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Surmount the Law of Reverse Effect

Surmount the Law of Reverse Effect

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by Linda-Ann Stewart

Have you ever unsuccessfully tried to force your way through an obstacle? This generally just results in frustration and stress. Here’s a tip on how to overcome this tendency and maintain your peace of mind. Watch Surmount the Law of Reverse Effect.

Transcript:

Welcome to your monthly mindset tip. Have you ever found yourself trying to push through an obstacle, only for it to become more solid? I know I have. My mom used to say that, “Banging your head against a brick wall, will only get you a sore head.”

The Law of Reverse Effect, or Reversed Effort,  explains this tendency. The harder you try to force something, some action, some result, the more that energy is going to build to block you. That’s why it’s called the Law of Reverse Effect or Reversed Effort. Putting effort into a goal or activity is valuable, but when it’s not getting you anywhere, except a sore head, it’s time to try something else.

I’d like to share a tip on how to keep you from having a sore head.

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 surmount the Law of Reversed Effort, the first thing to do is to notice when you’re starting to feel pressure or frustration. Like you’re trying to force a particular result to happen.

When you recognize the stress building, find a way to shift your energy. Walk away from your efforts for a little while. Do something pleasant or enjoyable. I do this when I’m having trouble on a creative project, or even when my checkbook won’t balance. Give your subconscious mind some time and space to find a solution, a new insight or a new direction.

After you’ve restored your sense of balance, return to your endeavor and consider it from a fresh perspective. This will likely give you the breakthrough you need. And it will keep your composure, and head, intact. 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, Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1.

Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1

Overcome the Law of Reversed Effort, Part 1

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by Linda-Ann Stewart

“The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed.” Aldous Huxley

“The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed.” Aldous Huxley

Have you ever tried to force yourself to go to sleep? What about willing yourself to relax or meditate? Usually, the harder you try to do any of these the opposite happened. The more tense or more awake you got. This is called “The Law of Reversed Effort,” popularized by Aldous Huxley, or “The Law of Reverse Effect,” first described by Emile Coue.  

Willpower Alone Can Sabotage You

Whenever you try to compel yourself to do some action, you create stress, tension and anxiety. Tension shuts down your creative flow, and the flow of the Universe. Stress sabotages your automatic mental and muscle memory, much like an athlete who thinks too hard about their next move. Stress blocks your progress.

Have you ever tried to change a habit with sheer willpower? It’s like trying to hold water in your fist. There’s no room for the water in your fist, and it slips away. Putting more energy into pressuring yourself to do something stirs up resistance to accomplishing it. And the more effort you put into trying to push through, the more resistance there is.

As a result, you start to think negatively, which just makes things worse, and more difficult. It doesn’t matter if it’s trying to balance your checkbook, complete a project, or change a habit. The more you try to force an outcome, the less success you’ll have.  

How to Make Progress

Instead, you have to lighten up. Open up and relax your fist, and use it as a cup to gather water. Take a step back, and let your subconscious work on a better way of achieving your next step. Often, when I’ve hit a snag with a creative venture, like writing or weaving, I take a break. When I come back to it, the answer is there or the activity flows more smoothly. For instance, to go to sleep you have to allow drowsiness to creep through you.

Other ways to make progress are to take small steps. This results in small successes, which triggers your reward center, and gains the attention of your subconscious mind. You could also focus more on your process, the steps you’re taking, rather than your ultimate goal or vision. This reduces some of the pressure, and is a valuable technique when you’re struggling to get something done.

Next month, you’ll learn about why the Law of Reverse Effect functions the way it does and one powerful way to overcome it.

Affirmation:

Instead of trying to force things to happen, I step back and allow them to take place. I now let go of all stress and tension. I open up to new ways and new ideas of doing things. By doing so, I allow the Universal flow of good to expand in my life. I’m guided by the Divine life within me to make the decisions and take the actions that benefit me the most.

