Are you listening? Or perhaps the better question might be – which voice are you listening to?

Are you listening to the inner voice that tells you how much you have in your life to appreciate and guides you to do what’s best for you? Or are you listening to the inner voice that tells you you’re not good enough and you should be doing more? Or the one that tells you of all the bad things that might happen if you reach for too much success?

Or perhaps you’re listening to people around you who tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing. Or those who want you to see things only from their perspective and be just like them. Or those who want to sell you the solution to all your problems.

You have probably experienced that inner voice that guides you and points you in the right direction. You know that when you listen to it things tend to work out well, and when you don’t – well, things don’t work out so well.

It’s easy for that inner guiding voice (the one that’s good for you) to be drowned out by all the other voices. You may feel you’ve lost your connection to it because there are so many other things competing for your attention. How do you re-connect with it?

I think we have to be constantly aware of staying connected to ourselves. To notice when our REAL voice is being drowned out and to be willing to let go and disconnect form all those other voices and messages. It takes practice – because those other voices can be very persistent and insistent.

Action Step: Choose at least one method that helps you slow down and connect with YOUR supportive inner voice, that gives you time to listen to it and do it daily. Here are some ideas:

• Journaling
  
• Meditation
• Walking (without headphones)
• Yoga, Tai Chi or something similar
• Quiet time (especially in nature)
  

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I have faith in my inner voice and I pay attention to it daily.

Does this resonate with you? How do you make sure you listen to your supportive inner voice? Submit a comment and tell me about it.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

Just because you can… How often do you find yourself doing things you don’t really want to be doing but you said yes to it because you CAN do it? You may find yourself in a situation that’s difficult to leave because you’ll feel guilty if you do.

I’ve done that many times. So many in fact that one of my favorite messages now is “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” I say this to myself and I recommend it to my clients.

You are probably capable of doing many things. Some of them you enjoy, and some of them you might not enjoy. Sometimes you may be asked to do something which you can do, perhaps even easily. It may even sound exciting at first, but if you really think about it, it’s not something that you WANT to do. But you say yes anyway, just because you can do it and because someone asked you or you were presented with the opportunity.

I work with so many people who are feeling overwhelmed with all the things they’ve taken on. We seem to have been conditioned to believe that we should say yes to anything that we have the ability to do. But that road leads to stress, overwhelm and extreme frustration as you feel trapped in situations that are difficult to leave.

If you’re highly sensitive or an empath, it can be particularly difficult because you overthink the situation. I call this mental gymnastics, as you think about every possible outcome, everyone’s feelings, possible conversations, etc. The way through this is to focus on how you FEEL about what you’re considering. Would committing to doing this feel joyful? Would it feel good to do? Is it something you want to have in your experience?

Action Step: Next time an opportunity comes your way or you’re asked to do something, give yourself time to think about it. Check in with yourself to see if it’s something you really WANT to invest your time and energy into.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

“Just because I can do something, it doesn’t mean I should. I am free to choose what’s right for me.”

Does this resonate with you? Do you have a story to share? Tell me about it in the comments, or send me an email directly. I always love to hear from you.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

When you feel invisible… Have you ever felt that you’re invisible? Perhaps people don’t listen to you, talk over you, or seem not to hear you when you talk. Or
perhaps they seem to ignore you – talking to others around you, but not to you.

I have experienced this many times and so have many other highly sensitive and introverted people. Most of the time I didn’t think it was a problem. In fact, when I was younger I think I perfected the art of being invisible. I wanted to be invisible because I never liked to be the center of attention and I liked being in the background.

But there are times it’s not a good thing to be invisible. When you have a business, for example, you certainly want your customers to notice you. And there are times when it is downright annoying – being overlooked for promotion for example, or having someone else take the credit for work that you have done.

If you would like to stop feeling like you’re invisible, here are some things to consider:

• First you have to feel very comfortable with yourself. You may choose to be in the background because you’re very different from the majority of others and being noticed makes you feel uncomfortable. The more you own who you are, accept and embrace your differences, the less you’ll be ignored.
  
  
• Second, you must be willing to be more visible. How is it serving you to be ignored? If it’s not serving you, then instead of feeling angry about it, make the decision to change it.
  
  
• Being visible doesn’t mean you have to be someone you’re not. For example, introverts often think that if they want to be seen and heard they have to become loud and extroverted – which goes against their nature. It’s not true. You can be assertive, speak up when you want or need to, and yet still honor your true nature.
  
  
• Often we don’t want to be seen because of the belief that somehow we’re not good enough. If you feel this way, it’s time to challenge that belief.

You can be quiet and still powerful. You can be gentle and also assertive. You don’t have to give up who you are. You have a great deal to offer – and nobody can benefit from what you have to offer if you are invisible.

Action Step: Notice where and when you might feel that you’re being ignored, or when you want to be ignored. Make the decision today that you are ready to be seen and heard and know that who you are is good enough in every way.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I release the need or desire to be invisible. I now claim my power and my authority with love and am willing to allow myself to be seen and heard.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

P.S.  Ask me about the Unapologetically Successful (and Sensitive) Mastermind Group, which will help you as you make the decision to take your power back and to stop being ignored or overlooked.

Seeing things differently… Isn’t it interesting how sometimes we can only see a situation from one perspective – one that doesn’t feel good? I’ve had a couple of examples over the last week where I had been seeing things a particular way for several years. It didn’t feel good and I had been trying everything I could think of to do things differently, work around the problem, or even feel better about the problem.

Eventually, I got tired of hearing my inner voice complain about what I didn’t like and I decided to open myself up to new solutions. In both situations I found I was able to have a complete shift in perspective and see things in a very different way.  These insights seemed impossible for me to see before.

How did I get there? I think the thing that helped the most was surrendering. I decided to let go of my expectations about how things should be and what should happen. Once I did that it was as if the blinders had been removed and I could see things differently.

It all seems very obvious now, and it’s hard to understand how I couldn’t see things this way before. In the work that I do I help people shift their perspective and let go all the time, but seeing your own stuff is much more difficult and takes a lot longer.

It’s a great example of how attachment to expectations can stop you seeing what’s right in front of you.

Action Step: Think of a situation you’ve been struggling with. Ask yourself if you can let go of your expectations around what should happen and how things should be. If you are willing, just let it all go and see what happens.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:
I am willing to let go of my expectations and I now open myself up to the highest and best possible solutions in all areas.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

Where is your attention going? My husband and I were on vacation recently in British Columbia. While we were visiting Butchart Gardens in Victoria, we witnessed something that’s become all too common lately:

A woman was busy taking photos. She stepped backwards as she was lining up her shot and fell back into a pond. Fortunately, she was not injured – she was just very wet and extremely embarrassed, and she may have ruined her expensive camera. But how often have we heard lately of people falling to their deaths as they attempt to take the perfect picture?

I’ve also observed people walking along looking at their phones, often with headsets on as well. They cross the road without looking, walk in front of cars or even trains. It seems as though people are becoming less aware of what’s going on and not paying attention.

It was a good reminder to me of the importance of paying attention, because when you’re not paying attention in one area of your life, chances are you’re not paying attention in other areas.

How do you know if you’re putting your attention on the right things? By the experiences you’re having. Sometimes it’s more obvious than others – like falling backwards into a pond!

Something like that may seem like an isolated incident, but often it isn’t. When accidents happen, you keep misplacing things, or perhaps it’s just that annoying things keep happening – perhaps it’s time to stop and ask yourself what you need to pay attention to.

Action Step: For the next week, try asking yourself each morning before you start your day: What is the most important thing for me to know and pay attention to today? Notice what happens as a result.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I am willing to release all distractions and focus on what is most important to me and for me. I pay attention to the experiences I’m having.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

When you need validation – I saw this post on Facebook recently and thought it would make a great Unstoppable Energy Tip:

“If outside validation is your only source of nourishment you will hunger for the rest of your life.”

If you need validation and acceptance, you must give it to yourself.  I found that as soon as I stopped needing approval and recognition from others, that’s when I started receiving it.

Action Step: Become aware of when and how you look for validation from someone else. Can you acknowledge yourself instead of needing it from that person/those people?

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I release the need for validation or approval from anyone. The only approval I need is my own.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

I’m sorry… Do you find yourself apologizing frequently? I know I do, and it’s okay when you make a mistake that affects someone and you want to apologize, but when you find yourself saying sorry for every little thing it can become a problem.

It can become so habitual that you apologize even when there’s nothing to apologize for, such as:

• I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to do that.
  
• I’m sorry, but I need to go.
• Sorry, can you repeat that?
• I’m sorry but I’m not available at that time.
  

If you don’t have time or you can’t do something, you really don’t need to apologize. I find myself saying things like this all the time. The word sorry seems to just slip out without my being aware of it until after I’ve said it.

Why is it a problem? Well, for a start it can undermine your confidence and authority, making you seem weak and indecisive. It can be a sign of insecurity, stress, anxiety and of being overly self-conscious.

What could you say instead? Here are some more empowering statements:

• I don’t have time to do that. Thank you for understanding.
  
• I’m not available at that time. (nothing else needed)
• I need to go now, I’ll speak to you again later.
  
