Improve Your Life As You Sleep

Improve Your Life As You Sleep

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Many years ago, a hypnotherapist told me that she would make a hypnosis tape of her goals to listen to as she went to sleep. When she mentioned this, I remembered that, years before, I’d made myself an affirmation tape to listen to as I drifted off, and the ideas on that tape had made a significant difference in my life. On many occasions since then, I’ve had a tape playing as I go to sleep. As with the affirmations, the goals and concepts on my tape tend to become realities in my life.

Many times, a client would come to me and tell me that the only time that they can listen to the reinforcement tape of their session was as they’re going to sleep. I told them, “That’s fine. As a person goes to sleep, they’re going through the same level of awareness that we use in hypnosis.” I went on to explain that it generally takes longer than thirty minutes to get into the deep level of sleep, and even then the subconscious is still hearing and listening to what’s being said. Have you ever been deeply asleep, and had a strange sound bring you wide-awake? That’s the subconscious mind monitoring your environment and recognizing when there’s something unusual or dangerous, and waking you to deal with it.

Using Affirmations as You Drift Off

But a person doesn’t need an audiotape to utilize this excellent time. Just repeating an affirmation as you go to sleep is a great way to imprint new concepts, goals and ideas. Joseph Murphy, author of many books on the subconscious, suggested repeating the word “Wealth,” rather than “I am wealthy” to avoid any resistance from the subconscious. “I am wealthy” might bring up arguments that “No, I’m not,” “I don’t have a cent to my name,” etc. Simply saying “Wealth” brings up the images and feelings of being well taken care of, which is what impresses the subconscious.

Many people use the time before sleep to think of a problem they have, and then affirm, “I’ll have the answer to it in the morning.” There is now research to support that sleep can be a creative time. If a person believes that their subconscious will be working on a solution, then they will awaken with the answer. A study has found that the person who “Sleeps on it” will be twice as likely to awaken with insights and solutions than the person who stays awake to think and worry about the problem.

Program Your Goals as You Sleep

One of my colleagues calls the time before sleep “My time.” When he has a particular goal, he uses his imagination to make it real for him. He visualizes how it would feel to have accomplished it, and lets his subconscious figure out the way to make it happen. By doing this, he went from having barely enough to live on to owning a beautiful house, investments, and retiring at an early age.

Decide on one area of your life that you want to improve. Then find a short affirmation or word that embodies your desire. Use your imagination to visualize your goal as if it were already accomplished. To reduce weight, imagine yourself at your perfect weight, exercising and enjoying the activity, leaving food on your plate, feeling slim and energetic. To stop smoking, imagine yourself saying, “No thank you” to a cigarette, being free of urges, and being able to breathe better. For prosperity, imagine your bank account at a particular amount by a certain date. If you want more appreciation at work, imagine being congratulated on a job well done, being promoted, feeling satisfied.

When I wake up in the middle of the night, I usually repeat the phrase “I open my mind to receive more Good” as I drift back off to sleep. It’s short and simple enough that I don’t have to work to remember it. Drifting off to sleep is one of the best times to impress new information into the subconscious mind. If you consistently use this time to program your mind with what you want, you’ll find that your life improves drastically in a very short time.

Affirmation:

As I drift off to sleep, I program my mind with the goal that is most important to me. I open my mind to receive more of the Good that Life wants to give me. I know that my subconscious mind is very creative, and has all the knowledge and resources it needs to find the solution. I am guided in the direction I need to go to make real my desire. Everything I need for the accomplishment of my goal is provided. I trust my subconscious mind to figure out how to bring about my desire.

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 Linda-AnnStewart.com/guide.html

Meditation As A Problem Solver

Meditation As A Problem Solver

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Many of us meditate because it is a way to bring us into better alignment with the Universe. But meditation can also help to resolve problems. Many years ago, I read in How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery, by Lawrence LeShan, that psychologists and eastern philosophers approach emotional problems from different directions. A western psychologist will have a patient examine their problem, probe the cause, and know that as that happens, new insights would occur, and the subconscious would re-process the issue, releasing the pain.

He continued by saying that in the east, a meditation master would give the patient meditation exercises, knowing that the inner structure would be strengthened and the subconscious would integrate the troublesome information in a new way. The western and eastern ways approach the issue from opposite ends but achieve the same goal.

