Free yourself from the perils of stinking thinking!
We are all aware of the term “we are what we eat”, so how about “we are what we think”?
How often do you refer to yourself in a negative way, I’m fat, stupid, not pretty enough or good enough to do that, or have that.
For many years, positive suggestion has been used in hypnotherapy; becoming aware of your thoughts and how they affect you has been the basis for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which has been researched more extensively than any other psychotherapeutic approach. Several studies have revealed CBT to be more effective than medication alone for treating conditions of anxiety and depression. Combine the two (Hypno-CBT) and you have the possibility of reprogramming your subconscious and your conscious minds.
(For more information on Hypno-CBT take a look at www.essentialawareness.org)
However, there is a way we can start to make changes in our daily lives:
• Spend some time and become a silent witness to your thoughts. I’ve found through my years of private practice that the majority of clients speak to themselves in a way that you’d never dream of speaking to a stranger, let alone someone you cared for!
• Now you’re aware of your thought patterns, start by making small achievable changes. To never have another negative thought would be a tall order, so recognise the negative thought as it happens, and ask yourself is it really true? E.g. ‘everyone hates me’. Take a look around, you may find the situation you are in makes you feel this way but in reality no one hates you, let alone the whole world!
• Thought stopping is the easiest way to combat negative thinking; acknowledge that you are thinking negatively, and then do something to change it! Imagine a BIG flashing “STOP!” Sign coming towards you, and then remember something that makes you feel great instead, or how about having a giggle? Laugh every time you feel negative! That way you will have a lovely release of serotonin making yourself feel good as well as combating your negative thinking.
• If you wake up feeling moody, spend a few minutes changing your outlook for the day. Think of something that makes you feel happy, feel it through out every cell in your body, see your day ahead positively, visualise completing everything on your To-do list (providing you’re not trying to be super human that day!). Set yourself attainable goals and then congratulate yourself when you complete them, and most importantly SMILE.