• Would you mind repeating that? I didn’t quite catch it.
  

Being able to apologize for something is definitely better than someone who refuses to apologize for anything. But stop making yourself wrong by apologizing for things unnecessarily. This is something I continue to work on, and I hope you’ll work on it with me.

Action Step: Begin to catch yourself as you say sorry. Ask yourself if it’s something you really needed to apologize for. Resolve to begin using more empowering statements.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I release the need to apologize for the way I feel or for things I can’t control. I claim my authority and embrace my power.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

The energy of words… It’s probably something you don’t really think about, but what you say and what you think has energy to it and determines what you attract.

So, whenever you think or say something like:

“I really like that.”
“I appreciate that.”
“This feels really good.”

You are putting out, or ‘spending’ some of your energy. The energy that you spend comes back to you, so you’ll attract more things to feel good about.

Now, what happens when you think thoughts like:

“I hate that.”
“That’s really annoying.”
“That makes me angry/frustrated/upset.”

In this case you’re putting out or ‘spending’ a different kind of energy. And, what you spend comes back to you, so you’ll attract more things that don’t feel good.

It’s really a simple concept, yet we often find it hard because the thoughts or the words seem to come without any effort.

This is why it’s important to be very mindful of what you think and what you say – because that’s the type of energy that you’re spending and it determines what will come back to you.

Action Step: Start paying attention to the energy you’re spending with your words and thoughts. How much energy are you putting out (and receiving back) that feels good and how much does not? Awareness is the first step towards change, so once you know, you can decide if you’re spending your energy in the right way for you.

Let this affirmation support you on your journey:

“I now choose thoughts and words that support me and feel good. I spend my energy wisely.”

Be Unstoppable!

Linda

Being open to pleasant surprises – how often have you planned something, but then the unexpected happens and it doesn’t turn out as you thought it would or your plans are derailed?

This happened to me last week, and when it happened, I was aware that there was a part of me that wanted to be upset about it, to have a bit of a meltdown and complain because I had these plans in place for a year and this wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

The nice thing was that there was a larger part of me that knew better. That knew being upset and having a meltdown would only make me feel worse and wouldn’t help anything. This part of me knew that all I had to do was relax into what was happening, surrender control and allow things to unfold.

And everything worked out beautifully. No, it wasn’t what I had planned, but I had a very positive and enjoyable experience. The worst things I could imagine that could have happened didn’t. I was fine. The situation worked out just fine (only different). I coped very well, even though a part of me was afraid I wouldn’t be able to.

 There are several helpful takeaways from this experience:

1. Things don’t always turn out as we planned or hoped, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
   
2. There is always the voice of doubt and panic, and the voice of calm and certainty and we get to choose which one we listen to.
3. When you surrender and allow yourself to go with the flow you can end up having a positive experience.
4. You may just surprise yourself and be capable of more than you thought.
5. Sometimes it’s nice to let go of control and allow yourself to be surprised.

It’s not that I didn’t really know these things before, but knowing and really experiencing are two different things. I learned a lot about myself from this experience.

So often we think we have to control everything and if things don’t work out exactly as we think they should then there’s something wrong. If you are a highly sensitive person and/or an introvert (like me), you probably over-analyze situations and because things can get so overwhelming for you, there is more of a need to try to control things.

You may also think that it’s impossible to change and ignore that critical inner voice that makes you want to become angry and frustrated – I promise you, it isn’t impossible, as this experience showed me.

Action Step: Think of a situation that’s not as you would like it to be. Tune in to the voice of resistance (this shouldn’t be happening) and the voice of surrender (it is happening so let’s lean into it and go with the flow). Which one are you giving more energy to? Can you give more energy to the voice of surrender and let yourself be pleasantly surprised?

Let this unstoppable affirmation support you on your journey (it’s one of my favorites, from Louise Hay):

Out of this situation, only good will come, for the Highest good of everyone. I am safe. All is well.

Be Unstoppable.

Linda

Talk about your joys… I saw a quote recently that I really like:

“Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit. Talk about your joys.”

It’s so easy to focus on what’s going wrong, rather than on what’s going right isn’t it? What could happen if we change that?

We know through the Law of Attraction that we attract what we focus our attention on, so it stands to reason that if we put our energy and attention on what feels good, then we’ll receive more of what feels good.

Action Step: For the next week, catch yourself every time you find yourself thinking about or talking about a problem. Notice it, and make a conscious effort to change the conversation to something that feels good.

Let this Unstoppable Affirmation support you on your journey:

I now choose to focus my energy and attention on things that feel good to me. I deserve to feel good.

Be Unstoppable!

Linda