3 Steps to Happiness!

I am amazed how many people still believe, money, along with finding the perfect partner, will make them happy. If this were true, there would be a lot more happiness in this world.

Money is everywhere. There are potential soul mates everywhere. But still, happiness seems to elude millions of people…

…why?

It is pretty well accepted in cognitive psychology that our thoughts and beliefs are what determine how we feel. In other words, it’s not what happens to us, but how we view what happens to us that creates our experience. The Greek philosopher’ ‘Epictetus’ sums it up like this…

“People are not disturbed by things, but by their rigid and extreme views of things.”

Now, some may think, that it’s outside events that influence the way we feel. This is understandable, because if there was a big fire in a hotel and everyone narrowly escaped death, most would be affected to some degree. Some would indeed be traumatised, but others would be only mildly affected, and a few might may even think ‘Phew, lucky escape’ and leave it at that. This is because everyone views their experiences in a different way.

Happiness to a large extend is within in our own control. Nothing, or no-one, can truly make us happy. To some degree, it is our lack of awareness of our thoughts that make us search outside ourselves for answers. Stress affects our thinking. When we become stressed, our thinking becomes distorted, and as a result we tend to focus on the negative side of things.

3 steps to more happiness…

1. Learn to relax…when we are relaxed, we feel happier, and are more aware of our thinking process…
2. Notice your thoughts. Remember, irrational thoughts create unhappiness.
3. Re-frame your irrational thinking into rational thinking.

Let’s take a look at how we do this:

1. Learn to relax…you could learn progressive relaxation: This is the technique of relaxing every muscle in your body…You may take up meditation…mindfulness meditation is best, because it helps you to focus on your thoughts. Or you might discover the wonderful techniques of self-hypnosis…a personal favourite of mine.

2. Notice your irrational thinking: which is usually made up of statements, like… “I must”, or “I should”. Must and should statements create anxiety. They place unrealistic demands upon us. “I must do well at my interview” “I should be more successful in life”…etc.

3. The last step is to re-frame these irrational thoughts: Instead of telling yourself that “I should do well at my interview” you might say to yourself, “I want to do well at my interview, and I am going to do my best, but if I don’t succeed, it’s not the end of my world.” Or instead of saying “I should be more successful in life” try saying to yourself “I want to be successful in life, and I do the best I can to make it happen, but if I don’t do well I can still have a happy, interesting, and healthy life.”

When we feel overwhelmed or distressed, it is usually helpful to rationalise the situation, or event. The steps above need to become a life habit if you want to get results, not just something you try once or twice. Like shaking hands, eventually, you just find yourself doing it naturally. Of course, there is much more you can do to change your thinking, but these three steps are a good place to start.

Until next time

Marcus.

A story about you…

Every year in London, I give a lecture on hypnosis. It’s always lots of fun and the students love it. At the beginning of the talk I tell a quick story. It sets the stage for the whole presentation. The students come from all cultures. Some are from Russia, China, and Japan. Others are from Italy, Spain and other parts of Europe. At the end of the story I see smiles all around the room. This is because it applies to almost all of us. You and me too!

Here is the story…

…According to legend, many years ago, high up on Mount Olympus, the gods created man. They wanted to make man in the same image of themselves – powerful. The challenge was, where would they put man’s power where he would not easily find it? You see, the gods were worried because if man was to find his power too easily, he might use it to overthrow them and they wouldn’t want that to happen.

Night after night, the gods sat around the campfire high up in the mountains discussing where to hide man’s power.

One god said, ‘Let’s put it deep in the heart of the forest; he will never get to it there.’

Another god said, ‘I know, let’s put at the bottom of the ocean.’

But the gods all disagreed. No, if he’s as clever as we are, he’ll find it in all of those places. And so they continued, night after night, discussing where to put man’s power.

‘Let’s put it deep inside a cave, with a large boulder over the opening, to prevent him from getting in,’ said a god.

‘No, let’s put it high up on a mountain,’ said another.

But all the gods agreed that man would be just too smart, and he’d soon find that power and find a way to use it.

And so they continued, night after night, discussing where they could put man’s power.

After much deliberation, and many long nights, one god stood up and said excitedly, ‘I have it! I know where we can put man’s power, where he’ll never think to look’.

The gods looked at him with anticipation.

The god smiled, and said, ‘Right inside himself. He will never think to look there.’

Have you?

To Your Success
Marcus.

At Last…A Hypnotherapy Directory that Promises to Deliver!

The hypnotherapy profession is growing—and fast.

There is plenty of evidence that proves hypnotherapy works. It has been shown to greatly improve results in CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) and there are numerous studies that prove the effectiveness of hypnosis on IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome).

Millions have quit smoking with hypnosis and millions more have lost weight with the help of hypnotherapy. The profession of hypnotherapy has come a long way indeed over the last twenty years.

But here’s the problem: the public are confused. There are so many different styles and philosophies out there that people need more information as to what type of hypnotherapy is best for them and who they can trust to deliver it—this lack of clarity is a real threat to the credibility of the profession.

Now there is a new website that offers a great service for those looking for a hypnotherapist: http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/ . It is a professional directory and it’s free to use!

Imagine, you want to find a hypnotherapist but you don’t have a clue where to start—you simply go the hypnotherapy directory and type in the geographical area that you are looking for. A list will then come up of all the hypnotherapists that have been fully checked by the directory. You will find information about the different organisations and articles about different subjects: weight control, stopping smoking, IBS etc. There is also information about fees, type of training and the different services that are available. You get all the answers you need!