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

Overcoming Resistance

Overcoming Resistance

When you want to work towards a goal, often you’ll have a resistance to getting started. But to be able to accomplish anything, you have to get past that resistance. Learn some of the reasons for  resistance, and how you can work your way through it. Watch Overcoming Resistance.

Transcript:

Welcome. Today, I’d like to talk a little bit about the resistance you might have with getting started on a goal, and how you can work through it.

Have you ever been sitting on the couch, watching TV, all comfy and cozy? You know you have to get up and do some chores, but you keep putting them off? You don’t want to leave your nice, warm nest. It’s hard to get moving and accomplish anything.

This is the problem when you have a goal, but aren’t taking action towards it. You may have have a resistance to change, want to avoid the effort involved in that change, or fear you’ll fail, or any number of other reasons. All of this factors into a resistance to getting started.

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.

Many of my hypnotherapy clients would resist changing their mental or physical habits. They dreaded the struggle, the commitment, the time it would take to create the change. This is natural.

I often experience resistance when I’m starting a project, writing, or even my hobby of weaving. I’m not sure all that it will entail, or what challenges lie ahead. Do you ever feel that way?

To overcome that resistance, what I do is take a step, just to pick at it, devoting a few minutes to whatever I want to work on. Sometimes, I have to pick at it, take a break, then come back to pick at it some more. Generally, after a few sessions of that, a few minutes leads to more time, and I’ll be on the way to getting it done.

When you’re experiencing resistance, first, acknowledge it. When you bring it into conscious awareness, resistance loses much of its energy. And sometimes, the reason you’re resisting becomes  apparent and you can set it aside.

Second, take some small action towards your goal. Fiddle with it, work around the edges, for a few minutes at a time. The point is just to get moving. This builds motivation.

Take a tiny step. Not only does this make you feel better, it makes it easier to chip away at it. Pretty soon, you’ll build up some momentum and get into the swing of what you need to be doing to accomplish your goal.

What small action can you take now that will cause you to chip away at your goal? Use that to build your motivation and momentum. 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, Moving from Motivation to Momentum.

Moving from Motivation to Momentum

Moving from Motivation to Momentum

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Steam locomotive of train

I’m sure you heard of this natural law when you were in school. “A body at rest tends to stay at rest. A body in motion tends to stay in motion.” It’s not just applicable in science, it’s also true of your life in general. Inertia, which is the tendency to do nothing, can be challenging to break through.

When you have a task, goal or vision, sometimes it’s hard to put any effort towards it. You could want to tidy your desk, begin a project, clean out the garage, begin a diet or start a business. But it’s difficult to intensify your desire enough to take steps towards your goal. Any artist, writer or creative knows it’s intimidating to face the blank canvas or page. The Universe waits to help you, but you have to give It something to work with first.

Release the Brake

You may be waiting for inspiration or motivation before you get moving. If so, you could wait a long time. Frustration, and maybe guilt, will build up. The more they do, the more you’ll be stuck in that emotional cycle. You’ll attract more circumstances to keep you blocked and distracted, and the Universe will have a hard time guiding you. It’s easier for the Law of Attraction to draw good to you when you have opened the door.

Once you’re able to get up and get moving, natural law indicates that you will stay in motion. And when you have momentum established, you’ll continue on your way. The Universe can direct you and gives you what you need. It’s like a train pulling out of a station. After the engineer releases the brake, it takes great effort for the train to begin its journey. But once it does, it not only keeps moving, it accelerates until it reaches its desired speed.

You use more energy keeping your foot on the brake, than releasing the brake and beginning to roll. Allow your vehicle (you and your goal) to gather speed as you advance. You are in control of the whole process, and the Universe supports you. Don’t wait for motivation. Just get started by taking that first step.

The 4 Stages of Motivation

However, it’s hard to take the first step when you’re at rest. When you understand the 4 stages of motivation, they can empower you to move through them more quickly and develop your momentum.

1. Resistance. You may procrastinate getting started or just plain avoid it. Your subconscious mind is trying to keep you safe. You’ve probably heard the statement, “What you resist, persists.” Whatever you’re avoiding won’t go away. And trying to ignore it will just make it gain energy to get your attention. Anything you’re evading will always be at the edge of your mind, taking up mental space, and siphoning off energy from the rest of your life.