How Each Way Helps

Both ways seek to help the patient bring more light to their problem. In the western way, they focus on the problem. In the eastern, they focus on the solution, which is the Universe. As a person meditates, their mind opens to more Universal love and energy. Essentially, they’re telling themselves that all is well, and they’re safe. This reassurance then gives the subconscious more resources and creativity to deal with inner issues.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve meditated, and had the solution to a problem in my life rise to my conscious mind during the meditation or right after it. Meditators focus on the solution to all problems, which is the Universal Power and Love within them. Bringing Light into the shadows of their minds, meditators thus illuminate their lives.

 Affirmation:

As an expression of the Infinite, I know that all the Power, Love, and Harmony is within me. When I meditate, I am in contact with the knowledge of the Universe. During meditation, I allow this Universal knowledge to flow into my mind and heart. It helps to reprocess outdated issues, and to release outmoded attitudes. I commit myself to meditating to allow the Light of Spirit to flood into my being.

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

Use Your Decisions to Sculpt Your Life

Use Your Decisions to Sculpt Your Life

Are you living the life you want? There are so many choices that you have to make. But only some of them will lead to decisions that are in alignment with your desires. Learn a mindset shift so those decisions will support your goals. Watch Use Your Decisions to Sculpt Your Life.

Transcript:

Welcome. Are your decisions bringing you the results you want? If not, I’d like to give you a mindset shift on how to make choices that will help you to meet your goals.

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

If you aren’t living the life you want, it may be because of the choices you’ve made in the past. Now, you make decisions every day, right? Some are made deliberately and you take action to follow through on them. But others are made by default, following the path of least resistance. They could be old patterns from the past or just what’s easiest in the moment.

Those default decisions rarely bring you anything new. You’ll just end up with what you already have. Doesn’t this sound like, “If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten?” It’s because it’s true. But you can change that.

When you want a different outcome, you have to make a choice based on your goal or vision, right? Something different than what you’ve had. And for a new result, you have to eliminate all but the choices that lead to the outcome you want.

It’s like being the sculptor of your life. When asked how he sculpted his masterpieces, Michelangelo said the finished product was already in the stone. He just chipped away at whatever wasn’t a part of that image. He chipped away whatever was superfluous.

That’s what making a choice is for you. You choose decisions that carve out everything that doesn’t align with your ultimate vision. With the result you want.

Stay focused on making the decisions that actively support your goals and then avoid everything that doesn’t. Be like Michelangelo in pursuit of your result. Make decisions that chip away everything that doesn’t contribute to your vision. And you’ll end up with a masterpiece of your life. 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 YouTube channel and click on the bell. As always, stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Decisions Design Your Destiny.

The Dreaded Word “Discipline”

The Dreaded Word “Discipline”

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Steps to Success

Everyone hates the “D” word. Discipline. When I would mention the word to clients, they sometimes shuddered and gave me a dirty look. I think it’s because most people associate the word “discipline” with punishment, enforced obedience, submission to some outside authority, or hard work with little reward. But the dictionary defines discipline as instruction, a branch of research, or training that shapes or molds. The root of the word discipline is “disciple” or “one who receives instruction from another” or more simply, “to learn.” In this context, discipline takes on a whole new flavor.

Discipline Leads to Achievement

Without self-discipline, a person rarely achieves anything in life, including spiritual growth. For instance, meditating every day takes discipline. So many things could distract a person from that practice, from folding the laundry to watching that half-hour comedy. It takes setting a strong intention and following through, no matter what, to fulfill that goal.

Imagine you’re in a line at a buffet, and your favorite food in the whole is at the end of the long table. (It’s not a perfect analogy, but play along, okay?) All the foods that populate the table look succulent and delicious, but you are holding out for your favorite, because you know you only have enough room for that particular morsel. So you discipline yourself to pass up all the other foods, refuse to let them divert you, and keep your eyes on your goal.

Self-Discipline Means Training Yourself

Self-discipline means that you are training yourself into a mold that you heartily desire. No one else is forcing you to take the path you’ve chosen. You consciously make choices that benefit your end goal and avoid things that might sidetrack you. By choosing your goal and staying on purpose, you become your own authority. Self-discipline actually becomes a spiritual practice as you recognize that you are your own best teacher. So transform the negative associations you have with this word to what it really means, and learn to use self-discipline to achieve what you want from life.