The reality is that hypnotherapy is a relationship between client and hypnotherapist. You have to like and trust your chosen therapist—that’s a large part of what makes it work. You need to choose a well trained hypnotherapist who cares, and that’s where this new directory can be a reliable resource.

My conclusion: anyone looking for a hypnotherapist will find this directory valuable. The time for hypnotherapy is NOW! And now is the time for a good, professional website that can help people make the right choices.

To Your Success!

Marcus

How to Make Your New Year’s Resolution Stick!

Imagine … its late January and you’re trying to lose weight. You’re sick of eating salad in sub-zero conditions, you’re dying for a cigarette and you’re still thinking about starting that new business.

You think to hell with it! You eat some chocolate, have a few glasses of wine and a cigarette, because it goes with the wine, and try to convince yourself that your job is not so bad … what’s happening? Nothing—and that’s the problem, you are going back to your old patterns of behaviour again.

But it’s not your fault, because you are almost hardwired to keep on doing what you have been doing—that’s the way our brain works. It’s not easy trying to change old habits and behaviours and when your conscious mind is in conflict with your unconscious mind your unconscious usually wins.

The biggest mistake most people make when trying to make New Year’s Resolutions is trying to do too much at once. They want to stop smoking, lose weight, change their career and stop biting their nails all at the same time! Impossible … it’s not going to happen.

The trick is to focus on one thing at a time—and is the magic word. Think of it like this: over the years you have programmed your mind to do what you currently do, whether it’s smoking, eating too much (or whatever). You made a great job of making it stick and now it’s your job to de-programme, or de-hypnotise, yourself. You have to work on changing your beliefs about what it is you do that you don’t like.

Easy really … well not easy, but certainly do-able. It all depends on how much you want to make those changes.

The first thing you need to do is plan what you want to achieve. Think about what you need to do in order to achieve your goal—notice I said goal and not goals. Remember, you want to focus on just one thing at a time. If you want to lose 20 pounds of fat you may need to think about planning your eating schedule and how much time you are going to commit to exercise.

You also need to start visualising your actions—imagine going through all the necessary steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal. Start to believe you can do it. How? The most powerful tool you have is to act against your existing belief (the one you hold now), in other words act as if you can. You need to convince yourself that you do believe that you can do it, and you do this by self-affirmation. You might have to do this 40 or even 50 times each day.

Sound like a lot of work? Well, people who succeed at making changes do just this, even if they are not consciously aware of it. So, decide what you want to achieve, plan it, get into the habit of acting against your old belief, and affirm to yourself that you can do it.

Think back to a time when you achieved something that was important to you, something you are proud of—this will help you. Remember these points…

1. Act against your current beliefs about what it is you want to change…

2. Affirm to yourself that you can do it…

3. Imagine a past challenge that you overcame. One that you are proud of…

Now commit to your chosen goal, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Happy New Year!

Marcus

The Real Truth about Tiger Woods!

No, I am not referring to his recent accident. I am talking about his success secret, or one of them. Yes, he is a naturally talented and gifted man. But, what most people don’t realise is that he has learned to use the highly useful tool of self-hypnosis.

Tiger has discovered the secret that almost all successful people have discovered. It is the amazing ability to focus the mind and create positive outcomes….And he is not the only celeb that uses this skill….

…Sylvester Stallone, Matt Damon and Sir Winston Churchill…Yes, they have all used hypnosis to improve their lives!

Sylvester Stallone used self-hypnosis to help himself to become successful back in the Rocky days. Matt Damon quit smoking with Hypnosis. Winston Churchill used a form of self-hypnosis to help him to make important decisions during his time in office. There are of course many other famous people who have been helped by hypnosis, some you may know about, and others who choose to keep it a secret.

It has been well documented that Winston Churchill spent 30 minutes each day in a state of inner focus. He would close his eyes, go inside himself and clear his mind ready to address the many important decisions that he needed to make.

Many famous people have got help from hypnosis over the years. Billy Joel and Drew Barrymore both quit smoking with hypnosis. One well known singer from the seventies took things a step further, she is now a hypnotherapist. Her name is Helen Ready. Remember her? Helen sang “I am a woman”

How much is Tigers success down to self-hypnosis? We may never know, it could be 10% or maybe even 90% nobody can answer that. But remember just because you are born with the potential to be good at something, you must be able to channel that potential in the right direction.


Want to learn more about self-hypnosis? Check out my book “How to Change Your Life” …Just click on the link below…
http://www.marcusdsilva.com/howtochangeyourlife.html


To Your Success!
Marcus.

The Secret Law of Attraction, does it really work?

I remember being in my twenties (just about) and reading a book called “The game of life and how to play it” I thought it was a great book. My dad read it and he thought it was great too. Since then the ideas inside this old book have been repackaged and made into a movie and a best selling book.

Over the past 2 years millions have rushed to see the movie. I am of course talking about the law of attraction, made famous by the film “The Secret” If you can visualise it, you can have it, right? The big car, the perfect partner, instant cash and even instant healing. Some of you may have read the book, tried the exercises, and even practiced the law of gratitude. You might have even invested in some of the more advanced books on LOA, but still nothing! Why, how can it be that it’s not working for you?

If you have read “The Secret” and tried the exercises and found nothing much happened, here’s why!

Reason no.1… You must take action! I now this sounds obvious but amazingly most people don’t. They think that if they just imagine it happening, it will just happen. Sorry, it’s just not as simple as that. You have to get up off your backside and TAKE ACTION and plenty of it! If its money you want, action is definitely required. This of course translates into hard work, and I know this will put some people off. Another example: If you want to meet your soul mate, then you had better leave your home once in a while, because they won’t come knocking on your door. So for some, lack of action is part of the problem. So yes, make your imagination work for you, but also take lots of action too.

