Multitasking

In today’s fast paced world, society encourages the idea of doing as many things at once as possible.

However, since the brain can only think one thought at a time, when we take on multiple tasks, our brains are literally bouncing back and forth betweens them, honoring none of them fully.  When we do this we also scatter our minds and energies, draining us more than if we did one task at a time.

This doesn’t mean that we can’t be fast and efficient.  On the contrary, when we focus on one task at a time, we do it better (and faster) than ever and are then free to move on. Not only that, doing so is healthier for our bodies and minds. 

Many Thanks!

This holiday season marks the completion of 18 years for me as a Hypnotherapist and Instructor. My heart is full as I reflect back over the years to you and so many other wonderful connections and amazing breakthroughs.  

Thank you all for sharing your experiences, perceptions and struggles with me and allowing me to do what I love as well as what you contribute every day to the world.  The value of each individual life is infinite and inestimable!

With an open heart, I share my gratitude as we all welcome a wonderful new year!

An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is the ideal time to focus on all there is to be thankful for.  Naturally, at the top of the list are loved ones and a wonderful meal, but also appreciating the very joy of being alive, breathing, thinking, being able to make choices are just as important.

Noticing not just significant things in our lives, but appreciating all that we generally take for granted, is how we develop an attitude of gratitude. The benefits of gratitude are vast including, but not limited to, better health and a longer life, being able to handle challenges more easily, being happier and certainly an improved quality of life.                                       

It helps to make a long list of things to be thankful for and then add to it and reflect on it regularly.  It’s important to develop this attitude so that it stays with us in challenging times as well.  When we do this, we’re sure to live thankfully all year round.

Control

This month I would like to address the concept of control, which we all struggle with at some point in our lives.

We all have a tendency to try to control external events in our lives. We tend to think that in order to get what we want, we must ensure things go exactly as we have planned, but instead we end up forcing things, resulting in our strangling the universe and the joy right out of our lives.  This, in fact, hinders our goals and creates stress as we fight with the universe. 

The truth is, the only thing in our control is ourselves.  Initially, this may seem disheartening but is actually quite empowering. This means that we actually have complete control over how we feel, think and behave and considerable control over our own realities. 

In terms of getting what we want, we can choose our lives by setting the intention of our desires, live with confidence and faith, and then continue to move in that direction until those desires have manifested.  Of course, there will always be unexpected twists and turns but we must be persistent and optimistic and trust that it is on it’s way.

The key is to focus on the end result of our goals and to let go of the how and when.    Only then do we remain in the flow, allowing the universe freedom to utilize infinite ways to bring us what we want.

Hope for Habits

Why is it that one person can quit smoking cold turkey and another struggles endlessly?  Or why some people just can’t stop themselves from procrastinating no matter what they do?

Many who come to me, struggling to correct a habit, confess they feel “weak” or they have no will power….but they’re wrong.  The truth is that the only difference between these two people is whether or not there is a subconscious “blockage” to the change.  In many cases, it even takes far greater effort to continue the undesired habit than to stop, draining the person of vital energy as they experience an internal battle.

Will power is a conscious act, and is needed for change, but the subconscious mind is much stronger that the conscious mind and therefore always “wins”.

Blockages can be known or unknown but must be resolved.  Only then can the person feel empowered with the positive change they seek.

This applies to many aspects of our lives where we struggle (and prosper!) as our beliefs and thoughts reign supreme, creating our reality.  So, the next time you’re fighting yourself, bring some love, understanding and forgiveness to the situation.  Digging a little deeper into the subconscious mind can make things much easier.

Resilience

There comes a time in virtually every journey worth traveling in which one questions themselves, their path, their goals and even their belief system.  The reason for this is that every dream has challenges or it wouldn’t be worth dreaming about and worth pursuing.  This is where your personal resilience is paramount. Many people believe that this is something we are born with but it is actually a skill that can be learned.

Cultivating resilience is as simple as understanding that no path is completely smooth and predictable.  What we can do, however, is be confident that we are resourceful and capable of handling anything that comes our way, adjust as needed, and yet stay true to our goals and desires.  It’s OK to process the disappointment of a setback or obstacle, to recharge, and then get back up again ready to continue on.  Resilience is a choice to get back on the horse after being thrown off. 

It is also best to focus on the “end result” of any goal instead of the “how” and the “when.”  This is particularly difficult as we tend to be impatient creatures who frequently expect that someone else would have done it faster or easier.  (Realize this is not only common self-judgment, but a false statement, and let it go.) We also think we know the best way to achieve our goal but we rarely do as we can’t possibly know all the infinite possibilities available in every moment.  Have faith that the universe does.

If one focuses on the end result, continues to move in the direction of their goals and desires with positive expectancy and is resilient in the face of any perceived setbacks, achievement is a forgone conclusion.

Manifesting

In a previous post, I wrote of how working too hard or trying too hard makes it more difficult to manifest.  Now, I’d like to address the topic of manifesting.  When people think of manifesting, it is usually in the context of one’s desired goals, however, it is actually the materialization of one’s thoughts and emotions.

This is a very important distinction to make because it means that what we think and feel is what we are actually manifesting, not necessarily what we want. We have been or have known someone who has been in the position of wanting something and it not coming about no matter how hard they tried because they still held the same attitudes and beliefs. 

This is why it is best to “embody” what you want in order to manifest it.  Embodying is simple:  Close your eyes and think of your desires as if you already have them.  Feel those feelings within you and within your cells.  You are now embodying the energy of what you want.  Now simply try to hold that feeling in your body and the image in your mind and this is what it means to embody the energy of your desires.

The more we can embody our desires, the more we attract them to us.  Like attracts like!

Doing this regularly (daily or whenever you choose to think about the desired energy in your cells).  Please be aware of any resistance or disbelief that may need to be dealt with if you don’t feel completely positive, deserving and wonderful while imaging your desires.  This is subconscious resistance!