Affirmation:

I recognize that self-discipline makes me a disciple of my Highest Good. I make wise decisions that support my goals, and choose to follow through with them. Disregarding any distractions from my Good, I stay on my path. Since I am my own authority,  I am the one molding myself into what I want. This is my choice, and I am enthusiastic about self-discipline as a spiritual practice. 

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

Decisions Design Your Destiny

Decisions Design Your Destiny

by Linda-Ann Stewart

You make decisions every day, such as what to eat, what to wear, what task to do, what to say, and much more. The life you have today is based on the choices you’ve made in the past. You choose what you want, either consciously or unconsciously. Then your choice leads to making a decision, which then results in some sort of outcome. The decisions you make today will create the life you have tomorrow and beyond.

Your decisions channel the energy of the Universe. Have your decisions brought you the results you want? If you don’t like your outcomes, your power lies in being able to make different choices. But what is it that really makes you choose what you do?

What Influences Your Decisions?

There are some basic motivations that compel your decisions. Once you understand what influences your choices, you can adjust them.

Expediency. You quickly make a choice so you can move onto something else.

Past Beliefs. Old ideas unconsciously drive your choices, which may undermine what you consciously want.

Habit. You automatically fall into an old pattern of choice without thinking about it.

Fear. This can prompt you to avoid making a choice, or it can cause you to take action because of the consequences if you don’t.

Desire. You have something you really want, so you choose to go for it.

Goals. You use your goals as a frame for your choices.  

Your Decisions Create Your Life

When you make a choice, you have to abandon other options and possibilities. When you ask for Divine Guidance, the answer often becomes clear. Once you’ve chosen your course of action, follow through on it. And each decision brings consequences, or rewards and positive outcomes.

If your decision hasn’t brought what you want, reassess your original choice. Is it in alignment with your defined goal, vision or your intention? If not, and you were to choose differently, what would your choice be? Make a different decision based on your new choice.

When your decision leads you to what you’d hoped for, then it’s done its work. Each decision, and the action you take concerning it, creates your life. When you make a choice, it sets in motion the power of the Universe. You have the power. Choose your decisions according to the life you want to be living.

Affirmation:

I am divinely guided to make the best decision that brings me my Highest Good. The One Life within me leads and directs my thoughts and choices. I realize that when I make a decision, it sets the power of the Universe in motion. Divine right action takes place in all areas of my life. Only good comes to and through me.   

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 Are You Choosing?

What Are You Choosing?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Time for Change Dial

When a smoker comes to see me, many times they tell me they feel controlled by their cigarettes. I remind them that they have the choice whether to smoke or not. Not smoking may result in a brief period of mental/emotional discomfort, but they can say “No” to a cigarette. Their subconscious mind is simply following the direction of what the conscious mind once told it to do. Their decision to smoke seemed appropriate at the time that they first began the habit. The subconscious is still operating on that decision, even though they now want to make a different one. It still is a matter of choice and communicating that choice to the subconscious.

Many times, we make choices that then take on a life of their own. They operate under our mental radar, and we’re not even aware that they’re there. It’s like installing a program on our computer, and having it run in the background. We tend to forget it’s there, even if it begins interfering with the functioning of our computer.

How We Make Decisions

We make decisions based on the best information at the time. As children, we try to fit into a strange world, and learn how to survive there. We take on the attitudes of those who are powerful, such as parents, as a way to gain acceptance, safety and security. When we grow up, we don’t need those same survival strategies, but they continue to function because we haven’t made any attempt to change them.

The automatic programs can be physical ones, such as smoking or overeating to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Or they can be mental/emotional programs of feeling like a victim, having low self-esteem, difficulties with money, or pessimistic thinking. The past choices we’ve made were reasonable at a specific time and place in our lives, but now they’re no longer helping us anymore. Actually, they may be causing us harm. But unless you give the subconscious different instructions, it will continue to operate those old programs, thinking that it’s still what you want.

How We Change Our Choice

One of the first things I do for many of my clients is to make them aware of when their habitual program kicks in. Many of my smoking clients think that they smoke all the time, only to discover that there are only certain times or places that trigger the desire. The same is true of clients who have low self-esteem. They may feel competent doing their job, but as soon as someone criticizes them, they feel worthless. After we discover when the mental program begins to run, we work on retraining the subconscious to think differently.

