As much as I love my current profession, I may have to take a temporary leave of absence to start up a new business. Watch this and you will see why.
Now really, there are franchises available. I could hire college hunks and put them to work for me? Then again, my sons would be mortified, I guess I will stay with working with clutterers through hypnosis.
Last night I spoke at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. It was a lovely setting and the turn out was great. I was pleased to see some familiar faces, there to support me. (Thank you Ms. E!) One of the issues I discussed was how clutter in the studio can cause clutter in the mind. This becomes a barrier to creative productivity. I told the group that I knew none of the artists there had an issue with clutter, that resulted in giggles. Huh?
In my preparations for this event I came across a hand out I had from a seminar I had attended. It is the affirmations given out by Clutterers Anonymous. There are some gems within the list. So, checking online, I found them at the Clutterers Anonymous website. I am shamelessly posting them here, but do stop by and visit the site. The 20 questions is a great tool as well.
Affirmations repeated as you look into the mirror are always powerful. Also, using these in a hypnotic trance, make them your reality. So, read and embrace the ones that speak to you, on your journey towards freedom!
A reminder to locals I am speaking tonight at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. Scroll down the page for details!
What glorious weather we had here this weekend. The kind that inspires movement and for me, cleaning. Apparently, it inspired many I know to do the same. It seems as though it was a weekend for eliminating clutter. Clutter that surrounds us, can also take up space in our heads and on our bodies.
There are many people who become overwhelmed with clutter, leading to hoarding. They have a fear of letting things go. You never know when you might “need” that item. So the piles begin and grow out of control. When clutter takes over the home, these same folks often isolate themselves.
Some common characteristics of cluttered people are:
* Highly creative, with a superior intelligence.
* Compulsive spending/shopping.
* Fear and inability to discard items.
* Time management issues. Procrastination is very common.
* Money management problems.
* Tendency to be heavy recyclers.
* Having a chronic illness/disability or being a caretaker for someone with a chronic illness.
* OCD and ADD may also be present.
People with clutter and hoarding issues have frequent feelings and thoughts of depression. Perfectionism is often present, although they are unaware of it. “How can I be a perfectionist they ask me, if I am living like this? I explain that their high desire for perfectionism can result in them being overwhelmed by not having the time to do it “right”. They then experience an emotional paralysis. This leads to negative self-talk, embarrassment, a low self-esteem, and other debilitating emotions.
I work with these individuals through hypnosis to change their behaviors and habits, one baby step at a time. Make small changes rather than trying to fix the mess all at once. We also work on improving self esteem and allowing them to see themselves as safe in the world. It is time to throw away old judgemental beliefs about themselves and move into freedom.
For some, I find they need physical assistance as well. I refer them to a great company Professional Organizing Services. They are nonjudgmental and they get in and help do the heavy lifting!
Interestingly, as the clutter around them disappears, often, so does the clutter on the body. They also find they are more organized in thought as well.
For me, it is time to drop off bags of unwanted items at the Goodwill truck, parked in the Walmart parking lot. They make it so easy to donate!
This Tuesday I am giving a presentation for the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. I am addressing the inner artist that dwells within all of us. At some level, we all have the urge to express ourselves and when we get beyond the fear of other’s opinions, we allow ourselves to truly create!
Through hypnosis techniques, we can call upon that genius to inspire us and even improve our skills.
If you live in the area, stop in and join us. It promises to be a fun event.
Imagine an opportunity presents itself to land the big client, to finally meet with the CEO of a fortune 500 company and get a signature on a career making contract and all you have to do is fly to the city where the corporate office is located. It is too far a drive to be there by deadline, just hop on a plane and your career hits the big time! Maybe your favorite niece is getting married at an exotic resort and you are invited to attend, you just have to fly there. A group of your golfing buddies are going to play one of the most exclusive courses and make a weekend out of it. There is even a corporate jet provided to get you there. Just climb on board and join the fun.
Or not. What if you are one of the many who suffer from a fear of flying?
It has been said that as many as 1 out of every 3 adults suffers from a fear of flying. It is said to be a learned fear. The reasons vary as much as the individuals who suffer from it. There are those who feel claustrophobic (fear of enclosed spaces), others suffer from acrophobia (fear of heights), while others may fear not being in control or may have developed a fear as a result of a horrific accident they saw in the news. Still, there are those who have had experiences that set them into a fearful state. Regardless of the reason, the fear can prevent the sufferer from enjoying one of the safest modes of transportation and the opportunities that are available as a result of the freedom flying brings.
This week I had a gentleman come into my office to quit smoking. Now, this is someone whom I know from another aspect of my life. He has known me for many years and we have always been cordial. He has never known me to harm anyone. Yet, his hands shook as he filled out the paperwork. He was terrified of what he was about to experience.
