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Tag: beliefs

“What are miracles?”

“What are miracles?”

Question: If we are 100% responsible, then are miracles, as some Spiritual paths suggest, only a natural out picturing of Universal law when we really let go?

Answer: Miracles are the natural flow of the Universe. As someone once said (paraphrased) “If you aren’t experiencing them, you’re using your busy mind to create difficulties.”

God isn’t a white knight on a horse waiting to swoop down and save you from yourself. I sometimes wish it were so. When a person prays or affirms help or healing, they’re actually changing their own mind. Not God’s. God is always directing, guiding, inspiring, helping us. God is health, and healing is the process of allowing God as health in.

When a person prays or affirms, they’re acknowledging the truth of the situation. As soon as they convince themselves of it, then it manifests. It’s simple, but not easy.

Copyright 2002, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Positive Thinking Isn’t Being “Pollyanna-ish”

Positive Thinking Isn’t Being “Pollyanna-ish”

I loved the Disney movie, “Pollyanna,” about a young girl sent to live with her aunt after the death of her parents. Pollyanna had a cheerful outlook and looked on the bright side of life. Unfortunately, her name became mistakenly synonymous with being naïve, wearing “rose-colored glasses,” or ignoring facts. That wasn’t her philosophy at all. Pollyanna simply looked for the best in each situation.

Over the years, positive thinking has also gotten the erroneous reputation of ignoring the negative. The common belief is that if you have a positive attitude, it means you must repress any distressing emotion, disregard negative circumstances, and dismiss reality.

That doesn’t accurately represent what optimism is. Being positive doesn’t mean you won’t grieve, feel sad, angry or get upset at times. It just means you allow yourself to experience the normal flow of those emotions and then begin to bounce back to a more positive frame of mind. Eventually, you’re able to view things in perspective, rather than wallow in the suffering.

When you’re positive, you don’t pretend that unpleasant occurrences don’t exist. You simply don’t focus on them. Recognizing reality is essential to formulate a constructive strategy to overcome obstacles. It’s like driving a car. You notice where the other cars are and what they’re doing, so that you can make informed decisions about how to avoid collisions. But you keep your gaze on the direction you’re going.

When you’re optimistic, you seek positive solutions and are open to possibilities. If someone calls me a “Pollyanna” in an attempt to put me down, I say “Thank you” because I know what its real meaning is. Smiling when pessimists want to spoil your day will make them nuts. It’s a win-win situation. Now that’s positive.

Book Review-“Your Infinite Power To Be Rich”

Book Review-“Your Infinite Power To Be Rich”

Your Infinite Power To Be Rich: Use the Power of Your Subconscious Mind to Obtain the Prosperity You Deserve
by Joseph Murphy

Joseph Murphy is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books on prosperity. As with his other books, this one is full of affirmations and examples of how others have succeeded using mind principles.

He describes a three step process of refusing to think negatively, affirming your goal throughout the day, and imagining it as you go to sleep at night.

Dr. Murphy addresses various issues, such as feeling worthy to be wealthy, how God wants you to be rich, how God is your employer, how to use your imagination positively, the law of gratitude, the power of your words, and explains many of the mental laws.

His books are very easy and enjoyable to read, and I’ve learned something new from every one I’ve read. Over the years, I’ve used his affirmations to improve my life.

Copyright 2003, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

How do we discern what a situation is telling us?

How do we discern what a situation is telling us?

Question: How do we discern if a situation is the result of really deep subconscious negative thoughts/beliefs OR simply the ‘process’ we are in as the Universe brings us that which we have asked for?

Answer: Lots of things could be happening with it. If you’ve been doing a lot of intense releasing and inner work, your situation could be the subconscious clearing itself out. When a person transforms quickly, the subconscious tends to confront them with much of their old garbage, all at one time.

Imagine having a garage full of old stuff that you decide to clean out in a weekend. Lots of dust and chaos happens as you go through the process.

Another thing that could be happening is that you’re challenging a deeply held belief. It could be anything from “I deserve” to “Life flows easily.” Again, the old programming is unraveling and showing up very visibly in your life. You can pretty much tell if it’s either of these if the situation is similar to others in your life, but bigger.

Or if the condition is completely opposite to what you’ve been working on. For example, you’ve been affirming “I deserve,” and now people are coming out of the woodwork telling you how worthless you are. Just keep up with your inner work, and the outer will come into alignment.

Another reason this could be happening is that the Universe knows what you want, and is trying to move you out of a situation that you’ve outgrown and won’t leave willingly. So the Universe is making it so uncomfortable that you have to leave for something better.

No matter what, the situation is a result of old subconscious beliefs, either being released, fighting being changed, or having been outgrown and you haven’t let go of the outer experience yet.

Copyright 2002, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“Life Is A Metaphor, Part 2”

“Life Is A Metaphor, Part 2”

by Linda-Ann Stewart

There’s an old saying, “What you are speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying.” We can’t hide from ourselves. It’s painted on the canvas of our lives. All we have to do is be aware.

  • Are you eating until you’re stuffed? What else are you stuffing? Hint: Generally it’s an emotion.
  • Does your house look nice and neat and tidy, but your drawers and closets can’t be opened for the mess? You haven’t assessed the outdated stuff of your life and released what’s no longer helpful.
  • Do people treat you like a doormat? That’s because you treat yourself that way by not standing up for yourself.
  • Are you working so hard, doing so much, that you don’t have time for that hobby you love? It’s because you haven’t made time for the hobby that you have so little free time.