But first, we have to become consciously aware of the choice. Bringing it out of the shadows, where it’s been operating, and into the light so we can assess it and make a different decision. When we first begin to change the program, the subconscious may rebel by seeming to make the habit more entrenched or causing chaos. It’s just acting on the original instructions of the conscious mind. The subconscious must follow the directions of the conscious mind, and as long as the conscious mind stays focused on the goal, the inner mind will follow.

Be Consistent

Every moment of every day, we’re making choices, whether they’re ones operating automatically or ones we make consciously. If there are areas of your life that aren’t working for your good anymore, then become aware of the reason you made the original choice and make a new one. Figure out what you need to do every time that program begins to run, become aware of it, and then implement the new choice every single time it shows up. You have to make a firm, new choice, and act on it every time, or the subconscious won’t believe the conscious mind is really serious about it.

It’s very simple, but not necessarily easy. There may be some discomfort as you make the changes, just like when you part your hair in a different place. It feels strange at first. But soon your subconscious will recognize your determination, realize that it’s okay to make that change, and will then act on the new instructions. But first you need to be aware of your choices and make a new decision.

Affirmation:

I now choose to become consciously aware of past decisions that I’ve made that are no longer serving a positive purpose in my life. I recognize that they seemed reasonable and appropriate when they were first made, but they are no longer helpful. I now create a new mental program to alert me when the remnant of the old choice starts to operate. As I become aware of it, I now substitute the new choice I’ve made. My subconscious mind now understands that it is safe and better for me in the present to accept the new programming.

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

It’s Safe to Relax

It’s Safe to Relax

by Linda-Ann Stewart

As I was guiding a client into self-hypnosis using a relaxation technique, I noticed her shoulders becoming more and more tense. I suggested “It’s safe to relax,” and her shoulders dropped. She successfully went into self-hypnosis and we continued with her session. At the conclusion, she opened her eyes and said, “I couldn’t relax until you told me it was safe to do so.”

Are You Afraid to Relax?

I’ve heard this same thing from numerous clients. Many people have a fear of letting go and relaxing for a variety of reasons. Some of them have come from dysfunctional homes, and have learned to be hypervigilant in order to survive. Others have been through a long period of crises that have emotionally hit them over and over, until they, too, are hypervigilant. People with either of these issues often fear that something awful will happen if they let down their guard.

Sometimes anxieties or fears will begin to surface as a person starts the relaxation process. These are feelings that they’ve been able to keep suppressed and are now rising to the surface because their conscious control of them has loosened. Or a person could simply become apprehensive because relaxing is so unfamiliar that they feel uncomfortable doing it.

Tension Depletes You

Stress, tension or a sense of pressure signals the brain to keep the mind and body on alert, prepared for physical danger. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, or the next crisis, damages the body in subtle ways. The medical profession believes that stress causes or worsens  over 90% of illnesses. It’s like water dripping through a hole in a glass. Eventually, the glass will empty completely. Stress and tension actually wear away body systems, until they are depleted.

Being able to relax is essential to a person’s well-being, both physical and emotional. Relaxation allows the body to heal in a natural fashion, like replenishing the water in the glass. The body then has a reservoir of energy to draw from and preserve health.

Relaxation Replenishes You

Relaxation is the way we tell the brain that we’re safe, that all is well. For those who’ve existed in a dangerous environment, feeling safe is a new concept. I remind them that if there’s going to be a crisis, it’s going to happen whether they’re tense or relaxed. Relaxation not only gives the mind a feeling of safety, it provides it with more resources, reserves, and resiliency to handle the challenges of life.

Where a small setback, like being late to work, might have been all that was needed for a mental meltdown, the more relaxed person can keep the situation in perspective. Creativity and problem solving are also enhanced, as is mental flexibility. A person can be more productive and efficient, because their mental resources aren’t diverted to keeping them alert for a danger which may no longer exist. 

Relearn to Relax

In our fast-paced world, we have a habit of  being tense. Although relaxation is a natural process, it needs to be relearned. I tell my clients that they’re entering a period of training. They’re re-educating their bodies and minds to let go of tension and return to their natural state of relaxation. As they practice, they feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically. They quickly find that the rewards of relearning to relax are powerful and tangible.

