As you look at your circumstances, whether past, present, or future, your vantage point it what filters and skews your perspective. This shift can either be helpful or not, life-affirming or victimizing, growth oriented or an excuse to give up. The beauty is that you can embrace the power of choice and choose the filter that will enhance your soul’s journey.

The true bottom line is about the soul. Each of us has incarnated into different circumstances with different challenges. These challenges, which we refer to as “problems,” each contain the seeds for growth. If we use these experiences in a negative manner, our growth is blocked and the lesson is lost yet sure to be found in a not so distant challenge in the future. In other words, each challenge presents us with the opportunity for profit or loss – same circumstances, different perspective.

Throughout our lives, we are each held responsible for our actions. Our soul cries out every step of the way to call our attention to that which is for our best and highest good yet it is that cry which so many of us seek to silence. Why? Because it takes us out of the proverbial “comfort zone” where the ego would love us to reside. The comfort zone may have many different appearances and often is masked as great personal success, wealth, power, possessions, and the like. The comfort zone may be a lingering in “safe” jobs, relationships, and circumstances that allow us the illusion of sailing over safe seas to paradise. The comfort zone may also take on the appearance of lack and limitation in those who use their challenges as the reason why they can’t move forward. No matter the appearance, the comfort zone can be detected by the motivation behind the action – out of love or out of fear – that is the question.

The real bottom line is the accounting for your soul. Are you choosing to profit from all that life has to offer or are you simply trying to get by so as to avoid loss?

The bottom line is that loss is inevitable in life. To spend your time, money, and effort seeking to avoid it is a futile attempt that will leave you depleted mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Why not choose, in this moment, to refocus on the higher perspective of the soul in all that you are, all that you have, and all that you do? In that way, you will inevitably show a profit in your bottom line: the progression of your soul.

So many times in life we are so busy that we feel as if we only have the time and energy to do what is necessary. Well, rest assured that healthy self-nurturance is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.

In order to live your best life now, you need the vibrant, healthy energy and stamina that can only be cultivated through daily self-care strategies for body, mind, and spirit.

Sound selfish? Ever try to take care of your kids, work to provide for the family, be there for a loved one, or have fun with friends when you are burned-out or depleted?

Enough said…It’s time to Nurture U! Your life depends on it.

Simply put, the new path lacked the heart-felt level of belief needed to sustain the change. The power of the heart is no longer just a romantic notion, but rather it has now been proven by scientific research to be the most powerful force that is generated within the body and radiates out into the world. Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that it takes more than the power of positive thinking to manifest change. The fulfillment of your heart’s desire can now be taken quite literally.

As the title of one of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s books tells us, “You’ll See It When You Believe It!”

That’s what the process of coaching and hypnosis is all about:  thinking, feeling, and most importantly believing your way to change.

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.

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.

            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.