Making Successful Changes
By: Kevin Linehan
Change happens. Whether we want change or expect change we do know we are going to get it in one form or another. Since we are always changing it makes sense to develop tools and abilities to more easily handle the changes that will happen to us as well as the changes we want to happen. These abilities can be more effectively learned and use in conjunction with hypnosis and self-hypnosis.
When people desire a change in their lives they are motivated by one of two reasons. One is they desire to move away from pain or discomfort. The second is to move toward pleasure. Discomfort can be physical or emotional. It can be real or perceived. It can be current discomfort or it can be expected future discomfort. Someone may be motivated to lose weight in order to avoid the future prospect of diabetes. They are successful until their level of discomfort is lessened, once the discomfort is reduced old behaviors return. If that same person can move toward a goal, for example the pleasure of being more fit and healthy the excitement and sense of achievement increases, as they get closer to their goal.
Some people are able to deal with change whether it is the ability to deal with the stress caused by external changes or if they decide they want to change something in their own lives. Other folks simply don’t have that ability. They take on enormous amounts of stress often exclaiming “why does this always happen to me”…. For these people the pain has to be very intense before a change will be made. The process that someone uses to easily deal with external change and make desired changes for their own benefit can be learned. Hypnosis or self-hypnosis
are methods which can be used to make these processes even more effective.
Let’s say that Joe is unable to save money. Retirement is approaching, perhaps the bills are paid but there never seems to be enough to put away for the future. The stress has been steadily going up, as Joe gets closer to the day when he will stop working. Joe is always telling himself that it is time to put money away for the future but never gets around to actually saving. Or if he does save a small amount, or gets a windfall something else comes up to wipe out his gains. What causes this and what can be done about it? To answer that question let’s look at Mary. Mary puts money away each month. She saves as a matter of habit and long ago learned to live without spending that cash that goes toward her savings. If you take these two people and ask them the same question: Where will you be in the future? You’re likely to get very different responses. Joe might begin by telling you where he is going to have lunch followed by what he is going to watch on TV later that night. Mary, on the other hand, might tell you of golfing in
Adjusting the value that is placed on the present versus the past or the future is one technique that will enable you to move successfully toward your goals. There are methods that can be learned to easily and effectively make these types of changes. Keep in mind Joe and Mary’s story is an example. There are many other ways that your orientation toward your own timeline affects your behavior. Perhaps your timeline is exactly the way you want it to be but the value you place on certain criteria such as making time for yourself versus helping others is out of line. If you find yourself worn out and still not able to say “no” to yet another request you may value helping others over your own health. You may think this is okay although you may look to change when you realize you won’t be able to help anyone when you are sick yourself. The value you place on your personal criteria can be shifted as well.
At OnTrac Hypnosis we are all about helping people develop the tools they need to make the changes in life that they desire. We offer a no obligation, FREE, consultation to anyone that is considering making a change in his or her life and wants that change to be permanent. We welcome the opportunity to show how we can help.
Self-hypnosis classes are held monthly, contact Kevin or Christine at OnTrac Hypnotherapy Inc. at 603.362.8868 or email
ontrachypnosis@aol.com. We also offer hypnosis CD’s for Weight Loss, Stress Management, and Smoking Cessation.
