Beyond the Power of Positive Thinking

There’s a lot to be said about the power of positive thinking as a tool to help overcome limiting beliefs in the process of change. In fact, it is an essential component of the work I do in life coaching sessions with my clients. Whether someone is looking to improve wellness and life balance, to build core confidence, or even to explore new career options, the focus must shift to what the client wants as they also begin to take action. Without a powerful intention and a “believable” affirmation, the client may remain stuck and feel unable to move forward. While it is normal in the process of change to experience ups and downs, it is not necessary to experience undue frustration. That’s where hypnosis and guided imagery are particularly helpful and effective.

Hypnosis and guided imagery allow people to access the power of the subconscious mind in a way that perhaps they have not been able to do before. This helps to create the changes they desire faster and easier than using the conscious mind alone. Before you start to think that this is some deep, dark, psychological or New Age construct, please understand that the whole concept of  the “subconscious mind” can be so misleading. First of all, just because it is called sub-conscious, meaning it is below the level of conscious awareness, does not mean we can’t access it. Secondly, the subconscious mind is not a mysterious entity but rather a composite of the thoughts, feelings and experiences that a person has had that shape behavior. Notice I said “shape” behavior – not determine behavior. We are not victims of our past programming ->It can be changed!

Although the subconscious mind is the automatic, reflexive, feeling, habitual mind – it can be changed fairly simply with hypnosis and guided imagery. Why? Because in the altered state of hypnosis and guided imagery, you experience a natural, relaxed, focused state that allows you to make changes, learn, grow, and even heal more rapidly. The altered state of hypnosis and guided imagery also allows you to feel better and more in control of your life and better able to cope with challenges. How does this occur? It is not by magic, but rather because people are unable to discriminate between sensory images and reality! Although that may sound like a deficit, it is actually the gift and the beauty of it all: With hypnosis and guided imagery you can literally begin to relax your way to the changes that you desire!

During a session, the hypnotherapist guides clients into the wonderfully relaxed state of being that allows them to be more open to all the suggestions that will lead them to the changes they desire. It is important to note that the hypnotherapist is not responsible for creating change, but rather is a facilitator of the session that empowers the client to change. Beware of the hypnotherapist that makes false claims and tells you otherwise. YOU are the one that has the power to tap into your mind to go beyond positive thinking to a place of inner wisdom and knowing that you can and will succeed.

So, whether you are looking for weight loss, stress management, to stop smoking or to have more confidence, it all starts with the power of positive thinking and then goes beyond that to a deeper level of “knowing” with hypnosis and guided imagery. As one of my clients recently told me, “Hypnosis helps to get your head in the game and keep it there!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

Cleveland Hypnotist & Life Coach – “The 5 C’s of Change”

1. Courage Whether you are looking for weight loss, stress management, to quit smoking or simply to build self-esteem, it takes courage to take the first steps toward change. It really is about embracing your own personal power while also remaining open to the fact that even though there are things that we CAN change, often we don’t. That’s when having courage might mean seeking the help of a life coach, trying hypnosis, or doing something different than what you have tried before. You need to find the difference that makes the difference rather than relying on the habits and patterns of your “comfort zone.”  While comfort is something we all strive for, when creating change, it can work against you if it means sticking solely with the familiar. If what you are doing isn’t working, change is a necessity.

2. Clarity One of the things that is so helpful about working with a life coach is that it helps you to get clear about what it is that you truly want. Many times our initial feeling of dissatisfaction or issue that is brought to coaching ends up being secondary to the truth of what lies below the surface. This is not meant to indicate that “counseling”  is needed but rather that a client needs guidance at times to look within to find their own answers. It is important to distinguish life coaching and hypnosis from counseling. A life coach is generally not a licensed mental health practitioner nor are most certified hypnotherapists. It is through a series of questions and answers that the client gains clarity regarding goals, values, intentions, and inspired action. This process is important for moving forward with any goal because if you don’t even have a clear target, how will you hit it?