Reason no. 2… This one is slightly more complex. Many gurus recommend that you should read some of the older LOA books, because that’s where the true wisdom comes from. But the language in many of those old books will work against you. In a nutshell, the language is not hypnotic enough to influence your subconscious mind. The other problem is that many of the older books have a religious overtone. It might seem hip to follow theses teachings, but deep down inside many of us are just not really comfortable with that kind of jargon. Now lets talk about language: The basic problem with most of the language in these older (and sometimes newer) books, is that the words focus too much on what you don’t want….e.g.”My headache” is gone vs. All the muscles around my head feel loose and relaxed…I must not procrastinate vs. I feel myself becoming more and more motivated to get things done. Get the idea? The secret to programming your mind for success is to focus on what you want, and how you want to become. It’s as simple as that! Remember words create mental images…don’t think of a pink elephant… Bet you just did!


Reason no. 3 Lack of Desire There is a BIG difference between wanting something and having a burning desire to get it. Money is a good example of this: Most of us would like to be rich, but most of us are not prepared to do what’s required to make it happen. We can visualise money falling out of the sky all day long, but it’s just not enough. You have to be prepared to go to work! So you need a good supply of desire if financial wealth is your goal. Do you have the desire? You need to be able answer this question truthfully, before you do anything else.

Does the law of attraction work? Yes…? Is it really a law? Well there’s no proof! But you certainly can attract things into your life using the power of your mind. There are many …many…mind training systems that work. But here’s the real secret: they are all forms of self-hypnosis. Years ago hypnosis was a taboo subject. People thought it was some kind of voodoo. But hypnosis is just a term for anything that happens inside our imagination. We are now living in the 21st century, now is the time for hypnosis, why? Because it works! So if you want to attract good things into your life, learning self- hypnosis may be the key to your success!

Discover more about self-hypnosis…GO TO http://www.marcusdsilva.com/ NOW and check out the FREE E-book on the top right corner of the page. Just subscribe to my FREE Newsletter by putting your name and email address in the box and I will send it to you. It’s Yours Free! Without obligation of any kind.


To Your Success!
Marcus.

The real reason why you can’t succeed in controlling your weight

Imagine, it’s a cloudy cold Thursday afternoon, your diet has been going great all week and you finally feel like you are on your way to your dream weight - you feel amazing! You started the day with 2 slices of toast with low sugar jam (no butter) and are looking forward to your workout at the gym later in the day…but all of a sudden there’s a problem: your car won’t start, the central heating breaks down, and the washing machine starts to make a funny noise! You start to feel stressed. You become agitated. You then come to the realisation that you aren’t going to make the gym. Your day is ruined!

After 2 hours of making telephone calls, trying to get the car fixed and contacting the central heating company, you feel hungry…you go to the cupboard and there’s no wholemeal bread left. You go to the fridge and there’s no salad left. That’s it! You reach for the biscuit tin and before you know it you have scoffed 6 chocolate biscuits. You think, to hell with it! I knew it was too good to be true…I’ve blown it! I might as well start again on Monday; I might as well eat what I feel like eating until then.

Does this sound familiar? It is a very typical experience of many dieters and is, I believe, the biggest cause of failure when it comes lasting weight control.

The Key

The problem with an ‘I‘ve blown it’ attitude is that it sets up a cycle of failure. The truth is you have only blown it if you never get back on track again. When you start to understand this, success becomes easy! All you have to do is look at the situation above as a minor backslide, because that’s all it really is.

When you are able to do this you automatically eat fewer calories, because you don’t spend another 2 or 3 days binging on junk food, and simply get back on track again. When you think about it, how can we expect to go through life NEVER having a piece of pizza or indulging in a few chocolate biscuits? It just isn’t going to happen, is it? So remember, the next time you go off your diet enjoy the treat and get back on track again, immediately. Better still, forget dieting all together - learn how to change your mindset instead. The problem with diets is that they don’t really work, they just tend to make us crave the food that we think we are not supposed to have. The real answer of course is to change your attitude towards food, and you do this by re-programming your mind…

Want to discover more? Just visit http://www.marcusdsilva.com/weightlossreg.html now to claim your special report: The 9 Secrets to Lasting Weight Control…it’s yours FREE when you subscribe to my FREE! newsletter…download it without obligation of any kind.

To Your Health, Happiness and Success!

Marcus

Are You Sick and Tired of Feeling Stressed? Self-Hypnosis could be Your Saviour!

Phew… What a stressful year!

As I was walking through Bromley High Street today there was a certain religious group offering stress tests. I was amazed by the amount of people taking up the offer—all ages were waiting anxiously for the verdict on how stress was affecting their life. Yes, stress is a problem for many of us, much more than most people realise but I also know we need some stress to get our backsides into gear! I know it’s a natural response but when it gets out of control it becomes distress—and that is a problem!

What can you do about it?

Many things: for a start we can get more organised. We can learn to manage our time more effectively. We can avoid certain foods like caffeine, chocolate and alcohol. We can exercise, go for brisk walks, go for a swim, lift weights or do some gardening—all of these can help. But, one of the best things you can do is learn to relax! Yes, you have heard it before, but you still don’t do it. Why, because most of us have never been shown how to. Some people think sitting in front of the TV does the job. Sitting in front of the TV is not true relaxation, but meditating or practising self-hypnosis is. So what’s the difference between the two? Well they both work wonders for reducing stress and creating calm, but self-hypnosis goes a step further. When you master self-hypnosis you experience deep relaxation, but you can also create many other changes as well. You can cure yourself of many stress-related problems. You can help control your weight, stop smoking, overcome phobias and cure yourself of insomnia. You can also programme your mind for financial success … that means more money and less stress!