Affirmation:

It’s safe to let go and relax. I’m safe now. I drop my shoulders, and release the tension in every part of my body. By relaxing, I’m allowing healing energy to fill my mind, body and spirit. In doing so, I have more resources and resiliency to deal with the challenges of my life. I trust that all is well, and Divine Right Action takes place for the Highest Good of all concerned.

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

A Fun Way to Cultivate Happiness

A Fun Way to Cultivate Happiness

Happiness increases your success, improves your health, and raises your creativity and productivity. There are easy ways you can use to elevate your mood and pleasure, which adds to your happiness. Discover a powerful way to create happiness that you can use every day. Watch A Fun Way to Cultivate Happiness.

Transcript:

Welcome. Did you know the mind can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined? This is why advertisers use strong, emotional imagery to sell their products and services. The viewer imagines themselves in that picture.

I’d like to share a tip on how you can use this process to boost your happiness. Because happiness increases your success, improves your health, raises your creativity and productivity. Who wouldn’t want that?

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus mentor and hypnotherapist. These videos are dedicated to empower people to focus and align their heart with their vision so they can achieve their goals. I’ve been helping people improve their lives for over 30 years using a variety of techniques, including guided visualization, so I know its power. But you don’t have to be in an induced trance to get drawn into imagery.

Just imagining, or remembering, laughter lifts your emotional state. What if you did that a couple  times a day? Also, when you go to a movie or watch a TV show, you’re totally engaged with the action. So, watching a comedy movie or TV show can improve your mood and raise your level of happiness.

I’m sure you’ve watched funny cat videos at some point, and that has helped to elevate your mood, right? Happiness increases productivity, so maybe employees taking a break to watch funny videos actually become more effective. As long as they watch for only short periods of time, or else the boss may object.

So just remembering the funny video will cause you to smile. Remember, the mind can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. Use that to your benefit.

The more often you feel uplifted and joyful, the more you’re building neural patterns to stay in that mental space. Use the power of imagery, whether in your own mind or as entertainment, to cultivate an attitude of pleasure and happiness.

Thank you for watching. If you’d like to be notified when I release more videos on mindset, motivation and empowerment, please like my channel and click on the bell. As always, stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, How to Improve Your Happiness Level.

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.

Meditate Away Stress

Meditate Away Stress

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When people come into my office, I generally have to educate them about stress. They think that stress just arises from difficult relationships, the death of a loved one, or from the workplace. But stress can come from events such as Christmas, moving, a wedding or divorce, a vacation or even winning the lottery. The common denominator of what causes stress is a person having to adjust to something new.

Anytime you have something out of your normal routine, your mind has to make changes to accommodate the new circumstances. The subconscious mind doesn’t like change. It likes the status quo, so whenever anything throws it off its schedule, your subconscious complains.

The Results of Stress

Stress results in tension, anxiety, short temper, tiredness, memory loss, inability to sleep, worry, obsessing over non-essentials, and much more. When you’re stressed, you tend to believe the lie that you are separate from the Universe. Without relief, stress begets more stress, and escalates. If stress continues unabated, it will eventually erode the body’s organs, and create illness or disease.

The Benefits of Meditation

To combat stress and its consequences, meditate each day. This puts a break in the cycle of stress. Meditating and relaxing helps to calm the mind and body. Instead of always feeling on edge and in danger, meditation lets the mind know that all is well and you are safe. This allows the body and mind to recover and recharge. 

As a side benefit of meditation, you actually become more efficient, effective and creative. Your awareness of your intuition will be enhanced. Any kind of meditation will do, from concentrating on a mantra, to doing self-hypnosis. Select the one that you resonate with. You just need to take the time to center, getting back in touch with yourself and your Higher Self. By doing so, you’ll have more time and resources to deal with the events of your life.

Affirmation

I am now relaxed and calm in every situation and circumstance. I know the the Universe protects and guides me at all times. As I take the time to center in this knowledge each day, my life flows more smoothly. When a challenge arises in my life, I remember that the Universe has any answer that I need. I open my mind to listen for the solution.

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 You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Is Your Glass Half-Full Or Half-Empty?

