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Category Archives: Meditation

How to Use Meditation to Help Overcome Your OCD

Posted on December 2, 2021 - 3:49 pm by
How to Use Meditation to Help Overcome Your OCD

To the uninitiated, meditation appears to be a relatively easy activity. Most people think it appears boring but easy. Meditation is anything but. Meditation can be more mentally challenging than taking a cold shower, strenuous exercise, or sitting through an all-day meeting at work.

The urges that cause you to want to check the oven, lash out in anger, count, or even heading back to check the oven again, are the same types of urges you must learn to overcome to meditate successfully. The urge to quit is great. Your brain tries to rationalize that sitting there is a waste of time and that you can’t beat your OCD.

I’m here to tell you that you can. I have.

If you can meditate successfully, you can do just about anything. Most importantly, you’ll learn how your mind works and how it tries to trick you into doing your daily rituals.

Build your willpower through the practice of meditation:

1. Start with just 5 minutes per day. (I know that seems like a lot of time to spend with your intrusive thoughts) but you’ll learn how to do it and it will end up being quite simple. Just sit in a comfortable position. A firm, straight-back chair is a good option. Leaning back in a recliner can work well, too. Just be certain you can be comfortable enough to remain motionless, but not fall asleep. Sitting on the floor in the corner of the room is another popular option.

  • Use a timer so you don’t have to peek at the clock.

2. Focus on your breath. Close your eyes. Inhale into your stomach and exhale those nasty thoughts. Breath in the light and exhale the dark. Count each exhalation until you reach 10, and then start over. The whole point is to only focus on your breath. Feel the air passing in and out of you. Just keep your attention on the breath. Notice the breath, but don’t think about it.

  • Be aware of your breath, but don’t have any internal dialog about it. Don’t judge it. Just notice it.

3. Your mind will wander. It’s highly unlikely you’ll even count to five before an intrusive thought intrudes on your meditation. It might be about your child, the dirty dishes, or wondering if you need to clean your laptop. Eventually, your focus will get better and will help you overcome the panic that is associated with OCD.

  • When your mind wanders, just bring it back to your breath. Focus on the light and dark.

4. Notice what happens. Notice how your mind wanders very quickly. You’ll probably find that you can’t reach 10 breaths even once without an intrusive thought. Also, notice your self-talk. You’ll try to convince yourself that this meditation thing is a big waste of time.

  • Just keep doing your best until the timer alerts you that the session is completed.
  • When the urge to quit hits you, just relax and return to your breath. This is one of the most useful skills you can develop. You can use it anytime you have the urge to do something you know you shouldn’t, cleaning the house or washing your hands for the 100th

5. Add 1 minute each week. Five minutes isn’t easy. Ten is even more challenging. Imagine what an hour is like. As your tolerance for sitting and focusing grows, keep adding time. Build up to at least an hour of continuous meditation. That’s an hour of learning to overcome your intrusive thoughts. It’s an hour of working through your fears.

6. Try to maintain the same feeling throughout the day. At the end of a meditation session, you feel pretty good. It’s the only break your brain gets each day. Try to maintain that feeling as long as possible. When you have an anxiety attack or are annoyed by your child’s dirty shoes, focus on your breath.

Your ability to concentrate, regardless of the distractions around you, can be built through meditation. Meditation teaches you how to overcome your OCD and intrusive thoughts. Your ability to focus can be developed. Meditation is a wonderful tool for building will, discipline, and strength of mind. It’s also 100% free!

Understanding the Purpose of Meditation

Posted on July 27, 2021 - 3:22 pm by
Understanding the Purpose of Meditation

 

Many religions and philosophies advocate meditation. Meditation is also used as a tool in many activities and for self-help purposes. While all of these things might be rather disparate, the reasons for performing the meditation are rather similar.

Most of us feel we have a reasonable understanding of the practice of meditation, but many of us can’t really describe the actual purpose.

A meditative practice brings you many benefits:

  1. It’s the one time your mind really gets a rest. Your mind is constantly active. It’s thinking about ten different things every 15 seconds. It’s telling you that you need a drink of water. It’s worrying about your date next Saturday and reminding you that you don’t have enough money in your bank account to pay your cable bill.
  • Sleep isn’t any better. In your dreams, you’re largely acting and behaving the same way you do while awake. You’re still worrying about the same stuff during your dreams. Sleep is great for resting your body, but it’s not as useful for resting your mind.
  • In meditation, you create a space where your mind is essentially empty. In many forms of meditation, you focus on one, trivial thing and concentrate all your thoughts on that single item or idea. It’s incredibly relaxing.
  1. You learn how to focus. When you think of meditation, do you imagine someone sitting alone in a quiet room with subdued lighting? This is the easiest way to meditate, with no distractions. It’s like meditation with training wheels. But you could actually be meditating most of the time as well.
  • It’s easiest to learn to meditate under ideal conditions. Then, try expanding your meditation skills to other activities. You know you can really meditate when you can stay calm, happy, and focused on a loud, hot, busy, smelly subway. Don’t live near the subway? Try a long day with the in-laws.
  • Most of us focus very poorly. Imagine how much better you would feel and how much more you would accomplish if you could stay focused on the activity at hand. Plus, it’s hard to worry if you’re controlling the content of your thoughts.
  1. You can find answers. When your mind is running a hundred miles an hour, it’s difficult to find elegant solutions to your challenges. A brain needs a little space to find effective solutions to tough challenges. Meditation can provide that needed space.
  • Have you ever noticed that many of your best ideas have come while doing something that occupies your mind in a rather mindless way? Activities like mowing the grass, taking a shower, or driving down the highway with little traffic are great for solving problems. Your mind is occupied but free to wander a little. Meditation is similar.
  1. Meditation is healthy. Stress is incredibly hard on the body. Meditation reduces stress, lowers your pulse and blood pressure, and improves sleep.
  • Meditation can be done quickly. You’d be surprised how much more you can accomplish and how much more enjoyable your day is when you meditate for a few minutes several times a day. Five minutes every hour is a great place to start.