The Forgotten Secret to a Better Life

Some people are still resistant to the idea of hypnosis. They think it is some strange type of deep sleep, but how wrong this perception is. Self-hypnosis is similar to meditation—which is about self-awareness, health and well–being, but self-hypnosis is all of these … and much more.

Here’s another secret… all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. That means if you went to a hypnotherapist and he or she tells you that you are relaxing, you naturally turn the suggestion into an auto-suggestion, if you choose! This proves just how much control we all have when it comes to controlling our own minds. You are the master of your thoughts and feelings. You can choose to feel bad and you can choose to feel good. Just like you can choose to smoke or overeat, you can also choose to relax and stay cool, even in the tough economy we live in today.

Want to discover more about self-hypnosis? Click on this link www.marcusdsilva.com and find out how to get your FREE! Ebook “Secrets of Self-Hypnosis In 3 Easy Steps: Powerful Techniques for Achieving Health, Happiness and Success!” It’s my gift to you when you subscribe to my FREE newsletter. Download it without obligation of any kind.

To your health, happiness and success!

Marcus

How to Change Your Life with The Amazing Secrets of Hypnosis

Back in 1993 a horrible thing happened to me.

I lost everything. My business, my home, everything!

The only thing I had to my name was a rusty old BMW car.

Yes, it really was a scary time ...

But, this was not the worst thing I lost. My biggest loss was that of my self-esteem.

I remember, back then I felt mentally crippled. I couldn’t make decisions, I found myself putting on weight, and thinking about it now, (Although I hate to admit it) I felt quite depressed.

Without a healthy supply of self esteem we just can’t achieve the levels of success and happiness we deserve...

Our confidence suffers, we can’t make decisions, and we under value ourselves.

Loss of jobs, failing businesses could all be to blame. But, of course there are many things that can cause low self-esteem.

The best thing I ever done to help myself was to learn self-hypnosis. Back then it was the turning point for me. It changed my life. It got me into the work I do today.

Yes, if you can raise your self-esteem, the quality of your life will improve greatly.You will be more motivated to lose weight, quit smoking or whatever you desire. And you will more likely go for the things you want in life, because when our self-esteem is low we find it harder to take positive actions.

Recently, I wrote a book about self-hypnosis. I share more of my story in the book. But, best of all I offer lots of great techniques and insights to helping you get the life you want…

…“How to Change Your Life with The Amazing Secrets of Hypnosis” is doing incredibly well at the bookstores? I am amazed at the feedback I am getting about it. Go and check it out now at http://www.marcusdsilva.com/howtochangeyourlife.html

Have a great week!

Marcus.

P.S. If you think you know someone who might enjoy this book. Please forward this post to them.

Three Ways to Turbo Charge Your Brain Power!

It’s official—you can boost your brain power. And it doesn’t have to be difficult.All the research points to these three things...

• Exercise… it improves the transmission of oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the brain.
• Diet… avoid saturated fat, it’s even bad for your brain! Experiments with rats have found that they performed poorly in memory and learning tests when on a high fat diet. Some of the best foods for your brain are spinach (no surprise there), walnuts and blueberries.

Meditation and self-hypnosis… can boost your creativity and make you think more clearly.

There are many benefits to meditation and self-hypnosis, improved brain power is only one of them. If it’s good enough for the Dali Lama it must be good enough for us too!

Discover more about Self-hypnosis...

The Art of Selfishness

I recently got back from a pleasant stay in Greece. As I sat on the aeroplane waiting to take off to return home I was listening to the usual safety procedures. As the stewardess spoke, something she said really hit home. The words” In the event of needing to use the oxygen masks, make sure you fit yours first before you help others. We of course think nothing of this statement because it makes complete sense. What’s the point of helping others when you need to take care of your self first?

Part of our life programming has been the belief that selfishness is bad. Well it is in the traditional sense. But I am talking about positive selfishness or rational selfishness. You and me, we are here to live the life that we choose to live aren’t we? We all have dreams and aspirations in life. Some people have big dreams and goals, and some people have smaller dreams and goals. The point is are you living your life in line with your desires.

The harsh reality is; many people aren’t. I see people every – day working in jobs they hate. I see people sharing their lives with people they don’t like! This is called sacrifice. We all have the right to choose the life we live, and we also have the right to sacrifice ourselves, but is this really the way we are suppose to live?

We have all heard stories of people who would love to get a degree or a PhD but feel that it would be too selfish “I wouldn’t have any time for my family” or the woman who has fallen out of love with her partner, but chooses to stay in the relationship,” but he is kind and he wouldn’t betray me, he has a good heart”…What this person is really saying, is I don’t have the self-esteem to get myself out of this loveless relationship.

Maybe it is a fear of criticism or some other fear that is stopping her from changing their life situation. Instead she must justify her decision to stay in the relationship with as much logic as she can think of. This could of course equally apply to us men as well.

…To put ourselves first, puts us in a position of strength. When we practice being true to ourselves, we are of more use to others - not less, because we are happier and as a result healthier. We are less preoccupied with the what ifs of life. If we harbour unhappiness and project that on others, we are being selfish in the most negative sense.

Yes, selfishness is an art: it must be used in the right way and not abused. In a nutshell it is about being true to yourself, following your dreams and desires, it is about listening to your own mind and not someone else’s. It is true that if you don’t make your own choices in life, someone else will do it for you. We are all being influenced by others all the time, without even realising it. We become reactive to people and situations around us.

Negative selfishness is on the other hand a potentially nasty thing. There is no benefit at all in adopting an uncaring attitude towards others. We all need other people to live a full healthy balanced and fulfilling life. The goal is to be able to assert our needs, desires and passions, and that is positive selfishness!

Why your New Year resolution didn't last and what you can do about it?

It’s been almost two months since you made that promise “I am going to quit smoking this year” I am going to stop eating chocolate or I am going to find a new job. So what happened? Maybe you enjoy smoking too much, after all you don’t smoke much and you only drink now and again, you have to have some vices right? As for the chocolate you really don’t eat that much and we all need an extra boost in the afternoon, yeah right! What about the career change? “IT`S BEST TO STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW RIGHT!

Why take risks? Who am I kidding! What makes me think I can be different my dad was right, go into a safe profession and stay there.

To many of us these words are only too familiar. Okay I am sure there are some of you that have already made some big changes this year.

Already in the last two months a few of you are I am sure are right on track. Even I seemed to have gotten off to pretty good start.

The truth is we can make changes any time we choose. Notice I say choose. One thing I have realised over the last few years is that almost everything we do is a choice. Some of these choices are conscious and many are unconscious. We are making choices every day of our lives. What to eat, where to eat, what to wear and what not to wear. We even choose whether or not we go to work each day. Then there is the choice of who we spend our time with. Choice of course does have its drawbacks, too many can create inner conflicts and anxiety. We even have choice about choice, try and get your head around that one.

So here is what I am getting at? Don’t tell yourself “I will stop smoking or I will quit junk food because you will probably find a part of you inside is yelling “WHO ARE KIDDING” When you say I choose to quit smoking or I choose to eat healthier foods you notice an amazing sense of self-empowerment you find when you stop tying to order your subconscious mind around, the pressure disappears, you start taking control and you begin to succeed at creating changes in your life,

So, if you want to quit smoking, say to yourself now

“I will stop smoking”……………notice how you feel……….

Now say to yourself

“I choose to be a non smoker”…………notice how you feel……….

Can you sense the difference?

What is your desire?If there is a real secret to personal change it has to be DESIRE because without desire you will be beaten before you start. There is a huge difference between thinking you should do something and wanting to do something. Even if you want to achieve something i.e. lose thirty pounds of fat, develop more self-confidence or become a millionaire, are you prepared to do what it takes? probably not. For the small percentage that does the rewards are high. The move to better health, happiness and success is what you can expect. The point is why wait for the New Year to come around, make sure you choose your desired changes, focus on the end result and just do it now!

The Truth about Hypnotherapy and How it can help you get results in life

Wow! Another year almost over. If you are like me you are probably already wondering about your New Year goals.

Well, have you ever thought about a voice coach? This month I am pleased to introduce you to a wonderful lady. Her name is Anne-Marie Speed. What a name! And what a voice coach!

For those of you who have read the book “The Secret”, you may find this month’s book review interesting. Plus I have a gift for you. A simple self-hypnosis technique that will help you to cope with Christmas Stress - or any kind of stress, come to think of it!

Enjoy and Merry Chirstmas!

THE TRUTH ABOUT HYPNOSIS AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU GET RESULTS IN LIFE!

Have you ever walked into a major bookstore and began searching in the popular psychology section? Perhaps a time when you were looking for a book that could help you use your mind to achieve your goals? Well the chances are you found a book that taught visualisation techniques and forms of affirmations. The book may not mention hypnosis. It may talk about programming your subconscious mind, or maybe teach a form of meditation.

This is all good stuff, but it's still hypnosis.

Recently I spoke on hypnosis at a college in London. The students were young and keen to learn. One young woman came up to me afterwards and told me the exercise I had led them through was similar to her yoga class.

This, of course, is not surprising as certain parts of yoga are like self-hypnosis. Now here’s where hypnosis differs in many ways: if you are in sales you can use hypnosis to sell more products or services. This is because effective communication is hypnotic in nature. Hypnosis is a tool of influence, whether you are influencing yourself or others. By the way influence is neither good nor bad. It just depends on how we use it. If we influence somebody to lose weight, that’s good. If we influence somebody to do something against their better nature, that’s bad. You can also use hypnosis to influence yourself, you can learn to control pain, reduce stress, stop smoking and become more successful financially.

What do you want to change in your life?

The secret to change is in a way like learning a different language. The way you talk to yourself. What you focus on and what you choose to believe. It’s simple but not always easy. Change is not easy; this is because we don’t believe it is. We are programmed as children to think like this. When we think back to some of the messages we accepted as children. “Learn a trade and you will be safe.” “Stick to what you know and you will be safe.” “All the women in our family get married young.” “You are just like your father, you like your food.” You get the idea. We are made up of many different beliefs and attitudes that continue to run our lives. Much of what we do, we do without even knowing why. Imagine that - doing things and we don’t even know why!

We think we know; sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t. Not consciously anyway.

When you learn to speak the language of your subconscious you find yourself taking control of your life. You learn to easily form new positive behaviours. You can programme life goals into your mind with the belief that you can achieve them, You can develop more confidence, lose weight. You can programme your mind to be successful in your chosen field.

Five years ago a businessman came to me for help. He was highly successful with many employees. He told me he wanted to be more successful. I was amazed! “More successful?” I said. “Yes,” he replied, "we can all do better."

I coached with this man over ten weeks. I taught him every mind programming technique I knew. I hear his business is now booming!

When you think about it, it's obvious, to improve our results in life we have to change the way we use our mind and there is no better way than hypnosis.

Now to make changes within. There is another secret...?

Next time I will reveal all!!


BOOK REVIEW

"The secret behind the secret law of attraction"
By Kevin Hogan

No it’s not a sequel to The Secret! This book is a fascinating read. If you have read The Secret, you may be embracing the law of attraction - or maybe not! If you can't make your mind up about it, READ THIS BOOK!

My friend Kevin Hogan and others have put all their knowledge, feelings and concerns about the law of attraction into one volume. The book challenges the claims of The Secret and discusses its potential harm. It also goes on to suggest it has cult-like tendencies.

One definition of the word 'cult' is: “A great devotion among a group to a particular person, thing or idea”. Well I have to say that whereas the law of attraction may or may not be a cult, The Secret movement definitely is. Don’t get me wrong; I think it is safe to say that the idea of thinking and visualing how or what you want to become has a lot of substance. The mistake I think The Secret makes is forgetting that we have to take action - and lots of it. If we want to achieve our goals, we have to get off our buts.

As Hogan and friends observe, wishing and praying for things to happen just doesn’t work. We have to have some form of strategy and we sometimes have to require special knowledge and training in order to get results. The Secret behind the Secret Law of Attraction also gives you some great ideas about how to do this.

It’s refreshing to read a book that sends a message of common sense.

The Secret behind the Law of Attraction also looks into the background of The Secret. Apart from some dubious claims, I personally feel there are some useful ideas in The Secret. There is already too much negativity in this world and in many ways The Secret offers a message of hope. Unfortunately, there are also some errors.

The Secret behind the Law of Attraction is a great read that is sure to stir up some controversy.

Let me know your views.

Available at Amazon books.


QUOTE OF THE MONTH

There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
John F. Kennedy.

Introduction to Vocal Function
By Anne-Mari Speed

Anyone who works with the voice or who is a professional voice user (not just actors and singers but teachers, people in business, vicars, hypnotherapists, barristers, sports instructors, to name a few) can benefit from a clear understanding of vocal function.
The first place to start is to ask this question: What is the larynx for? If you place your hands around your neck and feel what is commonly known as your ‘voice box’, I would like you to think for a moment and ask yourself, Why do we have a larynx? This important question is fundamental to anyone wanting to work on their voice.

If you thought that the larynx exists in order to provide us with a voice, then you would be in very good company with many voice teachers who also think like you. However, you would be wrong. The primary anatomical function of the larynx is not to sing or to speak; it is a valve that determines inflow and outflow of breath, and a constrictor that protects the lungs from inhaling anything that isn’t air. This function is vital, that is, life saving: the only thing to get into the lungs should be breath. The larynx is very sensitive to potential threats to the airway and will shut down and protect it immediately, spontaneously and efficiently. This response is instinctive and very strong. Think about what happens when you are eating and something goes down the ‘wrong way’. When you breathe normally the rate of airflow is about ten miles per hour. When we cough, this can increase to up to five hundred miles per hour. Something that powerful has to be pretty important and nothing is as important as breathing.

This instinctive response can also kick in when we least want it such as when we are singing or speaking especially at higher pitches or loud volumes. When this happens, structures called the false vocal folds close over the true vocal folds. The true vocal folds are where we make sound. The false folds are what allow us to make a strong closure such as when we swallow, cough or strain. This is necessary in these functions but is completely inappropriate in singing or speaking. However it is possible to override it by silent laughing. Laughing is a device that actively pulls the false vocal folds into an open position, overriding the constrictive posture. This takes practice to locate and to maintain while singing or speaking but it is the most essential skill in voice training. Laughing prior to singing or voice practice, silently or otherwise, can have a directly beneficial effect on voices, releasing tension and creating an optimum position for healthy voicing.

There are many reasons why we constrict and it is important to know that we do not have to make a complete closure in the larynx in order to affect the voice. A partial closure of the false vocal folds is enough to disrupt the easy, free vibration of the true vocal folds, causing vocal problems such as hoarseness or loss of our usual voice quality. Triggers for constriction or the ‘wrong’ kind of effort in the larynx include speaking too loudly and for too long, shouting, speaking with a very breathy tone, speaking at the wrong pitch (too high or too low), constant throat clearing and straining or grunting while working out at the gym, to name some of the most common.

Another vital component of good vocal practice is the ability to make clear, clean tone, that is tone that is free from any breathiness or huskiness. While many people find a husky sound quite attractive, it is very tiring for the voice to produce and can result in further voice problems. Our working objective with all voices should be the inability to produce clear tone. A voice that is persistently breathy or hoarse is often an indication of other vocal problems and should be investigated further. Clear tone is the basis for building vocal strength and expressiveness, resonance and communication.

Other key factors that should be addressed in all voice training and by anyone interested in their own voices are:

Posture - healthy, sustainable voice use is dependent on efficient posture. The position of the larynx in the neck, how easily it moves and what other strains are placed upon it are affected by your posture. Good posture is the relationship between the head, neck & back which should be upright but not distorted or rigid.

Clear tone – as mentioned earlier, this is the basis for voice work.

Hydration – drinking enough water helps keep the vocal folds well lubricated which in turn eases strain and promotes good function.

Steaming – a bowl of boiling water and a towel is one the most efficient ways of hydrating the voice and is very comforting.
Your voice is a precious asset. Although it is pretty robust, a little care will ensure that it lasts you a lifetime. If you have any concerns about your voice, you should always contact your GP who will refer you to a specialist voice clinic, if required.