Is Your Glass Half-Full Or Half-Empty?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I’m sure you’ve heard of the test to determine if a person is an optimist or a pessimist. Imagine a table with a glass with water in fifty percent of it. A person is asked “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?” Disregarding whether the glass has just had water poured into it, or half of the water poured out, the optimist will say “Half-full,” and the pessimist will say “Half-empty.” Both are right, and both are looking at the glass from their own perspective, through their own mental filters. Those filters also affect the way they look at the rest of their lives.

The Difference Between a Pessimist and an Optimist

The pessimist will expect the worst to happen. They don’t want to get their hopes up so they’ll never be disappointed. And they rarely are. Since they’re looking for the worst, they’ll generally find it. If a negative thinker receives a compliment at work, he’ll brush it off, figuring it was a fluke and will never happen again. Since they expect the worst, they don’t use their resources to discover a solution. Their life becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, they give up and become stuck where they are.

Conversely, the optimist will look on the bright side, and find it. They’re the ones that “make lemons into lemonade.” Since they look for a way to turn a disaster into an opportunity, they’ll generally create a way to do so. If a person with a positive attitude is praised for a project well done, he’ll accept the congratulations and appreciate it. Optimists expect life to improve, so they look for solutions and take action.

How Realism Impacts Both

There is a difference between pessimism and realism. Suppose you have just enough in your bank account to pay all of your bills. A pessimist may get depressed over this state of affairs, and decide that “I don’t have any extra money for fun, and the situation will never get any better,” which simply tells the subconscious not to find a way to improve the situation.

Someone who is too optimistic may choose to spend some of their income on a good dinner, believing that something will turn up to recoup the money before the bills are due. That’s when a realistic attitude is helpful. A realistic optimist will think “Wow, there’s enough money to pay the bills this month. And since there’s nothing constant in the Universe but change, my financial situation will get better,” instructing their creative mind to keep working on a solution.

Optimists Aren’t Born

Pessimism is actually stressful and hard on the body. Studies have shown that pessimists have more physical illnesses and die at a younger age than optimists. Many people think that if they’re an optimist or pessimist, it’s a permanent condition. Not so. Optimists are not born, they’re trained that way. (The same is true of pessimists.) As children, we might pattern ourselves after the way a parent, friend, or teacher acted towards life; or we might choose the opposite approach. Either way, we learn to either look at the shadow or at the sunny side of life.

Being optimistic doesn’t mean that a person is a Pollyanna, wears rose-colored glasses and never recognizes that something is difficult, hurtful, or sad. It just means that they don’t dwell on it. They choose to focus on the good in life, and look for a way for things to improve. In doing so, they’re instructing their creative mind to find a way to turn the obstacles into a benefit. The Chinese character for “challenge” is the same as the character for “opportunity.”

How to Become an Optimist

Becoming an optimist means changing the way you focus on the events in your life. Listen to what you tell yourself about things. Are they negative? Are they actually accurate? For instance, if a friend betrays you, do you think, “I can’t trust any of my friends, and I’ll never find a friend I can trust?” Simply because one friend betrayed you doesn’t mean that all of them are disloyal. Challenge your own negative beliefs and attitudes. They are not facts. They are simply how you have been trained to think about a situation. If you have been trained one way, you can train yourself to think about it differently.

Give yourself a pep talk, such as “Lois betrayed me. She pretended to be my friend for her own agenda. That’s not my issue, it’s hers. Looking back, I realized that something was amiss in the relationship. I have other friends who have been trustworthy. I’m learning more and more to pay attention to my feelings about who can be trusted. There are lots of nice people with integrity in the world, and I can meet them.” This changes the focus of your attention from “no solution” to “solutions are available.”

Just as when a person sees the glass half-empty or half-full, altering the focus can change your filters. When you change your filters, this transforms the way you perceive life. So, instead of seeing the glass as half-empty, you can begin to see the opportunities of the glass being half-full.

Affirmation:

I know that I perceive life through the filters of my own beliefs. Those beliefs aren’t facts, they’re simply based on conclusions I’ve drawn from past experiences, and from the way I’ve learned to process that information. I now realize that there are many other ways to view the events of my life, and I now choose to change my focus to a more positive one. I actively search for a positive way to look at the situations of my life, a way that supports my well being. As I do, I’m instructing my creative mind to discover ways to improve my life.