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Reclaim Your Power From Anger, Part 1

Reclaim Your Power From Anger, Part 1

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Hallie prided herself on holding grudges. She never forgave anyone for any real or imagined slight. Once someone had offended her, she’d cut them out of her life. This attitude caused her to be exhausted, and negatively affected her health and her relationships.

Anger is a survival instinct that lets you know that some right has been violated. When you get angry with someone, it provides protection so that the other person will think twice about acting like that again. Once the situation has been dealt with, it has fulfilled its purpose and anger fades away.

However, if you continue to hold onto your anger, like Hallie, you’re trying to protect yourself against a threat that no longer exists. Anger then twists into hostility, a bubbling cauldron of antagonism. Studies have shown that hostility depresses the immune system and harms cardiovascular function.

Antagonism ties up energy that could be used for something productive. This affects you physically with increased stress, tense muscles, an upset stomach, and shallow breathing. It also ruins relationships and contributes to the self-destructive habits of smoking, drinking, overeating, and others.

Anger is energy. As long as it’s moving and released, it can actually help make constructive changes. But if it gets stuck, it turns to hostility and becomes a black hole that sucks in more energy. “Energy flows where attention goes.” When you’re focused on holding onto anger, it diverts energy from manifesting good. The Law of Attraction causes it to draw more disharmony and frustration to you.

When you’re angry, your mind functions at much less than your normal potential. Chronic anger greatly reduces your ability to think, make decisions and tap into creativity.

If you hold a grudge, like Hallie, you’re trying to control a situation that’s in the past. It’s a reaction against feeling helpless, but it keeps you in a victim cycle. You’re letting the past rule how you feel and act. You might think it makes you stronger and more powerful than the other person. Instead, you’ve just handed control of your emotions over to them.

They may no longer even think of you, but they’re still very much a part of your thoughts. Maybe you’re trying to punish them. But you’re not hurting them at all. The only person it’s harming is you. You may think that you’re protecting yourself, but you’re actually keeping yourself immobile, unable to learn from a situation and move forward.

As long as you continue to be angry, you’re holding that person and situation to you like glue. The relationship or situation isn’t over for you. Every time you think of it, your subconscious thinks it’s happening all over again and it revs up your anger all over again.

Copyright 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Book Review – “Strategic Self-Hypnosis”

Book Review – “Strategic Self-Hypnosis”

“Strategic Self-Hypnosis: To Overcome Stress, Improve Performance, and Live to Your Fullest Potential”
by Roger A. Straus, Ph.D.

Many years ago, when I was just getting involved in hypnosis, I found this book in the library. Soon after, I bought my own copy. This book is a bit different from other self-hypnosis books. Although it includes information about hypnosis and the minds other books do, this one approaches the explanation a bit differently and it has different techniques than most of the other literature.

The holistic approach of this book is designed to help the reader become more aware of themselves, to work with latent potentials, and program a more positive conduct. The strategies are more indirect than the straight line direct suggestions of other authors. Though direct suggestion works well, there are times when a more indirect approach is more helpful, such as when a person is blocking or sabotaging an improvement.

In each chapter, there are exercises and each one includes a script to use or questions to answer. They include everything from exploring your potential and bringing it into the real world to assessing any problems or blockages. The author gives step-by-step instructions on how to do self-hypnosis and how to deepen the readers practice.

There is also an interesting section on remembering your future, to help program what it is that you want. There are techniques to deal with various problems, such as being able to clear your mind in a stressful situation, stopping negative thinking, letting go of unwanted feelings, and more.

If you already have some knowledge of self-hypnosis (or even if you don’t), this book will further your practice and help you go deeper in self-understanding. It draws upon the wisdom of your subconscious to help find solutions to problems that may have resisted resolution.

~ Linda-Ann

Understanding Fosters Forgiveness

Understanding Fosters Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a powerful process that brings you freedom and peace of mind. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. When you’re able to understand what prompted the person to hurt you, this can begin to heal your wound. Discover some different ways of looking at the situation that can give you valuable information and guidance to heal.

Copyright 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“How do I deal with old fears ?”

“How do I deal with old fears ?”

Question: Do you have any inspiration on how to deal with fears I’ve been encountering that have been around for a long time?