You can visit her website by clicking here.

A GIFT TO YOU!
NATURAL SELF-HYPNOSIS

I want to share with you a simple way to use self-hypnosis (trance) to help you to control daily tension and stress. Here is a completely natural way to go into a healing mind/body state.

When you feel like you need to take a break:

Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your thighs.

Now gently bring your awareness to your breathing. Just notice the natural rhythm of your breath without trying to change it.

As you continue to relax, tune into the most comfortable part of your body.

As you do this, imagine the comfort spreading deeply.

While you continue to focus on this comfort, find yourself relaxing more deeply.

This is a simple way to centre yourself and release any daily tension or stress.

Practise this technique for five to twenty minutes two to three times a day.

I bet you feel a lot better for it.

Stress-Related Conditions - Get Help with Hypnotherapy

Stress is not always harmful. At times it helps to get things done.
However, if stress gets out of control it can become negative stress which can become potentially damaging. Problems from insomnia, headaches to heart disease, high blood pressure and angina, to name a few, are all connected to high stress levels.

Hypnotherapy can be of tremendous value with stress awareness, click here to learn more.

Hypnosis Treatment - London / Kent

THE MAGIC INSIDE YOUR HEAD

Sigmund Freud once said that words were like magic. How right he was. Words have started wars and have ended wars. Words have healed and also destroyed lives so how are the words in your head affecting your life? Now this may all sound a bit dramatic you may think but the truth is your words create your world. Your inner thoughts or internal dialogue play a major part in your happiness and success, even your health. When you think of most problems we are faced with in life almost all are created or reinforced by negative self-talk, depression, anxiety, insomnia. The list goes on. You see most of this internal dialogue is out of our conscious awareness most of the time, we have trained ourselves well to almost do it naturally. You could say we have hypnotised ourselves into thinking this way. Now just imagine if we could de-hypnotise ourselves out of this bad habit.

It’s not your fault

The problem is we weren’t given a manual on how to use our brain when we were born “too bad” because if we were the world might be a different place to live in. So just what is the right way to think you may say. First of all it’s important to realise that what you focus on most in life is what you are likely to get. Many people invest a lot of time and energy reminding themselves of what they don’t want. Now what most people are not aware of is that words create mental images, and what this means is that when we talk to ourselves or think about what we don’t want, we are programming our minds to get just that. We create negative intentions, and as a result our life becomes a self-filling prophecy e.g. “I am a failure. I will always be fat. I will die trying…” You get the picture. This is more than just positive thinking we are talking about. I am talking about being aware of how we communicate to ourselves in a subjective way. Just by increasing our awareness of how we communicate to ourselves at an inner level, we can change our whole experience of life. We will be happier, we can create more success for ourselves and also be healthier. There are many examples of how words can wound or heal. There is probably no better example of how the power of words can heal us than that of prayer. Millions of people across the globe use many different forms of prayer as a path to happiness and good health. It is important to realise that you do not have to have to follow a religion to use positive self-talk, it can simply come from our own inner-selves.

7 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF-TALK

1. Remember words create mental images.
2. When thinking about what you want use words that create pictures of your desires in your mind.
3. When you focus on what you want use exciting, emotional words.
4. Eliminate negative words. Don’t, Not, Can’t, etc…
5. When you focus on your desires do it with positive intention.
6. Write down your goals on paper, keep your thoughts on track.
7. Above all keep your internal dialogue positive.

Through awareness of our own self-talk we can help keep our minds healthy and strong, and you never know perhaps you may even enjoy a little more happiness and prosperity in your life as a result.

I leave you with these words of wisdom. “It is the mind that maketh good or ill, that maketh wretch or happy, rich or poor” – Edmund Spenser.

A BOOK THAT YOU MUST READ

The 7 lost secrets of success – Joe Vitale

If you want to be successful you have got to get this amazing book. It has been referred to by one reader as the best book on success since “Think and grow rich” – Napoleon Hill.

This is a slim easy to read book with just over 100 pages. The author discusses 7 secrets of success that he feels are long forgotten. I personally think that the title is probably more than 90% accurate. Even through the book was written in the early nineties the material here is still as relevant as ever. I enjoyed reading this book very much. It contains good sound information and proven methods for creating a long lasting successful business.

Vitale shows us the importance of advertising, how honesty is one of the most powerful tools of persuasion on the planet, plus the lost secret to effective communication. Great stuff. Joe Vitale is a successful marketing specialist and copy writer, based in the U.S. I like his writing style; it’s a lot of fun reading his books. If you want to learn some true secrets of success, I urge you to get this book and read it NOW!! Available at www.amazon.com.

TESTIMONIAL OF THE MONTH

I would like to thank Stephanie White for sending me this wonderful letter.

"I am writing to thank you so much for your help with my fear of flying.

A brief bit of case history: I am 29 and had flown every year since birth including quite a few long haul flights without any problems at all. It was only when I took my own children on an aeroplane that I became aware that I was not comfortable with the experience. This became progressively worse as each summer holiday loomed and something as wonderful as a holiday suddenly became a thing to dread. I used to take valium and have a glass of wine ( or two ) before getting on the aeroplane. My husband and 2 children would sit on a different part of the plane to me as we didn’t want my very obvious fear to affect the children. I would then sit on my own with a blanket over my head (the only way that I could block out the fact that I was on a plane!!!)

Not only did the anxiety affect me dramatically during the build up to the holiday but of course it started to ruin the whole time we were away as I was worrying about flying home. The whole holiday experience became a very bad one. I had even began to show signs of panic when dropping friends and relatives of at the airport.

