for you is that if you fail, at anything, in your personal or professional life, learn what you can from it. Integrate that knowledge, and then say, “Next.” Take your next step. Each step you take will bring you closer to the success you seek if you persist, keep learning and stay focused on your goal and vision. Learn and say, “Next.”

Read the accompanying article, Failure: The Great Teacher.