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Personal Growth Opens the Door to Success

Personal Growth Opens the Door to Success

by Linda-Ann Stewart

“Your level of success will seldom exceed your level of personal development, because success is something you attract by the person you become.” Jim Rohn

Chasing success in any situation, personal or professional, can burn you out. Your emotional well runs dry, and you’re running your life, career or business on fumes. Instead of focusing so much on the outer circumstances, focus more on your personal growth and inner development. This is where your success truly originates.

Instead of pursuing outer achievement, seek to become your best self. This could include improving your attitudes, letting go of self-limiting beliefs, as well as raising your self-confidence and self-worth. Continuing to uncover and release more of your tremendous inner potential will make you more appealing to others. And this results in more success for you.

Benefits of Personal Development

Cultivating personal development boosts your performance, strengthens your self-management skills, and increases your motivation. Most employers prefer an applicant with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn, over those with skills or a college degree. If employers are hiring employees for their optimism and enthusiasm, can you imagine how people in your personal and professional life would respond to these traits in you?

On a personal level, focusing on your self-growth lowers stress, adds to your wellbeing and supports authenticity. The Law of Attraction teaches that you attract what you think and who you are. When you work to enrich yourself on the inner level, you become the person others are looking for to socialize and work with. You open the door for the right people, opportunities and success to walk into your life.

By creating the mindsets, habits and ongoing dedication to self-improvement, you’ll radiate goodwill to those you meet and generate an aura of success. You’ll feel more comfortable in your own skin.  People, and success, will be attracted to the person you are and will become. 

Affirmation:

I am becoming the person the Universe wanted me to be. As I develop my inner self, letting go of old limiting beliefs, I open myself to greater good in all areas of my life. It’s safe for me to uncover my inner potential and let myself shine. The world responds well to my sense of goodwill as I radiate it to all those around me.

Watch the accompanying video, Personal Development Tools for Success.

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

Overcome the Self-Talk Paradox

Overcome the Self-Talk Paradox

Many people have trouble using positive self-talk or affirmations, because they feel that they’re lying to themselves. They’re missing the point of what self-talk or affirmations seek to accomplish. This is the paradox concerning self-talk. When you state one idea that you immediately deny, you undermine your statement. By understanding the point of self-talk, and a tip to use it more effectively, you can overcome this contradiction, and be successful at transforming your life. Watch Overcome the Self-Talk Paradox.

Transcript:

Welcome. Some people have a problem with using self-talk, as they believe they’re lying to themselves. Do you know what I mean? For them to be able to accept their statement, they think they need to have already achieved the object, or the goal, of their statement. But they’re missing the point of what self-talk seeks to accomplish. This is a sort of imposter syndrome, and I’d like to share a reason causing it, and one way to handle the challenge.

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 purpose of self-talk is that it is directive. What that means is that it describes something you aspire to, that you want to be, have or achieve in your life. Self-talk gives your conscious, and subconscious mind, guidance as to what you are choosing for yourself. You haven’t gotten there yet, but this is something you are choosing.

If you’ve already accomplished the object of your statement, or your goal, then your self-talk is simply confirming what you presently have in your life, right? Because self-talk is aspirational, therefore you’re aspiring to something. Self-talk isn’t for something you’ve already achieved.

The way to handle the challenge of thinking that you’re lying to yourself, that reaction, is to realize it’s simply your subconscious mind bringing up old programming. Your subconscious is just trying to help you in an outdated way. Thank it for its concern, and then tell it you want it to support you in this new direction. Then repeat your self-talk declaration, with energy and determination. That will imprint your subconscious more powerfully with the transformation you want. With the direction you want to go.

Think about what that direction is, and create a self-talk statement that you can give to yourself consistently and persistently.

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, 4 Steps to Transforming Your Thoughts through Self-Talk.

Don’t Believe Everything You Tell Yourself

Don’t Believe Everything You Tell Yourself

Many of the things we tell ourselves aren’t accurate or true about us. But we still believe and act on them. They affect our lives. You have the power to change those ideas, but first you have to recognize them. Here are some questions to ask yourself to shift your perspective and create a new life. Watch Don’t Believe Everything You Tell Yourself.

Transcript:

Welcome. Today, I’d like to discuss self-talk and how it affects your life. And what you can do to improve the things you tell yourself so your life changes.

We tend to believe what we tell ourselves, good or bad, don’t we? And then we act on that belief, whether it’s true or not. The majority of what you believe about yourself was likely accepted when you were young and you don’t notice it much anymore. But it has the power to undermine you and affect your actions. Ask any athlete. What they tell themselves about their performance affects it. But how much of what you tell yourself is actually true?

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.

In my hypnotherapy practice, I helped people change what they told themselves, and their behaviors began to change as well. When you were a child, were you told you were klutzy, and now you trip over your own feet? What if that was a comment that was made during a single event and you took it to heart?

Too many times, as children, we believe something that was said to us and then we make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. And it affects us for the rest of our lives.