Answer: This may sound surface, but I love what the letters of FEAR spell out – “False Evidence/Education Appearing Real.” Because fear really is a false concept. Fear is simply the opposite side of faith. Fear means you’re confident that what you fear will happen.

But to deal with the old ones means you need to access them. Recognize that they served you in the past, but you’ve outgrown the need for them. It can be scary, because they’ve limited you for so long that they’ve gotten to be a comfortable, ratty old blanket. And they can give you the excuse not to move forward and risk.

What I’ve discovered is that when you face your fears, step out and begin to do what you fear, many times the fear evaporates because it realizes that you don’t need it anymore.

Sometimes, when I do begin to confront and go beyond the fear, it begins to fight back, because it thinks I still need it. In that case, I find out what the core issue is. Once, it was a belief that I had to struggle in life to avoid others’ criticisms.

What is it that you’re truly afraid of? Meditate on that, and see what might come up. You may find that it’s simply a hollow habititual way of thinking.

Also, you might meditate to find out how the fear is serving you now, in present day. For instance, my need to struggle kept me from fully expressing myself, and kept me safe. I may have been criticized, but as long as I was struggling, no one could complain I wasn’t working. And my results, which never happened, couldn’t be criticized.

Once I decided that it was safe to move on, and who cares if someone doesn’t like what I’m doing, the struggle issue let go.

Copyright 2003, 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“Who Am I?”

“Who Am I?”

I am your constant companion,
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.

Half of the tasks that you do,
you might just as well turn over to me
and I will do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed,
but you must be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done;
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people
and alas of all failures as well.
Those who are great I have made great,
those who are failures I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
but I work with all the precision of a machine,
plus the intelligence of a person.

Now you may run me for profit or
you may run me for ruin.
It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will lay the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Now, who am I?
I AM CALLED HABIT

(Author Unknown)

“Be Who You Were Meant To Be, Part 2”

“Be Who You Were Meant To Be, Part 2”

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Some of the reasons we hang onto low self-worth include:

1. Fear of responsibility. If we have greater self-worth, we have higher expectations of ourselves. This can develop into more responsibility that, right now, we’re not certain we could handle. We’d have to make decisions and take actions that we’re uncomfortable with. It’s so much easier to stay in our comfort zone and let others make choices for us.

2. Old programming. As children, we were told over and over again that we weren’t worthwhile. This conditioning is still operative and keeps us in its grip. We learned to be helpless and keep our abilities hidden. It’s become a habit that is so engrained that we don’t even notice it anymore. And we reinforce it every time we choose to avoid our power.

3. Conflicts with programming. When we start to break out of old beliefs, we start to feel uncomfortable. This is simply the subconscious mind trying to keep us in our comfort zone. The subconscious wants to keep us safe, and will resist efforts to change if its not convinced that it’s okay now.

4. Fear of the ego. So many people fear that their ego will get too big if they think well of themselves. Oddly enough, the ego is already involved if we’re trying to play small. We’re too worried about how we appear to others. The ego only gets out of hand when we falsely believe that we’re the center of the universe. That’s exactly the opposite of what happens when we’re being authentic.

5. Afraid of offending others. Having self-worth can only displease those who want to control us. They want us to live our life their way. We can’t please everyone. Pleasing ourselves doesn’t mean that we step on anyone else’s rights. But we are entitled to our choices, opinions and to fulfilling our talents.

6. Fear of others’ jealousy. If others are envious of us, it’s because they have low self-esteem. They’re fearful that they can’t do as well as we can. People who want others to feel as inadequate as they do will do anything to discourage our positive outlook. We can’t do anything about them. Our purpose is to be the best person we can be. Letting them hold us back encourages them to inhibit everyone’s progress.

It all comes down to fear. Both fear of what will happen when we step out of our comfort zone and fear of what other people will think. Restricting our potential doesn’t serve anyone, least of all ourselves. It keeps us helpless and permits others to control our feelings and behaviors.

We have to decide which is more important: to stay safe and continue to feel inadequate, or recognize our worth and be empowered. Marianne Williamson, author and spiritual leader, says, “Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure about you.” Being authentic and accepting our greatness not only benefits us, it allows us to be a role model for others.