2. Action follows attention. Wherever you’re directing your focus will influence your conduct. “Energy flows where attention goes.” Spend time considering your task or goal, or gather information about how to accomplish it. Build excitement about it. This could be as simple as assessing what you need to do, and writing a list. Or you could bring together your materials, read articles about your goal or decide how to begin.

3. Action can inspire motivation. Once you’ve devoted time to examining your goal, take a baby step. When I have problems writing, I’ll start writing something, anything, to get in the flow. Taking a tiny action triggers the reward center in brain and you feel good. Even checking something off your to-do list will cause you to feel like you accomplished something. This sparks motivation to do something else, so you experience the mental high again.

4. Build momentum. Commit to dedicating five minutes a day to work on a tiny step of your project or goal. This amount is doable. Since it feels good to achieve something, you’re then motivated to take the next step or do more. Once five minutes becomes comfortable, increase your time or the number of tasks. again.

Philosopher Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the single step.” To put this into practice, take a step, no matter how small. Then, take another step, then another. With motion comes motivation, and that creates momentum. Putting one foot in front of the other will accelerate your progress until you’re unstoppable.

Affirmation:

I now release anything that is holding me back from taking action on my goal. It’s safe for me to take the first step. The Universe supports me, and makes my way smooth and straight. As I take a step, I’m encouraged to take another. I am Divinely guided and inspired to go in the right direction for me. As long as I’m moving, the Universe can guide and direct me. The Universe makes my path smooth and clear. Everything I need is now provided, whether it’s motivation, ideas, contacts, opportunities or anything else. I am now advancing in the right way to fulfill my potential.

Watch the accompanying video, Overcoming Resistance.

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

Resistance is Futile

Resistance is Futile

Change is going to happen whether you resist it or not. Resistance to change just delays it and exhausts your energy. Learn a better way to respond to change.

Transcript:

Did you ever watch the series, Star Trek: The Next Generation? They had an enemy called the Borg who’s catch phrase was, “Resistance is futile.” It sounds hopeless, but the Borg were finally defeated by the crew of the Starship Enterprise. The Enterprise didn’t so much as resist as figure out how to destroy the Borg. The crew of the Enterprise were proactive. But the Borg’s catch phrase is very true.

It’s normal to resist a change that you’re being driven towards. But if you try to resist or resent change, you could become bitter and angry. Change is going to happen, whether you want it or not. You really don’t want it to drag you kicking and screaming into the future.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a focus coach and hypnotherapist. I’ve helped hundreds of people navigate changes in their lives.

There’s an old saying, “What you resists, persists.” When you resist, you’re pouring energy into opposing  a change. That energy feeds into the change, making its pull stronger and makes the change  harder. Your energy could be used much more productively. Shift your perspective on what you’re resisting.

Consider that maybe the forces of nature are trying to eliminate something you’ve outgrown, or bring something better into your life. Or it could be what you’re resisting is what you should be leaning into and pursuing.

At the very least, be proactive. What do you need to do to deal with what is being forced upon you? You’ll have to be innovative to avoid it, and there will still be change. Accept that change is upon you,  plan for it and make the best of it. When you set your creative mind to finding a way to triumph, instead of resisting, your creative mind will come up with a solution.

If this has been helpful, please like it and subscribe to my channel, so you’ll be notified of my videos as they’re released. Stay focused on improving your life.

 ~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Welcome the Opportunity of Change

Welcome the Opportunity of Change

by Linda-Ann Stewart

There is nothing permanent except change. Heraclitus

“There is nothing permanent except change.” Heraclitus

As humans, we tend to resist change, especially when it’s thrust upon us. We want to stay with the status quo, even when what’s familiar is holding us back and making us uncomfortable. But life is change. You aren’t the same person you were yesterday. Your life is slightly different than it was last year. Sometimes change is gradual and sometimes it comes at you all at once. The Universe is always urging you forward, to expand into a greater awareness.

