A popular method for building self-esteem, positive thinking, self-confidence and other positive social and psychological states is hypnosis.
There a lot of misconceptions about hypnosis, so let us clarify a few things first. Hypnosis will not make you do things that you do not want to do. Under hypnosis, you will not enter a deep unconscious sleep. You will be awake and aware. You do not need a hypnotherapist to swing a pendulum in front of your eyes.
Hypnosis is simply a way to train yourself to enter a deeply relaxed state and hopefully tap into your subconscious mind. When your thoughts are unhindered by anxieties and stresses, you can plant suggestions more deeply into your mind. There, they will take root and hopefully affect your conscious decisions in positive ways. Hypnosis is used for the same reasons as that we use affirmations or other positive self talk. The difference is that with hypnosis, we are able to plant those thoughts much deeper.
We all understand the importance of self-esteem. If we are unable to have a positive view of ourselves, it is unlikely that we will be happy. Our mental health and even our survival depend on our self-esteem.
This is one reason why self esteem hypnosis has become so popular. It is yet another effective way to improve that self-esteem that is such a vital part of our success and happiness.
So What Is Self-Esteem Hypnosis?
The hypnotic state is similar to the relaxed state that is achieved through meditation. There are hypnotists or hypnotherapists that study this activity and can be very helpful in achieving this state and knowing what to do once you are there.
Alternatively, there is a practice known as self-hypnosis that is equally effective if done properly. Self-hypnosis is actually quite simple, relaxing and enjoyable. It is a great tool for training you mind for any number of positive pursuits. It is also a great way to simply relax and relieve stress. Because if its effectiveness, it is a powerful tool for building self esteem as well.
You mind has great power and influence over your life. Unfortunately, the mind is not something that we can fully control. Subconsciously, our minds actively pursue their goals without our control. Over time, we pick up bad habits that slowly work to program our minds to work in non-productive ways. Hypnosis allows us to train our minds to work on pursuits that are more positive.
The idea is a simple one. The process of hypnosis consists of relaxation to open your mind, suggestion to train positive concepts and positive conscious reinforcement afterward.
The First Step Is to Reach the Relaxed State
We use deep breathing exercises or meditation to rid your self of anxieties, stresses and other conscious mental habits that prevent our minds from accepting positive suggestions.
Breathe deeply and clear your mind by focusing on the rhythm of your breaths, a ticking clock or any other relaxing repetitive sound. Slow your body and mind. Continue this until you are able to feel your body become deeply relaxed. The effects get stronger with practice.
At this point, although you are still conscious, you are also said to be subconscious. In this state, your mind is more receptive to suggestions because the relaxed state has removed many of the stresses and defensive reactions that cause it to be over critical and resistant to new ideas. In this state, you are more likely to believe the things you learn. These are things that you know to be true on some level but you have been unsuccessful in training yourself to believe them deeply and at all times.
The target is the subconscious here, and it is more open to “attack” when you are relaxed. When your body is completely relaxed, you can concentrate more on what you can say to yourself and completely believe it. On a side note, you will always feel a lot relaxed afterwards.
Positive Suggestions
This phase is where you begin to fill your mind with the positive ideas that you hope to adopt. During this phase, we think of positive scenarios, we brainstorm ways to create a positive outcome out of any looming negative scenario. We use affirmations to reinforce positive self-image. We practice being happy confident and effective people.
Our mind will accept these positive ideas more easily that it will during our normal states of stress and near panic that we maintain during our typical day. For self-esteem, this is where we practice positive self-talk in any form. Another tool that is effective for leaving positive impressions on the mind is visualization. We basically visualize the positive outcomes that we desire in our lives. Plant the positive seed and let it grow.
One more interesting technique to use while in this suggestive state is to remember negative situations from our past. Think of things that you have done that you are not particularly proud of. Now imagine yourself in that situation again only this time you are a different person. You are the person that you want to be. This time you handle the situation differently and you are proud of the way you handle it. You visualize this as vividly as possible. Really, put yourself into it completely. If you do this often enough, your mind begins to re-associate those past negative events with positive feelings. You are showing your brain that you are not the person in those memories, you have learned from those mistakes. You are now the person who handles those situations much more effectively.
Reinforce the Suggestions Afterward
Remind yourself when you are finished that this positive attitude is real. Believe in the suggestions that you have implanted and continue to practice positive self-talk and affirmations. This will reinforce the effects of the hypnotic suggestions and increase their effectiveness. Understand it, believe it and teach it to your mind. You have to exert control over your thoughts and reactions. Hypnosis allows us to do that.
These self-esteem hypnosis practices are beneficial but like anything else in life, they take practice. Do not expect to sit down, do some breathing, tell your self to be super confident and hop up changes forever. It takes time to get good at it. It takes practice to reach deep states of relaxation. It takes repetition to leave lasting impressions through hypnotic suggestion. This is something that you must discipline yourself to do often if you want to get real results.
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