This happens when we’re adults, as well. For instance, also as a hypnotherapist, I worked with many smokers who told themselves they couldn’t quit. Their subconscious accepted that as fact, and no matter what they tried, they never succeeded at quitting smoking. When they came to me, one of the first things we addressed was dismantling that false belief. Only then could they be successful at stopping smoking. What idea have you accepted as an adult that you want to change?

Don’t believe everything you tell yourself, because many times those thoughts and their subsequent beliefs are wrong. They were created a long time ago, and no longer apply. What if you changed the unproductive things you told yourself to something more uplifting and constructive? Your subconscious would begin to accept those statements as true, and adjust your beliefs and actions accordingly. What could that change in your life?

  • What thought or belief can you now assess in a new light, from a new perspective?
  • And how can you change it so that it supports the life you want?

Start today, and focus on one area of your life. Be deliberate in the way you talk to yourself, and watch how your life changes. 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, 4 Steps to Transforming Your Thoughts through Self-Talk.

Empower Your Inner Strengths

Empower Your Inner Strengths

Most people criticize themselves for traits they don’t have, instead of focusing on helpful characteristics  they do have. What if you accepted and relied more on your strengths? They’d be able to support you in your goals and increase your sense of wellbeing. Uncover your strengths, and learn how to use them in a way that benefits you. Watch Empower Your Inner Strengths.

Transcript:

Welcome. Most of us tend to criticize ourselves for traits we don’t have in abundance, don’t we? We tend to pay more attention to them than we do to characteristics that are more natural for us. But what if we empowered those inner strengths? What if we accepted and relied on them more? Wouldn’t it enable us to use them more deliberately, and allow them to help us in life? In this video, I’d like to share a personal experience and help you accept your strengths and use them more productively.

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.

A while back, I was going to give the short presentation at a networking meeting. Before the presentation, the speaker was asked questions about him or herself to allow the audience members to learn more about them.

One of the questions the leader asked me was, “What characteristic do you have that has helped you?”

I thought a moment, and I said the one that popped into my mind. “Stubbornness.”

You could hear a collective gasp in the room. “Oh, you mean determination, don’t you?” the leader asked, and someone else said,  “You must mean persistence.”

“No, I mean stubbornness. It has literally saved my life.” And it has. More than once, by my stubbornly refusing to give in, has saved me in situations in which my life or limb was in danger. It went well beyond determination and persistence.

I know it’s controversial, but I consider stubbornness to be one of my inner strengths. I accept and acknowledge it about  myself.  And knowing that I’m stubborn allows me to recognize when I need to be more flexible. The self-knowledge also enables me to use that characteristic along a spectrum, from persistence to determination.

What about you?

What trait or characteristic has been important in your life? Think about it for a moment. Pick one that comes to mind.

How has it been important or helped you? How has it affected your life? Are there times when you may need to back off from it, as a situation might call for that?

And how can you use it to help you in the future, in a positive way? Think of ways you could use it to your benefit.

When you have those answers, you’ll be clearer about when you can use that strength, and when you need to balance it or soften it. By accepting and empowering your strengths, you’ll be more confident, resilient and have a greater sense of wellbeing.

How can you accept and empower your strengths?

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.

Read the accompanying article, Focus on Your Strengths for Greater Wellbeing and Success.

Affirming Self-Love for Greater Self-Esteem and Well Being

Affirming Self-Love for Greater Self-Esteem and Well Being

We all have some negative self-talk that undermines our self-love and well being. If that negative programming isn’t counteracted, it can sabotage your self-esteem, motivation and goals. Fortunately, there are ways to reprogram your mind to support your appreciation of yourself. Learn a simple way to change your self-talk and how to do it most effectively. Watch Affirming Self-Love for Greater Self-Esteem and Well Being.

Transcript:

Welcome. Have you ever noticed the negative things you tell yourself? The demoralizing self-talk that drags you down and keeps you from doing your best? We all have that negative internal dialogue to some extent, and it chips away at your deep appreciation of yourself, which is what self-love is. If negative self-talk isn’t counteracted, it can undermine your motivation, goals and even your health.

One of the ways to counteract negative self-talk is to replace it with positive self-talk, also called affirmations or auto-suggestions. When you substitute positive ideas for the negative ones, it begins a shift within your subconscious mind. You reprogram your subconscious mind to support your love and appreciation of yourself. In this video, you’ll learn some simple positive affirmations you can use, and how to use them to be most effective.  

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.

When you repeat statements to yourself, whether they’re positive or negative, you’re mentally programming yourself. You then tend to believe your statements and act on them. You know what I mean, right? If you’re criticizing yourself, you feel like a failure and don’t do your best. But if you’re encouraging yourself, you’re motivated to keep going and do better.

The negative programming can be reversed by consistently, and the key word here is consistently, using positive programming. Five of the positive affirmations or auto-suggestions I’ve used with my clients over the years to help improve their sense of self are the following:

  • I deserve love and to love myself.
  • I recognize my true worth.
  • I am worthy of the best that life has to give.
  • Right here and right now, I am enough.
  • I’m becoming the person I was meant to be.