When change is thrust upon you, your first instinct may be to ignore it and hope for the best. But this only wastes energy. Unfortunately, resistance just delays the inevitable and makes it harder to deal with the issue when it erupts all over your life. If you haven’t prepared to handle the fallout, the consequences can be disastrous. Resisting makes the Cosmic 2″ x 4″ board that metaphorically hits you become a 4″ x 8″ board.

Accept What’s Coming and Adjust

When you’re driving, and see a curve ahead, you adjust your speed and steering ahead of time. For big events in your life, you make plans, like a party, wedding, birth, or retirement. You recognize that each of these occasions requires thought and preparation, or there could be complications. Most people even make a will and take out insurance as protection against unforeseen circumstances.

Not all of change is beneficial. But even if you don’t want the change, don’t put blinders on. Accept that it’s happening. When you shift from fighting against the change to accepting it, you free up your inner resources, creativity and innovation.  You begin to flow with the Universe. William James, philosopher and psychologist, said, “Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” You aren’t giving up or giving into misfortune; you’re recognizing the reality of the situation and addressing it.

Looking Ahead

When change starts to push into your life, pay attention. There will be signals that change is in the offing. You could have a dip in your revenue, a recurring sign that you need to attend to your health, or trusted tactics not working as well as they once did. This isn’t an excuse to overreact, but to start planning ahead for a potential shift.

Stay aware of the currents of life and where they’re taking you. Life leaves clues. Look ahead to where you may be headed, and make plans to avoid a potential crisis. When you’re forward thinking, you’re able to notice difficulties that may be in the offing. The Universe will give you choices, and it’s easier to make a wise decision before, instead of during, you’re in the middle of the situation. Problems generally show up with a hidden opportunity. When you keep your mind open to how you can capitalize on a situation, you’ll find a way to do so.

Be Proactive

Instead of reacting when you’re forced to, be proactive and make plans ahead of time. This gives the Law of Attraction time to act. Anticipate future problems and find ways to turn them to your advantage. This means you meet the issue on your terms, and can triumph over it. Even if the change isn’t as extreme as you expect, you still have exercised your creativity concerning the situation. Being proactive improves your sense of control, empowerment, and reduces your stress.  It can also help you develop a better outlook on life and increase your coping skills.

Change pushes you to grow, to become more resilient, flexible and innovative. You become a better person as you learn to adjust to new situations and circumstances. When you seek out the best of a situation, you may find something much better than you ever expected. Embrace change, prepare for it, and you will thrive.

Affirmation:

Change is the way the Universe urges me to grow. I welcome change, anticipate it and prepare for it to wash through my life. As I accept that I’m able to transform through shifting conditions, I’m Divinely guided to the direction I need to take for my Highest Good. I bless the situation, and know that something wonderful manifests for me. 

As a focus coach, hypnotherapist, and speaker, 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 achieve your goals with confidence and ease in 4 powerful steps, register for her FREE training video and accompanying action planning guide at www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/setyourcourse.html. You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

What’s Your Priority?

What’s Your Priority?

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Railroad tracks that split in two directions

When you start to work on a project, have you ever have something else come up that needed your attention? It dragged you away from your priority, while you dealt with the more immediate concern. Did this develop into a pattern for you, so that every time you began to shift your attention to your project, another distraction would arise?

If so, it’s an unconscious tactic to resist moving forward with your vision. You may have an unknown block to creating your goal. Or you could be concerned about leaving your comfort zone. Your subconscious is simply giving you the means to stay where you are.

Resisting Your Priority

Your priority is whatever goal or vision you’re currently working on, and the steps that can bring it into reality. This could be making your business a success, improving your health, or cleaning out the garage. It needs to be attended to before you deal with anything else. And your priority takes precedence over anyone else’s demands on you.