Affirmation:

I’m an expression of the Universe, and It wants me to authentically represent myself. Any fear that’s holding me back is a false idea that I release because it no longer has any benefit to me. I now claim my power and accept my true worth. I have the courage to live my life according to my values. My true purpose is to be the best person I can be and serve the world in a much greater way.

Copyright 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“Be Who You Were Meant To Be, Part 1”

“Be Who You Were Meant To Be, Part 1”

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When I was in the twelfth grade, my English teacher asked us to raise our hands if we liked ourselves. No one dared to because we knew we’d be harassed by our classmates for thinking too highly of ourselves. When no one responded, she then berated us by saying, “That just shows that you have low self-esteem.”

If any of us did like ourselves, we caved into the fear of our fellow classmates’ persecution. We wanted to be accepted and fit in, but we sacrificed our courage and authenticity to do so.

Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence, even as we become adults and go through life. We avoid being genuine to gain others’ approval. Watch how a co-worker or friend accepts a compliment. Do they graciously say “Thank you” or do they brush it off? Whichever way they accept it shows how high or low their self-esteem is.

There can be a purpose for holding onto low self-esteem. In the case of my twelfth grade class, it was to avoid being hassled. The intent was to protect ourselves. Before we can raise our self-concept, we have to address the reasons around why we resist being authentic.

Copyright 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

Be Courageous And Let Your Light Shine

Be Courageous And Let Your Light Shine

We fear being authentic and letting our light shine. But staying safe that way has consequences for ourselves and others that blocks what we truly want to do. Discover how those fears affect our personal and professional lives.



Copyright 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“How do we determine what our lesson might be?”

“How do we determine what our lesson might be?”

Question: I realize that we have to go through various experiences to grow and learn a particular lesson and then move on, but what happens if we do not know what the lesson was supposed to be?

Answer: It doesn’t matter if we consciously know what the lesson is or not. Subconsciously we do, and so does our Higher Mind. When you have a challenging experience, you do the best you can with it. (Hopefully you’ve also been able to stay in alignment with your principles.)

Most of the time, you’ll have the same lesson appear over and over again, in different aspects. It’s to “help” you explore different ways to deal with it, and/or to give you an opportunity to master it. In the mastery of it, you may get to experience all sorts of different sides of the issue.

For instance, a person might have a lot of critical people in his/her life. The challenge would be to deal with the criticism in a way that would emotionally support him/herself. But s/he might not know that. All s/he knows is that people are always picking at him/her.

Once s/he begins to stand up for him/herself, the critical people begin to either fade away or change their attitudes. One of his/her issues would be to realize that the critics are simply echoing what is already going on in his/her mind.

In AA, they say that if a partner of an alcoholic doesn’t heal what attracted the alcoholic in the first place, that the partner will continue to attract alcoholics, even if they leave the original one.

If you’re wondering what the lesson could be, assess how you felt during it. Think about other challenges in your life. Is there anything similar about the feelings, or the thoughts you had during it that you’ve had before? With life lessons, there will always be some sort of pattern. The situations may be different, but the feelings will likely be the same.

Copyright 2002, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

“Using Imagery For Insight” Part 2

“Using Imagery For Insight” Part 2

by Linda-Ann Stewart

When you have a challenge, go into a meditative state. Ask your subconscious to create a symbol for whatever problem you’re experiencing. Be nonjudgmental of whatever comes to the surface. Examine it. Notice its color, shape, size, texture, and if it’s doing anything.

Enter into an active dialogue with the symbol. Ask it what’s going on? Ask it why you’re experiencing that problem? What is its message to you?

Allow it to answer in any way you can understand. The answer may come in images, words, or simply a knowingness.

Ask it what you need to do to resolve the issue? Acknowledge it as your teacher. It has much wisdom to share with you, as long as you are open to it. Ask it what gift it has for you if you meet its needs?

Imagery can help you to access inner resources that haven’t used before. Once you allow a symbol for your problem to rise into consciousness, it releases some of its energy. Just by observing the image, things begin to shift around in your subconscious mind.

This opens more space for you to heal. Sometimes, you’ll simply receive insight pointing you in a direction. It’s up to you to take the appointed path.

Your inner self will get your attention one way or the other. Listen to it before it takes you by the shoulder and shoves.

Copyright 2000, 2011 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved