Hypnosis and Habits

Habit is defined as a regular tendency or practice, esp. one that is hard to give up. 

Good habits are wonderful. Thank god people brush their teeth twice a day. Bad habits are usually not so appealing, even to those with the habit. Why do we continuously do something that we do not want to do? Unwanted habits are an indication that your subconscious mind and your conscious mind are at odds. Your conscious mind wants to eat healthy, stop smoking, or stop biting those darn nails, but for some reason your subconscious is holding on to these potentially dangerous habits. WHY?????

Our conscious and subconscious minds are different. They play by different rules. At the same time they have to work together to get things done. Your conscious mind is the logical one, it takes a problem analyzes and solves it with reason. Your subconscious mind only associates and reacts, for example it will think turtle=slow, sky=blue, smoking=stress relief. There is no logic behind your subconscious just reaction it learns through repetition and emotion. Your subconscious mind processes 400 million bits of information per second and your conscious process only 40 million. So when your conscious mind thinks I do not need that cookie, and your subconscious thinks cookies equal comfort I neeeeed that cookie, which side do you think is going to win? There you have it, a bad habit created, all because your subconscious mind associated a cookie incorrectly.

     How do we stop our subconscious from unwanted associations? First you have to figure out your associations. It is not the same for everyone. We are all different, we have all grown up in different homes, with different families, different experiences, and different emotions. We use repetition and emotion, the way the association was made, to correct imbalance. After imbalance is corrected the cookie will become exactly what it is to both the conscious and subconscious mind. It will be a sugary desert, no longer emotional fulfillment. With both your minds working together you will no longer struggle with your bad habit.

 

Thanks for stopping by! As always I invite you to contact me with any questions about hypnosis, emotions, or your subconscious mind. 

Biker Living Article

At a networking event this past year I met a wonderful woman named Christina.  She was passionate, a creator, inspiring, and beautiful.  She started a local magazine for bikers in the Austin area called Biker Living.

Christina really intrigued me with all her passion for motorcycling and the community that goes with it.  I wanted to know what was in her head, so I asked lots of questions.  I love to know what people think and feel that inspires them to create. When Christiana would speak of her long journeys on her motorcycle she would unknowingly smile, and an extra spark of life would come to her eyes. Christina spoke of this wonderful loving community that would reach out and help each other at a moment's notice.  She talked about a community that was more like a family with an extra bond beyond a blood tie. I understand that part - we all love to feel that community, and when our foundation is built of a hundred people looking out for our best interests we are stronger than when it's just a handful.

I did not understand the motorcycle part, so I asked her, "Why motorcycles?"  To me they seemed dangerous, uncomfortable, and a little scary!  I didn't understand long trips on a motorcycle, because if I go some where I like comfort.  I want a radio, temperature control, and a cup holder!  When she started telling me about the feeling she gets when she rides her face really lit up. I could actually see the love for her craft all over her face.  As she was describing the feeling of just letting go and being in the moment, of being in the air and in nature, the excitement coming out with her words suddenly reminded me of a feeling that I am very familiar with - a feeling very close to the one I get with hypnosis. 

I relate everything to emotions, thoughts, and hypnosis because everything can relate. We talked about the relationship between hypnosis and the feelings from riding, and a friendship was born. We connected, I got it, and I finally understood what the draw was.  Christina asked me to write what I just said to her in a short article for her magazine, here it is.

Have you ever heard the old saying, "You never see a motorcycle parked outside of a therapist office"? It could be true, but do you know why this lifestyle is so therapeutic?

You know that feeling you get when your mind wanders off and you become silent - it's just you and the road.  You may even “zone out” after many miles, and when your conscious mind comes back you wonder where you have been. That feeling is a lot like the one so many people spend many hours, and lots of dollars, trying to perfect. That silence is like relaxation therapy, meditation, and even hypnosis!  Your conscious mind is slowing down and your creative mind, your subconscious, is coming through. This is part of the draw to riding I am sure, because in this state you naturally release endorphins (a feel good chemical in the brain). Your stress levels go down, your immune system functions better, and you feel fantastic!

What else can this state accomplish? Why are so many people trying to achieve this state? It is this state of mind when your conscious thoughts drift away and your creative mind is activated that gives your mind more power. Your conscious mind can process about 40 bits of information per second, but your subconscious can process 40 million bits per second!  The ability to use their subconscious when they want to is a powerful tool that many artists, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and other creative individuals strive for.  Think of your subconscious mind as Google, and your conscious mind is an old hardcover dictionary.  Which one would you choose for the best answers to your questions?  Which one is faster?  Which one has the most information to arrive at the best answer?  The great minds of the world are constantly striving to let the stronger part of their brain answer the tough questions and come up with better answers.

How do you put this “trance state” to work for you? First, start with setting a goal.  What do you want to get out of your ride?  Perhaps you want clarity on a struggle that is going on in your life, or the answer to a question that you've been considering.  You can have a goal that needs to be focused on, or even just a feeling you would like to have. Think about what your goal is before you go on your ride, and think about what you want to get out of the ride a few times before you even get on your bike.  You could even write it down and stick it in your pocket.  Always think in positive terms.  Always think of what you DO want.  What you focus on will grow. Also, think about being safe and aware of the road, your riding ability, and the people around you.  In this way your subconscious can even help you become safer.  You need to focus on your goal before you go on your ride, because you are almost asking your subconscious a question.  Your subconscious mind will then go into auto pilot mode and process your request, and before you know it the answer, clarity, or feeling will just pop right into your mind.  You can utilize the best part of your brain doing the things that you love so much, by just asking for it!  It's as simple as that.  As Napoleon Hill puts it, “The possibilities of creative effort connected with the subconscious mind are stupendous and imponderable. They inspire one with awe.”

So, set your goal and get on your motorcycle, and let your subconscious mind work for you. It is truly amazing the power that each and every one of us has in our own minds.  It's just a matter of using what has already been placed there. So start using your hobby to your full advantage, and start using your brain to its full capacity. Be safe. Have fun. Enjoy life!

If you are in the Austin area and see a copy of Biker Living, pick it up, its FREE. 

Relationships and Hypnosis

Hypnotherapy is mainly thought to be used for smoking, weight control, and various fears. In actuality, most of my clients come to me for relationship issues. Whether it be recovering from a divorce, current relationship hardships, or work and social associations that are affecting the clients happiness and overall well being.

You are the common denominator in all of your relationships. Once you change how you are reacting, your relationships HAVE to change. After coming to this realization most of my clients experience an extremely powerful sense of focus and control, knowing that NOW they have the ability to have relationships they desire.

How does hypnosis help? The hypnotherapist acts as a guide to navigate past experiences, and past relationships. We will discover the clients "role" in their relationship and where it was learned. After we discover the role that the client has become accustom to we will work together to change that role into the positive balanced person that the client truly is. Their part in the relationship will change, directly affecting the relationship and how it interacts with emotions and reactions.

Sally came into my office feeling completely defeated, on the verge of divorce, feeling hopeless, and unhappy.  Her husband was not the type to agree on therapy. She was working on the relationship alone. I assured her that it was quite okay to be here on her own because by her changing her role in the relationship she will change the relationship over all.  Sally is the youngest of 4 kids (one of them having special needs) and growing up she felt that her needs and desires were not as important as her siblings.  She brought this role into her marriage putting herself on the back burner and taking care of everyone in the family without ever doing anything for herself. She has been playing this role her whole life only to turn up at my office depleted and with a sense that she has been taken advantage of by the ones she loves most.  She never realized that she created this role from her very own childhood, she felt like a victim of her husbands selfishness and that her own children inherited this behavior from him.  When she began to see that she had been feeling this way her whole life, and she brought this role into her marriage this gave her the power and ability to change her relationship.  Together we used hypnosis to reprogram her reactions, and her role. Sally was no longer sitting back expecting to be walked on, she was able to speak up for what she needed. Sally discovered that her family was more then willing to be there and make her desires come true. Sally changed her role and it changed her relationship.


This is just one short example on how changing your subconscious belief system can change your outlook and can change your relationships. Using your subconscious we get directly to your emotional mind causing life long changes in a very short period of time. If you are having trouble in your relationship(s) call me for a free consultation we can see how hypnosis can apply to your unique situation.

How to deal with a jerk...

I have a jerk in my life. This person wants to be mean to me. This person will try and make me feel bad, embarrassed, not worthy, unlikable, and not a part of the group. That is what a jerk is, right? Someone who is trying to be mean, someone who is trying to hurt your feelings. Most of the time Jerks are pretty good at what they do, they are usually well practiced in the art of jerkery, the chances that you are the only person they have ever treated like this is very slim.

Yes, I will get to the point, because we all know to well what a jerk is. Knowing what a jerk is, is half the battle. A jerk is trying to magnify our own weakness and insecurity. If this person would say and do things that we knew were not true that would take this jerk from a malicious a$$ to a pathetic crazy person. This would shift the view immediately from your problem to their problem. For instance if a person was making hurtful jokes about my physical body; being over weight or ugly, it would not bother me at all because I do not feel that way about my body in the slightest. The person in question would become a little imbalanced in my eyes, but not a jerk because I do not believe these things myself. Now if this person would say the same things to someone who felt badly about their physical body this person is no longer crazy and is now a jerk. 


Getting to the point, how to stop a jerk. Acknowledge how this person makes you feel. Insecure about your body? Not capable of doing your job? Low confidence or self esteem? Embarrassed? Chances are that you have had these feelings about yourself way before this person came along he(she) has just brought them to the surface. It is time to understand that your feelings are your own, no one else can have power over them (unless you allow it). Take this jerk as a opportunity to get over whatever negative feelings that you have within yourself. Find your confidence wherever it was lacking. This jerk has changed from someone who was picking on you (making you a victim) to an opportunity for you to change the way you feel about yourself (putting you back in control and making him(her) crazy).

I want to say thank you to my jerk, you have shown me areas in my life that I would like to improve. I am in control of what I feel.