Resistance can take many aspects. You can recognize it if you’re procrastinating some action having to do with your goal. Washing the dishes first could be an excuse to avoid dealing with your priority. If you want to reduce weight, and decide to have that slice of pie at a party, then you’re giving in to the part of you that doesn’t want that slim figure. Or you could just keep postponing diving into a project that needs to be done. All of these are subconscious devices to keep you where it feels familiar.

The Cost of Distractions

It’s also easy for life to distract you from what’s significant. So many other things demand your attention when you’re trying to fulfill your priorities. Answering email, washing the dog, a friend calling you in distress can all be excuses not to put your needs first. Whatever you pay attention to, even if it’s something that’s been thrust on you, becomes your priority for that moment. You have to consciously make a choice of what is most vital to you.

When other things clamor for your attention, and you focus on them and ignore your goal, you’re giving your subconscious the direction to continue to keep you off track. Unless you take action on your goal first, your subconscious will continue to divert you. It follows your direction. When you let yourself be distracted, it takes the message that you want it to continue to undermine your goal.

The Difference Between Immediate and Urgent

You have to determine what needs your attention now, and what can wait for a few hours. It’s hard not to confuse the immediate from the urgent. An email that needs to be answered today means that it can be responded to later. It can be put off until after you spend time on your goal.

If you have something that’s urgent, it needs to be addressed before you work on your goal. For instance, a computer crash prevents you from doing your work. The computer has to be fixed before anything can be done in the area of your business. A crisis can deter you for a short time. But when it’s over, get refocused and back on course. 

Suppose your goal is to eat healthier and avoid sugar. When you have dinner at your mom’s, your priority is to pick the foods that fit your plan. Even if she’s upset when you don’t have a piece of her chocolate cake, choose to stick to your goal. Your seeking health trumps her being offended. Besides, shouldn’t she support your goal to be healthier?

If you want to establish a spiritual practice, you have to set aside time to meditate and read. When you allow other concerns to impede your practice, you establish that they’re more crucial  than your spiritual growth. When you stand firm in your goal, you communicate to the Universe that you recognize the value of your inner life.

Resolving Resistance

When you have a goal, you have to create the plan to achieve it. You’ll develop steps, and then prioritize them, figuring out what comes first, then second and so on. Each day, make your vision your priority and take some action towards it. Only by doing so will you undo the resistance that has been trying to sabotage your plans.

Distractions will diminish, and you’ll handle them better, because your subconscious will get the message that you intend to fulfill your desire. As you make your vision a priority, you’ll be creating the habit of attending to it a step at a time. Step by step, you’ll get to your goal, and your vision will become a reality.

Affirmation:

I now prioritize myself and my vision. No one can stop me but me. What I want is important, and I set my intention to follow through on it. I push through my resistance, in whatever form it takes. Every day, I take positive action in the direction of my goal. As I do, I establish the habit of supporting myself and my priorities.

As a focus coach, hypnotherapist, and speaker, 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 achieve
your goals with confidence and ease in 4 powerful steps, register for her FREE training video and accompanying action planning guide at www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/setyourcourse.html. You can contact her at LAS@Linda-AnnStewart.com or 928-600-0452.

Guided Imagery to Break Through to Your Goal

Guided Imagery to Break Through to Your Goal

Are you holding yourself back from moving forward with a goal, or making an improvement in your life? Before you can make any changes, you need to be aware that there’s a problem. Then the solution can be identified and acted upon. This short guided meditation will lead you through a 4 steps process to break through the barrier and help you achieve your goal.

Transcript:

Are you holding yourself back from moving forward with a goal, or making an improvement in your life? If so, being aware that you are is the crucial first step to changing that. I’d like to share a very short guided meditation to help you to break through that barrier and allow you to make progress on your goal or vision. 

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, a vision empowerment strategist helping women business owners focus, as well as a hypnotherapist with over 30 years experience. This meditation will lead you through some imagery to help you assess how you’re holding yourself back and examine why. Then, the imagery will encourage you to consider how your lifestyle would be with your goal, and imagine your next steps.

If you choose, close your eyes:

You have a goal or an improvement you want to make in your life. Envision it clearly… Your goal is important to you. But you’re aware that, for some reason, you’ve been holding yourself back from taking action. How are you doing that? What are you doing, or not doing, that’s preventing you from moving forward? Examine this without judgement or emotion…

Once you’ve examined what you’re doing, or not doing, dig a bit deeper. Why are you doing, or not doing, that? Why are you holding yourself back? It may be some idea that served you in the past, but isn’t any longer.

Right now, simply intend to explore the reason. That reason might surface now, or surface later today, or in the near future. Once you’ve identified the reason, you can decide whether or not you want to change that belief so it serves you in the present.

Now, consider how your life would be, having achieved your goal or vision. What would be different in your life and lifestyle? How would your beliefs be different? What habits would you have developed that you don’t have now? How would you feel, and feel about yourself, having achieved your goal? Allow this feeling to grow and expand within you. 

With that feeling motivating you, what decisions do you need to make now, so you can move forward? What step do you need to take in the next few days to make progress? Can you commit to taking that step? Imagine yourself taking the next step, and the next, all the way to your goal.

Open your eyes. In this meditation, once you’ve resolved what’s been holding you back, you imagine you’ve accomplished your goal. As you use this imagery, you give your subconscious mind a map to follow. With this map, your subconscious mind finds it easier to solve problems that come up along the way. Step by step, you can move closer and closer, until your goal is a reality in your life.

To achieve your goals with confidence and ease in 4 powerful steps, watch my free training video, Set Your Course to Success. Register for the video and accompanying action planning guide at www.SetYourCourseGuide.com

Thank you for watching. Stay focused.

Read the accompanying article, Simple Steps to Positive Change.

Simple Steps to Positive Change

Simple Steps to Positive Change

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Breaking chains so you can take simple steps to positive change

Have you ever wanted to make an improvement in your life, but avoided taking the necessary steps to do so? Maybe you wanted to lose weight, start an exercise program, uplevel your business or learn a new skill. Instead of taking action, you shifted your attention to something easier or more immediate. You don’t do this deliberately. It’s an unconscious response to change.

Change is scary, even if it’s a good change. If there’s change, you don’t know what the new situation might demand, or what it would require of you. To the subconscious mind, change is a threat. Your subconscious wants to keep you safe, by keeping your life the way it is. But the nature of life and the Universe is progression. Therefore, if you’re not progressing, then life and the Universe is passing you by and you’re actually being left behind.

Ways You May Be Avoiding Change

You may unconsciously be concerned about whether you can successfully achieve your goal or uncertain you could handle the change. As a result, your subconscious mind creatively finds ways to keep you stuck in a rut by doing some of the following.

Makes excuses. You find reasons why it’s not a good time or you’re not ready to make the commitment to take action. Examine your excuses to become aware of what they’re really telling you.

Sticks to old habits. You created habits to serve you in the past. But they may be outdated and not working for you now. Assess your habits to learn whether they’re currently beneficial and if they’ll support or sabotage your new desire.

Distracts you. You find other, more immediate things to do, rather than taking steps to your new goal. Distractions come in small and large sizes. If you’re having other issues grabbing your attention, ask yourself how dedicated you are to moving forward.

How to Break Through to Your Goal

Becoming aware that you’re holding yourself back is your first step. Once you’ve identified the way you’re holding yourself back, the second step is to uncover the reasons why you’re keeping yourself from your stated desire. What’s the underlying belief? Is that attitude still valid today or not? That belief is probably a remnant from your past that you can update to reflect who you are now.

Your next step is to think from the position of having already achieved your stated goal. How would it feel to have it in your life? How would you act? What would and wouldn’t you be doing? What new habits would you need to develop? What decisions would you be making?

And your last step is to start taking action towards your goal. As you begin to shift and move forward, other beliefs will change, as will your self-image. They must keep up with the new ideas that you’ve incorporated into your life. When one area changes, others change as well.

Why You Must Be Determined

That’s why your subconscious mind is reluctant to help you, unless you’re firmly dedicated to your goal and vision. Your subconscious knows how much of inner landscape will change. But when you convince it that you are committed and confident that you can handle your goal, your subconscious and the Universe will support your endeavor.

Become aware you’re holding yourself back, assess how you’re doing it, examine why, consider how your lifestyle would change, and then take action. Those are the steps that will take you where you want to go.

Affirmation:

The Universe wants the best for me, and for me to grow and expand. I allow myself to flow with Life and progress. Anything that might hold me back is simply an outdated remnant of the past. I joyously release old ideas that no longer serve me. Only good goes forth from me and returns to me.

Watch the accompanying video, Guided Imagery to Break Through to Your Goal.

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4 Ways to Overcome Procrastination

4 Ways to Overcome Procrastination

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Procrastination Clock

It’s the night before a project is due, and you haven’t even started on it. Now, you’re going to have to stay up most of the night to get it done. You make the excuse that you always do your best work under pressure. But really, is that true? Wouldn’t you have done a better job if you’d put the project together earlier, when you were well rested and then fleshed it out? And now, you’ll have a sleepless night and be tired when you turn in the project.

Procrastination is a major cause of stress and anxiety, and lowers the standard of your work. You may miss deadlines and, as a result, undermine others’ respect of you. In addition, this habit reduces your productivity, effectiveness and can cost you money. The chore you’re trying to ignore is always in the back of your mind, taking up emotional and spiritual energy. If you’re like most people, you probably feel guilty and beat yourself up when you avoid a task.

Reasons Why You Procrastinate

Most of us procrastinate to some degree or other, but there are some to whom this is a destructive and chronic habit. To address the issue, you must become aware that it exists, and why it’s a problem for you. The following are some reasons you may be procrastinating.

Resistance. It’s not a task you want to do, so you put it off until the last minute. Because the chore is boring or time consuming, you resent that you must complete it.

Perfectionism. You wait to gather as much information as you can, and hope to find the inspiration to put it all together. But because you never get everything you hope for, you delay starting the task until the deadline looms. 

Fear. You’re not sure how to proceed or to get it done. You don’t believe you have the knowledge or skills to do it effectively.

Overwhelm. It’s a huge task, and you don’t know how to get started, or the scope of the issue is overwhelming you.

Disorganized. You don’t have all your notes or details together. Or maybe, you’re often interrupted so you don’t have time to pull everything together.

Uncertain. You don’t know what to do, so you put off making any decisions or taking any action until you have no other choice.

Ways to Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is a choice. You decide to put something off, something that’s unpleasant, so you focus on something less important, and easier. Once you recognize your issue, you can find solutions.

Break the chore into smaller pieces. Outline what you must do to get the project done. Make sure each item on the list is bite-sized and easy to manage. Being able to handle small pieces will lower your stress and anxiety.

Schedule the chores. Put each small task on your calendar and make sure to keep your appointment with yourself. Each time you can mark one task done, you’ll get a surge of good feelings because the reward center of your brain is triggered. This gives you motivation to keep your next appointment.

Prioritize your lists. If you have a to-do list (as most of us do), prioritize the items and schedule them in accordance with their importance. Again, as you accomplish them, your brain receives a reward and you have a stronger incentive to repeat your action.

Dedicate 5-minutes. If you really feel overwhelmed or resistant, set aside just five minutes to work on your chore. It’s easier to dip your toe into the pool than to dive in head first. This will allow you to chip away at the tasks, and feel productive. If five minutes becomes easy, extend it to ten or fifteen.

Procrastination is a habit that developed in your life over time. The habit won’t be overcome in a day or a week. It took time to create it, and it will take time to break it. Breaking it takes time, dedication, consistency and focus. When you realize that you have the choice to procrastinate or take action, then you’re empowered to choose what’s in your best interest.

Affirmation:

At every moment, I’m Divinely guided with every step I take. As I take a step, the Universe ensures the next one appears. The Universe provides me with everything I need to complete my tasks. I am confident, inspired, uplifted and empowered to take action and fulfill my goals.  

Watch the accompanying video, 3 Tips to Overcome Procrastination.

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