Whatever your issue, look at how it’s outpicturing in your life. You’ll be able to recognize it in several areas, because it won’t just be reflecting in an isolated spot of your canvas.  It’ll be reflecting in your entire environment.

Our outer experience is simply a metaphor for the thought energy that’s in our minds. For instance, I have raced ahead so fast, that I haven’t processed much of the information that I’ve accumulated. Not only in my business, but also in my life. My piles were old, outdated information that either needed to be tossed away or filed.

I’d procrastinated filing anything because it was so hard to fit anymore into the crammed drawers of my file cabinets. Recently, I expanded my file drawers. Another metaphor. I’d needed to expand my vision. Now, I need to take the time to finish going through my stuff before I go any further. When I do it in one area, it’ll begin happening in the other areas as well. Only then will I begin to break free of my old restrictions and really accept more of Life.

Copyright 2000, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“Life Is A Metaphor, Part 1”

“Life Is A Metaphor, Part 1”

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Some time ago, I went through some piles on my desk. I’d been feeling hemmed in, overwhelmed, frustrated by them. I hadn’t had time for months to take care of them, and finally it got to a breaking point. I didn’t have room to work on my desk, and I couldn’t find things I needed.

Stymied, restricted, overwhelmed  Recently, this had been the way I’d been feeling about life and my work. And here it was staring me in the face. I’d been manifesting my feelings in my work area.

Life is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. Since I hadn’t cleared away those piles, I’d blocked myself from moving forward. My own tendency not to file old mail and magazines had resulted in life not flowing easily for me. I’d been building a new business so fast, that I hadn’t taken the time to clear away the debris. And it was beginning to obstruct access to the new structure.

We all do this. However we act towards ourselves, comes back at us from our world. Life is simply a mirror for us. All we have to do is look at where we’re uncomfortable in our outer lives, and we can see where we’re uncomfortable within our own minds and hearts.

Copyright 2000, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Avoid “Hardening of the Attitudes”

Avoid “Hardening of the Attitudes”

I know that many books on success and mindset suggest you avoid negative people. It’s true that it’s so much easier to maintain a positive attitude when you’re around people who are also positive. Unfortunately, some people interpret that idea to mean that they should only associate with people who agree with them.

I recently had an experience that illustrated how limiting that could be. I had a short exchange with a businessman who believed that everyone wanted to improve themselves and be better at their jobs. His business was based on that assumption and he worked to improve employees’ skills.

From my experience with clients, I felt that although people might want to be better, they didn’t always want to do what was needed to get there. As soon as I expressed that concept to the gentleman, he ended the discussion. By turning away from a contradictory opinion, he refused to open his mind to different viewpoints. If he had, he might have been able to use them to improve his business.

When you avoid opinions that conflict with yours, it indicates that you’re not really confident of your position. If others’ ideas can affect you that easily, you’re not grounded in your own. Listening to what others think, and why, broadens your understanding so you can modify your ideas and help them grow stronger roots. It can also open the door to inspiration, which will allow you to reach greater heights.

So when you encounter someone with an opposing opinion, listen with an open mind. This is true in business, politics, relationships, and life. Avoid “hardening of the attitudes” and consider what they’re saying. It may change your ideas or strengthen your position. Only by associating with people who have varying opinions and experiences can you have a broader and deeper perspective.

Book Review – “Beyond Postive Thinking”

Book Review – “Beyond Postive Thinking”

“Beyond Positive Thinking:
A No-Nonsense Formula For Getting The Results You Want”
by Dr. Robert Anthony

This book a step-by-step process for “right thinking” rather than “positive thinking.” It doesn’t pull any punches regarding why you do the things you do that sabotage your goals. And it specifically tells you want to do about them, so you can achieve your dreams.

This is a users manual for the Law of Attraction. Beginning with the basics of self-esteem, it dives deeply into all the aspects of what could block you from your desires. It addresses the obstacles you encounter and suggests solutions for them.

This is one of the best books I’ve found that explains how to go about creating the life you want. It doesn’t just give you steps to follow, but instructs you on strategies and time-tested techniques. He explains how to use affirmations, intentions, visualization and more.

It’s written in a very clear and understandable manner, directly addressing what to do and why. It’s tightly packed with information, explanations and exercises to change your thoughts and reframe your beliefs.

You’ll need to read this book over and over again, because you won’t be able to absorb all of it in a single reading. If you want to change your mind to change your life, read this book.

“How long does it take for an affirmation to take effect?”

“How long does it take for an affirmation to take effect?”

Question: How long does it take for an affirmation to take effect?

Answer: It depends on how long and how deeply ingrained the old conditioning is. If it’s been there for a long time, or it’s a deeply held belief, it may take a few months of constant affirmation to completely change it. You will likely notice small improvements along the way.

Think of it like tacking a boat. You have to make small incremental changes in the boat’s course to turn it around. If you try to change the course too fast from due west to due east, then you risk ending up in the water. Keep track of the improvements, and use them to encourage yourself.

I tell my clients that it takes thirty days to change a habit (mental or physical), another thirty days to create a new habit (which would be your new thought pattern), and another thirty days to make that new habit familiar.

Even after that, you may find that times of stress may tempt you back to the old way of thinking. That’s normal, because that way has been the most familiar to the subconscious. Just start declaring your affirmation again.

Copyright 2002, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

How To Break Through Your Deadlock

How To Break Through Your Deadlock

Sometimes, when you’re stuck, you don’t know what to do to get things moving again. The problem may be that you’re holding onto some idea that’s holding you back. Here’s a simple technique that comes from Feng Shui, endorsed by organizers, that can help loosen that energy and get life moving again.