3. Commitment Success of any kind requires on-going effort and perseverance. While both life coaching and hypnosis help to make the process of change faster and easier, it is up to the client to follow through. Again, it is the strength of your vision and the power of your goal that helps to lead you through to the finish, even when the going gets tough. Acknowledging obstacles as they may arise and making adjustments are just a normal part of the process of change. There is no failure but rather feedback. Failure only comes if you give up.

4. Choice Change is a process, not a one-time event. You will be required to make choices on a daily basis to stay on course. You will also need to have the skills and strategies to navigate through life when you veer off course. This is essential to avoiding the all or nothing thinking of perfectionism. Just know that if you are centered and peaceful enough to tap into your own intuition you will be more successful. It’s consistency over time that brings success.

5. Confidence One of the best things about hypnosis is that it helps to build your self-esteem, increase motivation, and helps you to believe in your ability to achieve your goal. Through hypnosis, you can visualize the goal as already having been achieved. In other words, if you can believe it – you will see it which challenges our “normal” way of thinking.  The power of visualization cannot be overstated. In the words of Einstein, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”  Hypnosis is an extremely effective way to overcome limiting beliefs and to create a future that is consistent with what you really want rather than simply acting out of past programming that clearly may no longer serve you.

So, while change is simple, it isn’t always easy. You owe it to yourself to find the support that you need to make the changes that you desire. Why wait? In the words of Timothy Ferris, “Someday is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.” Now is the time to Nurture U.

Your Health IS Your Wealth-The Cost of Disease

Nurture U – Just for the Health of It!

The Relaxation Response

             Dr. Herbert Benson is a medical doctor and the founder of the Mind/Body Institute in Massachusetts. He has also served as an Associate Professor at the Harvard Medical School and is the author of many books. He studied and researched the “relaxation response” which is a physiologic state that can be elicited to help counter the negative effects of stress on the body. Research has shown that when people spend 10-20 minutes once or twice per day in deep relaxation, there are a myriad of short-term and long term benefits and the benefits are cumulative. This is particularly significant because in his book, Timeless Healing, Dr. Benson states that “60-90% of all doctor visits in this country are stress related and fall within the realm of maladies that mind/body medicine can alleviate.” (p.148) Hypnosis is a wonderful tool to learn and practice as one method to elicit the relaxation response. Whereas meditation seeks to quiet the mind, hypnosis for relaxation guides the mind and body to deep relaxation. This is a particularly useful method for people who have difficulty relaxing on their own.

 

            Dr. Benson and his colleagues at the Mind/Body Institute have conducted research on the efficacy of eliciting the relaxation response (combined with other self-care strategies such as improved nutrition, exercise, and stress management) at improving, healing, or curing a variety of medical conditions.

           

            The following is a list of research results from Timeless Healing, p.146-148:

 

*Patients with hypertension experienced significant decreases in blood pressure and needed fewer or no medications over a three year period.

*Patents with chronic pain experienced less severe pain, less depression and anger, and visited their managed care facility 36% less often.

*75% of patients with difficulty falling asleep became normal sleepers. The other 25% took significantly less sleep medications.

*36% of women with unexplained infertility became pregnant within 6 months.

*Patients described as having psychosomatic symptoms reduced their HMO visits by 50%.

*Women with PMS had a 57% decrease in severity of symptoms.

*Cancer patients experienced a decrease of symptoms and better control of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

*Patients with cardiac arrhythmias experienced fewer of them.

*Patients reported feeling less anxious, depressed, angry, and hostile.

*Patients having painful X-ray procedures had less anxiety and pain and required 1/3 less medication.

*Working people took fewer sick days, had lower blood pressure, and improved job performance.

 

Please note:   All self-care strategies should be a complement to regular medical care. Always check with your health care provider about the appropriateness of any and all changes you may be considering. As a life coach and hypnotherapist, I am not a licensed mental health professional. I do not diagnose or treat any medical condition. Life coaching and hypnotherapy sessions are not intended to be a replacement for medical or psychological treatment. This information is provided for educational purposes only.