I’ll put these in the description for you. For more affirmations for self-love, you can do internet searches. There are lots of them out there. The secret to being effective with affirmations is to say them out loud several times a day. It takes repetition to counteract the negative messages you’ve been giving yourself.

You can repeat positive statements about yourself while walking, exercising, in the car, getting ready for work, going to sleep or during meditation. Flood your mind with the positive messages, and you’ll notice an improvement in your self-esteem, motivation, and overall well being.  

What affirmation do you want to inspire yourself with 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.

Read the accompanying article, Cultivate Self-Love to Flourish.

Meditation for Self-Love

Meditation for Self-Love

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.

Practicing Self-Directed Goodwill

Practicing Self-Directed Goodwill

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?

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.

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

How to Develop a Sense of Goodwill

How to Develop a Sense of Goodwill

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.

Visualization to Align Your Self-Image with Your Goal

Visualization to Align Your Self-Image with Your Goal

Your self-image is how you perceive yourself, and affects your mindset and your actions. If your self-image is in conflict with your goal, then you’ll probably sabotage yourself. To achieve your goal, your self-image must be in alignment. Follow this short visualization to shift your self-image to one that embraces and embodies your goal. Watch Visualization to Align Your Self-Image with Your Goal.

Transcript:

Welcome. In this video, I’d like to discuss how your self-image affects whether you achieve your goals or not. And I’ll lead you in a short visualization exercise to help you develop a self-image to support your goal.

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.

There’s a difference between self-esteem, which is your respect of yourself, and self-worth, which is how worthy you feel, and self-image, which is how you view, or perceive, yourself. These are small distinctions but they are different.

Your self-image is always consistent with your actions and attitudes, towards yourself, others and your goal. If your self-image is in conflict with your goal, you’ll unconsciously sabotage yourself.

For instance, most lottery jackpot winners lose most or all of their money in short order because they don’t have a self-image that  supports their new found wealth.  

Fortunately, your self-image can be changed. To align your self-image and your goal, assess where they are in relationship with each other.

For instance, does your self-image support your goal? In other words, are you comfortable living with and experiencing the life your goal would bring you?

If not, close your eyes, and I’ll lead you through this short visualization. Ask yourself these questions and imagine the following:

  • Consider, what beliefs and attitudes would you have with your goal fulfilled? What would those beliefs be? What things would you be telling yourself? Imagine having the beliefs that support your goal. Imagine how that feels.
  • How would you think and act with your goal a reality in your life? What would change? Are you comfortable with those changes? Imagine a self-image that embraces and embodies your goal. Imagine that you feel safe and happy having achieved  your goal.

Open your eyes. Use the ideas in this visualization daily to shift your self-image to one that aligns with and promotes your goal. It won’t happen overnight, but practicing this consistently will change your mindset to one that will put you on the path to success.   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.

Read the accompanying article, 3 Powerful Ingredients for Success.

Use Your Won’t Power to Strengthen Your Willpower

Use Your Won’t Power to Strengthen Your Willpower

by Linda_Ann Stewart

Transcript:

Welcome. In this video, I want to share a way that will help strengthen your ability to use your willpower to stay on course to your goals. My mother used to say that a major component of willpower was won’t power. Won’t power is choosing to avoid one thing, and instead do something else. When I facilitated tobacco cessation classes, as well as in my hypnotherapy practice, I found this to be very true.

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.

In my tobacco cessation classes, the group would discuss various tips, tactics and techniques to quit smoking and abstain from cigarettes. There was no one idea that worked for everyone, so the individuals would find one, or more, that would work for them.

Many of them discovered that telling themselves that “smoking is not an option,” when they were tempted, worked well to stop them from lighting one up. And then they could transition to one of the other tactics to keep them on track. But their won’t power of “not an option” was first. It cemented their commitment and motivation to quit smoking.

Won’t power can reinforce your willpower. Once you have decided what you “won’t” do, the decision is made. There is no second guessing of it. It helps to eliminate the temptation before you shift to what it is you do choose to do. It can make it easier to stay on course to your goal.

How could you use it in your personal and professional lives? Wherever you know you’ll encounter temptations, you can decide they aren’t “an option,” at least for a certain amount of time.

For instance, in your work, we know that distractions and multitasking are time sinks, right? So you could decide that you check your email only three specific times a day, or never before 10am. Checking at any other time, “isn’t an option.”

Or, during your focused work periods, you won’t answer the phone or check into social media. It just isn’t an option when you have set aside time to work on a project or make follow up contacts.

In your personal life, let’s say you want to reduce weight, the donuts in the break room are off your menu. They just “aren’t an option.” To be more present with your family at dinner, answering your phone then is “off the table.”

Think about your goals, and what might trigger you to detour from them. Where or when might you be tempted. Then decide what “isn’t an option” for you, so that you remain on track. And then choose what you do want, and how you want to proceed to your goal. What positive actions do you want to take to support your goal? Use your won’t power to reinforce your willpower and you’ll find it a lot easier to achieve your dreams.

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.

Read the accompanying article, 3 Powerful Ingredients for Success.