I decided to come to see you as I figured that this was my last chance to change things. I felt that I had nothing to lose (apart from the session cost). I had never been hypnotised before or tried any type of alternative therapy. After the first session I felt very relaxed and I came to see you in the week before we went away for some reinforcement work.

I felt absolutely no anxiety in the weeks before our holiday – it was amazing !!
On the morning of the flight I felt fine and even a little bit excited. The flight was four hours and I sat with my family, I eat my meal, I even went to the toilet !!! I would even go so far as to say I enjoyed it.

I am very grateful to you for all you help and understanding. I had an amazing holiday and felt very, very relaxed.

My husband and children were very proud of me and we are going to book another holiday.

Thanks again Marcus,

Stephanie White"

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

Sir Winston Churchill.

SENSATIONAL MEMORY by Chris Hare

Chris Hare performs as a professional entertainer as a memory man. On several occasions he has memorised the birthdays of over 300 cruise ship passengers and correctly recalled them instantly.

He once recorded the highest viewing figures on Maltese television where he memorised the names of the entire studio audience of over 100 people.

His amazing memory feats have helped raised several thousand of pounds for charity. The techniques taught in Sensational Memory have been tried and tested under the glare of the spotlight and the watchful of eyes of a public audience.

Chris Hare has written a course called Sensational Memory, which teaches how to improve your memory and powers of recall.

Every aspect of memory has been covered from memorising numbers, dates, text, playing cards, names and faces.

Apparently most people seem to have a fear that their memory is not very good. This fear is ill founded because unless you have a serious disease or brain damage you have the potential to have a Sensational Memory.

If you have the mental ability to read this paragraph, count to ten and visualise (not memorise but simply visualise) each of these following things: Train, Milk, Chimpanzee, Stamps, Snake, Forest, Tank, Clown, Trumpet and Flame - then you have the capacity to develop a Sensational Memory!

The aim of Sensational Memory is to help you quickly achieve a better use of your memory. Just by reading the first few pages you will have more of an understanding of how your memory works. You will soon be able to prove to yourself that you have an amazing capacity for memory.

Most people feel they have a poor memory because they lack confidence in their mental agility. By using Sensational Memory your confidence will soon grow and you will be able to apply your newly acquired skill in many everyday situations. Sensational Memory will give you the tools to justify this newfound confidence. It will not be long before you are amazed at the outstanding results that you will accomplish.

Sensational Memory will not just benefit people who feel they have a hopeless memory. It will also benefit people who believe they have a naturally good memory. Whatever your standpoint it is the intention that after reading Sensational Memory you will reach the dizzy heights of excellence.

By reading Sensational Memory you will acquire the skill of remembering names and faces. You will learn how to remember important dates such as birthdays and anniversaries. You will also learn how to quickly memorise passages of text for examinations and speeches.

Surprisingly, if you are able to remember just 10 letters you will be able to remember and recall 99 different items numbered on a list. By using a simple technique you will soon be able to recall any one of the items at random. For example, if you were given a random number such as 67 you would be able to recall immediately the corresponding item. You would also be able to give the corresponding number to any of the items listed.

It will become quickly apparent how this system works. Sensational Memory will positively encourage you and show you how to create your own mnemonic images.

Throughout the course of Sensational Memory you will be given useful information and techniques on how to improve your memory in general. By learning and applying these techniques you will find that your natural memory will improve.

To learn more about Sensational Memory and how to improve your memory and powers of recall, feel free to visit: www.sensationalmemory.com

HEALTH TIP!

The miracle of olive oil.

Everybody knows that olive oil is good for you especially the extra virgin type. Well now there is evidence of another benefit. Research in Seville suggests that olive oil has certain compounds that may prevent stomach ulcers. Now that’s some news that you may want some time to digest.

Phobias and Fears Hypnosis Treatment

Phobias are learned behaviours. The good news is the brain learns fast, and as fast as the brain learns to create a negative response to some situation or event, it can quickly learn to respond in a new positive more healthy way.

Some of the most common phobias and fears are:

• Fear of flying
• Public speaking
• Spiders
• Needles
• Heights
• Driving

Hypnotherapy and N.L.P can quickly and easily deal with most phobias in just one session.
Find out more by visiting our site www.hypnotherapylondonkent.co.uk

Weight Loss - the Forgotten Secret!

New no diet approach! Relies on your mind, not your food to lose weight!!

Imagine losing weight and keeping it off without dieting. In his new book, Harley Street based hypnotherapist Marcus D'Silva shows you that controlling your weight begins in your own mind. Its not about reducing carbs, fats, or counting calories. Its not about special diet shakes or pills. Its about changing the way we see ourselves.

Click here to learn more about Weight Loss the Forgotten Secret

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Treatment with Hypnotherapy

IBS has been found to be common in people who have gone through, or who are going through major life changes e.g. ... house or job changes, relationship, bereavement, etc..

Find out a non-intrusive, simple way to help you overcome IBS with Hypnosis

Male Impotence Hypnotherapy Treatment

Hypnotherapy can be a great help with many causes of impotence, where there is a psychological cause, addiction, or where a negative habit is linked.
Click here to learn more on treating male impotence

Hypnotherapy Treatment Free Consultation: Weight Loss, Stop Smoking, Ibs and more

Find lots of great information about hypnotherapy and how it can help you make positive new changes in your life.
Get a FREE 30 minutes consultation now and start your new year the best way!!

Click here to check out our hypnotherapy treatments.