We’d all like to change some of our ‘bad habits’, nobody plans to procrastinate, but somehow, it just keeps happening.
We may feel motivated one day, but then get into the routine of our lives and forget what we’d promised ourselves. Days, weeks, or even months go by and the results of our lives remain the same. We don’t do anything differently, so nothing changes.
There could be moments in life when we may sense that more is possible. To feel more confident, to stop worrying, to sleep better, to make healthier choices. Or it could be just taking some time out for a walk, experiencing a quiet moment at home, or driving home from work and catching a glimpse of a different kind of life for ourselves. We might even see ourselves being more, doing more, and experiencing more in life.
The problem for some of us, is that we don’t know how to accomplish the very thing that’s calling to us. As good as our dreams feel, we can’t visualize the dream for very long without doubts creeping in.
We may have thoughts like: –
- Can I have what I want?
- Can I live the life I want to live?
- How will I do it?
- Do I deserve it?
These old habits, thoughts and templates sit in our primitive, emotional, subconscious mind. The subconscious mind which holds our emotions, memories and inappropriate behaviour patterns. It might block your natural and infinite strengths, resources and power and make you hesitate to take action and prevent you from reaching your dreams.
Our primitive, emotional mind holds the templates and old beliefs that you acquired while you were growing up. They’re the habits that protect the status quo, the mindsets that make positive changes feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and the fears that tell you that if you try, you will only fail.
Any negative thoughts we have create anxiety, which in turn triggers the Amygdala. Our flight or fight response, which is difficult to ignore. If it can’t stop you by distraction or dissuasion it will automatically stop you dead in your tracks or make you run for the hills!
We have to remember that stress, tiredness or high energy emotions can cause us to revert back to our inappropriate and unwanted behaviour patterns or habits.
These emotions could be negative ones like anxiety, anger or frustration. But also, positive emotions like excitement or anticipation. The stress and build-up of pressure leads us to our ‘old habits’.
Here are some examples of how the subconscious primitive mind can interfere with your journey to your ideal life:
- You begin to feel closer to your partner, but then you start a fight over something silly because you’ve never experienced this level of connection before, and you don’t know how to handle it.
- You set a goal to lose 5 pounds this month. You hit your goal, but then the following month you revert back to your old habits and regain the weight.
- You apply for a better job than you currently have, but then you begin to think that you’re not qualified enough, so you sabotage the interview or the interviewing process.
Each of these examples shows how the primitive mind wants you to revert back to the familiar status quo. As soon as you begin to imagine a better version of your current life—when you begin to dream, and to make changes in your life—your primitive emotional mind will immediately kick in and do its best to prevent you from taking action and taking yourself outside of your comfort zone.
Your subconscious primitive mind can be very powerful, but with help, effort and awareness of what is possible, you CAN overcome it.
Hypnotherapy uses trance or deep relaxation to relax the body and mind. While relaxed the subconscious is open to positive suggestions which can develop fresh neural pathways. The process calms down the nervous system and helps you to integrate the positive suggestions into your life.
The challenge is that your subconscious mind knows everything about you. It remembers all the times when you didn’t do what you said you were going to do. It has access to the whole filing cabinet of failed attempts, forgotten dreams, and unrealized goals.
To change the habits, we’re engaging both parts of our mind. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy uses positive psychotherapy on the conscious mind to reset your goals and clinical hypnosis to access the subconscious mind when in trance. This allow both minds to work together in unison for the same successful result.
When you work to overcome the habits or obstacles in your life, it’s important to remember that there’s a part of you that wants to move forward, and a part that wants to maintain your current reality. Navigating change always involves a choice — you have that ability to make the choice of whether you will take the next step or not.
If you choose to go forward to live a freer life, then you must take the first step towards living that dream.
When you book an Initial Consultation, I provide a full explanation on how hypnotherapy works and how it may help you.
Email: info@carolineevanshypnotherapy.co.uk
Tel: 07765 692 072