Have You Changed Your Mind Lately? - by Carole Powell

You know, they (whoever “they” are!) often say: “It’s a woman’s perogative to change her mind” - and that might well be true.  But the fact of the matter is that using NLP techniques to change your mind is something everyone should do now and again!

We can all be creatures of habit. If you’re stuck in a rut or not achieving your goals, then change what isn’t working for you. This is an NLP pre-supposition. “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll get more of what you got”. Is your internal voice to blame for this? Perhaps it’s telling you to play it safe and stick with what you know. Do you feel like you’re hitting your head against a brick wall? Well the wall won’t move, so you have to! Think outside the box – what can you do differently to get the outcome you desire. Change your pattern of thinking and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

So, do you let your internal dialogue rule your life? It can be a good thing but it depends what it’s saying to you!  When that voice in your head tells you that you’re not clever enough to achieve your goal or you should stick to what you know rather than try something new, you are allowing your mind to hold you back with self-limiting beliefs.  Change that internal voice and tell yourself something different. Even if you don’t believe it at first it is the subconscious mind’s job to make your thoughts a reality and after a while of talking to yourself differently you will affect your actions. If you repeatedly tell yourself you are going to fail then in all honesty the chances are that you actually will! Encourage yourself with positive thoughts and set your course to succeed.

‘The map is not the territory’ is a fundamental NLP belief. Our mental map needs to be reviewed from time to time so we interact differently with the world and open up our opportunities and change our reality. How often have you changed your mind about something because you have had it explained differently to you or something has happened to make you see things in a different light?  I can remember going to New York for the first time in 1990 when it had the reputation of being a very dangerous city. I was on business on my own and was convinced I would be stabbed just walking down Fifth Avenue!  Of course the reality of my experience was very different and I loved the place. If I had not had to go there on business then my perception of New York would have remained the same. We use all your senses as filters to form our own sense of reality so be open minded and become more aware of what your senses are telling you and you may change your mind about things which previously you thought you were sure of.

Look at things differently by re-framing a situation. For example if money is tight and you have to cut back on going out, rather than feel this as a limitation on your enjoyment, see this as an opportunity to try out new meals at home, have simple kitchen suppers with friends you haven’t seen for a while or to simply rediscover favourite books and DVD’s.  The overall intention is to be happy therefore you can change your mind about the ways you can achieve this. You may find happiness in ways you hadn’t thought about before.

Your mind also has a great influence on your body and how you feel. Tiredness and aches and pains are sometimes the manifestation of your emotions and negative thoughts. Back to that internal dialogue! If you’re moaning away to yourself about how rubbish your life is, how can your body respond in a positive fashion? Take a holiday from your problems with time out to relax and think calming pleasant thoughts – this is where meditation becomes beneficial. If you’re dwelling on past bad experiences, put them behind you and turn the colour and brightness down on the picture or movie. Fade it away. If you are not familiar with the NLP techniques required then make an appointment with a licensed NLP Practitioner who can coach you.

Changing your mind is a healthy way of refreshing the way you experience your life and for setting and achieving your goals. Don’t become stale or stuck in your ways - and if you thought things couldn’t get any better perhaps through this article I have helped you to change your mind?

© Copyright in all media Carole Powell, 2010
Carole Powell is a Licensed Practitioner of NLP and Lifecoach.
Her website is: www.nlp-practice.com