I am not quite sure what he thought I could/would do to him, but it sure was evident that he was giving me all the power over him. So, we spent some time discussing hypnosis and all the myths surrounding it. I was able to explain to him that he was in control, not me. Eventually, he relaxed and took back his power. After our time together, he left my office, smoke free and very happy.
His first comment as he came out of trance was how different it felt, how time seemed to change. He wasn’t sure how long he had been in my office, it felt like forever and then again like he had just walked in. Either way, he was hooked! I was happy to give him the audio I have for my smokers and promised him the audio of our session as well.
In honor of this gentleman, the writing I am doing on fears and the fact that it is Friday, I leave you with a video that I just love.
Fear. Fear of not being enough.
Often I have clients who come to see me about their careers as well as personal lives. They are “stuck”. Things may be going well, but they can’t seem to get it to the next level. Worse still, they have the opportunity to move forward, but fear holds them back. What if they are not good enough? What if they are a fraud? What if another person finds out?! What if the opportunity really is too good to be true, after all they don’t deserve it, do they?
I tell a client at a time like this to ask themselves, “Is it too good to be true for anybody, or just too good to be true for you?” If your best friend or co-worker had this opportunity, would it be too good for them? Why is it that we see so much more worthiness for our family, friends, and co-workers than we do for ourselves?
First of all, perhaps it is time to give yourself some compassion. Take time to see yourself through the eyes of one who loves you. You may be the world to another, stop and think how they see you. Wouldn’t they see you as good enough for this opportunity?
Next, stop comparing yourself to others. You have your own set of abilities, talents and even quirks that make you the very individual you are. There is no one who is perfect, so get off your back! Your quirks are a part of you and unless they cause harm to yourself or another, let them be for now! Just focus on enjoying the experience of life.
I will take a client through a hypnotic experience of who they are and allow them to see themselves through the eyes of another who loves them. I will also guide them through an experience the way they imagine a hero or mentor would experience it. It is amazing the confidence that they can then go forward into the new opportunity with!
Start cheering yourself onward. After all, if not you, then who?
Recent research has shown that guided relaxation (such as hypnosis) reduced the blood pressure of seniors more than listening to a Mozart sonata did. This is a surprise? It has been my personal experience that although my clients enjoy relaxing music, they may continue to perseverate on their worries if they are not feeling reassured. My job is to help them accomplish this on their own. If they could do it automatically though, they might not be coming into my office in the first place.
When I taught young children, during nap/rest times we would play Mozart. However, some of the children needed the addition of a gentle rub on their back or words of reassurance as they fell to sleep. My sons rested better after a time of comforting from Mom. There are times I need the comfort of a human voice to reassure me.
Therefore, none of this surprises me. What it does do, though is inspire me. Perhaps I shall make arrangements to visit some local nursing homes and volunteer some group sessions for stress relief. I can record these for their later listening relaxation.
What do you think? Any of my local colleagues want to join me?
Do you grab a bowl of ice cream after a difficult day? Do you crave pizza after hearing great news? Do you find yourself mindlessly munching while doing a rote task? Then you might be an emotional eater.
To some extent, emotional eating is normal. We are taught to eat for emotional reasons rather than physiological reasons at a young age. Fall down and get a boo boo and mommy will give you an ice pop to dry your tears. Celebrate good news with a festive meal. Friends and neighbors bring casseroles and cakes during times of grief and sadness. It becomes a problem when eating becomes our primary coping strategy and our physical or emotional health is affected.
When we eat out of boredom, for instance, our thoughts turn to the food we anticipate and it consumes our attention, temporarily. I recently had a client who told me she ate time away. When angry, we may tear into a crunchy bag of chips, momentarily forgetting what we are angry about. However, when we are finished, we find ourselves feeling guilty and angry with ourselves.
Perhaps, it is easier to be angry at ourselves than at the other person? We know that if we face our anger, disappointment, sadness, etc. we may have to cope with upsets in our lives and relationships. So, we stuff. Then, feeling like a failure for having eaten so much, we once again turn to food to cope. The viscous cycle continues.
How do we stop the cycle of emotional eating? First, we want to recognize whether we are using food as a coping mechanism. Here are some basic signs:
Once these signs are recognized and you have identified that you are an emotional eater, what do you do? How do you break the cycle? To begin with, you want to become a mood detective. That is, you want to become aware of the triggers you have that set you off on an eating tangent. Keeping a journal of what you eat and the emotions you feel at the time are a good beginning. What were the circumstances occurring that caused the over eating?
Next, you want to have alternative ways of coping with those emotions. Learn new emotional outlets, journal, sharing with a friend, change your thoughts to more positive, hopeful ones. In hypnosis sessions, we identify the triggers and create new behavioral responses to them. We can also begin to look for solutions rather than blame or shame.
Some quick tips for overcoming emotional eating are:
