Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Changing the way we think can greatly improve our lives, but getting rid of the negative thoughts can be very difficult. Tell someone to not think about white horse and they will instead think of a white horse.

Telling yourself you need to lose weight is reinforcing the fact that you are overweight and making you think of food which will probably make you hungry. The same can be said with all negative thoughts and attitudes – they reinforce what you don’t want and create more of it.

On an icy morning someone told me “be careful you don’t slip” and then I went out and fell on the ice. Would I have walked differently if I hadn’t had the warning? Someone telling you not to do something is like an instruction to do the opposite.

Thinking or worrying about failure does nothing to help you on your way to success.

How can you change?

Don’t think about what you don’t want, think only of what you do want. And like anything it takes a little practise, most of us are used to thinking negatively.

Decide what you want, set yourself goals, decide how you want to feel.

Pick a word or phrase to symbolise what you want – this will be your anchor word.

Imagine a glowing sphere in front of you, it is filled with a memory of a good time, imagine how you felt when you were experienced the good time.

Now think of your anchor word and step into the glowing sphere, into the memory, make the memory more vibrant, what can you hear, what can you smell. Make the sphere bigger and brighter. Repeat your anchor word as you focus on your good memories.

Picture another sphere inside your first memory sphere. The sphere holds another memory of a happy time. Focus on the new memory on the happiness you felt.

Now think of your anchor word again and step into the second sphere. As you step in make the memory bigger and brighter. Think of your anchor word and the good memories from both of the spheres.

Create four spheres each new one inside of the old one, The first sphere grows to accommodate the second sphere, the second sphere grows to accommodate the third sphere, the third one grows to hold the fourth sphere.

Fill the first three spheres with memories of happiness and good times, take your good feelings and your anchor word or phrase with you on your imaginary journey. When you picture your fourth sphere imagine the goal you have set or the thing that you want. Make it as real as your memories from the previous spheres. As you take your anchor word and the memories of the previous spheres with you into the future sphere feel it with all your senses. Feel the happiness, feel the joy of success.

Your anchor word connects the good times of the four spheres.

If you are tempted to be negative again, stop as soon as you realise it is happening. Say you anchor word or phrase and remember what it means to you. Go on your journey through the spheres again, try and make your visualization more vivid.

If you have difficulty remembering any good times, imagine the way you would have wanted things to be. If your family was poor try imagining a birthday party you would have had if your family had been wealthy.

Go to this YouTube video  for a demonstration of the power of NLP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5-xuW_PZJQ