Meditation isn’t just for a yogi in India sitting on top of a tree. Anyone can use meditation to bring rest and peace into their life. It can also improve your performance. Learn to meditate and enjoy a greater quality of life.

Healing Meditations Inspired by Band-Aids

Posted on April 29, 2021 - 11:55 am by
Healing Meditations Inspired by Ban-Aids

 

It’s nearly impossible to get through childhood without a few scraped knees and skinned elbows. Just like you apply a Band-Aid when you get an injury to your skin, you probably have defense mechanisms you use to deal with other kinds of discomfort.

Your meditation sessions can be an opportunity to explore these habits and find out whether they’re working for or against you. Try these 4 ideas to help you get started.

Seek Temporary Cover

A Band-Aid provides an effective short-term solution. In fact, it’s a myth that wounds heal faster when exposed to fresh air. You can throw away your bandage once you’ve healed.

  1. Focus on one growing concern. Do you see trouble brewing ahead? Maybe you’re making minimum payments on a credit card and the balance keeps growing.
  2. Identify resources to solve it. You probably wound up in this situation because you lack the information or skills to fix things on your own. Figure out where you can find more knowledge and expertise. You may want to talk with a financial counselor.
  1. Take a long-term perspective. Consider the benefits of caring for your future self. Live in the moment, but save part of each paycheck.

Clean the Area First

You need to wash away dirt and impurities before you break out the Band-Aid. Otherwise, you’ll trap in contamination that will slow down the healing process.

  1. Select one relationship. Choose your spouse or a co-worker. What do you like and dislike about the way you interact with them?
  2. Come up with three actions. List a few things you can do immediately to strengthen your connection. Get home for dinner more often or share your binder clips when the supply cabinet runs out.
  3. Go deeper. This will clear the simple obstacles out of the way. Now you can be patient and tackle tougher issues, like building up trust or appreciating people with values different than your own.

Have Fun

You can enjoy life even when you’re sporting a few bruises. Kids like to show off bandages decorated with farm animals and action heroes. As an adult, you can turn your missteps into entertaining stories.

  1. Relive an embarrassing moment. Think about the time you knocked over a store display or spilled coffee on an important client. Ask yourself if you still feel angry or upset.
  2. Emphasize the humorous aspects. Learn to laugh at your mistakes. Figure out what they can teach you and move on.
  3. Share your story. Go one step further and let someone else in on the joke. Call your best friend or talk about it the next time you get together for coffee.

Pull It Off Quickly

Mothers and scientists agree that tearing off a Band-Aid with one strong tug hurts less than dragging out the process. You spend less time pulling on sensitive skin.

  1. Examine something you’ve been suppressing. You probably have at least one thing that you try to avoid thinking about. Is your car leaking fluid? Would buying a new transmission wipe out the money you put aside for your summer vacation?
  2. Prepare to take rapid action. Face your worries head on. Call your auto mechanic today to get it checked out. Maybe you can adjust your budget to pay the bill. Perhaps you’ll find out that it’s something less serious.
  3. Relish the feeling. Let the relief you feel after this experience motivate you to be more direct. Prompt action is usually the best remedy.

Bandages serve a purpose, but you can go beyond just covering up your injuries. Use your meditation sessions to mend old wounds and prevent future injuries, as well.

Mental Vacation With Uplifting Meditations

Posted on April 24, 2021 - 2:31 pm by
Mental Vacation With Uplifting Meditations

 

Enjoy a Mental Vacation With Uplifting Meditations on the Sea

Just like water pleases our senses, meditating on the sea can make our minds more joyful. These are three meditations with marine themes that will leave you feeling better and thinking more clearly. Get ready for a magical experience!

Meditating on the Sea and Vastness

  1. Set the scene. If you have a beach nearby, head out to the sand. Otherwise, you can conjure up a marine environment with a recording of waves and seagulls. Set out a picture of the waterfront or some shells from your last summer vacation.

  2. Get off your feet. Sit down on the ground or on a chair, whichever is more comfortable. Maintain good posture with your back held straight. Your arms can relax at your sides or rest in your lap.

  3. Focus on your breath. Turn your attention to your breathing. Consciously slow down. Hold each inhalation and exhalation for about the same interval. Feel your diaphragm rise and fall as you draw air in and out.
  4. Picture an infinite ocean. Imagine you’re looking into an endless field of blue waves. Allow the image to fill your vision and your world.
  5. Feel the spaciousness. Luxuriate in living large. Stretch out and relish the absence of boundaries.
  6. Take a broader view of things. Conclude your session with a determination to give yourself more room. If you start to feel pressured, slow down and remember the ocean.

Meditating on the Sea and Purification

  1. Get into position. Get ready for your next session. Sit down and count your breaths.
  2. Observe your thoughts. Take note of each thought that crosses your mind. Remain neutral and accept whatever arises.

  3. Imagine everything rinsed clean. As your mind slows down, select a time when it feels natural to pause. Now envision water washing over all your cares.
  4. Share the sensation. Take that atmosphere of rejuvenation and bestow it upon others. Divvy it up among your loved ones and total strangers.

  5. Resolve to keep things tidy. Once you’re feeling restored, aim to stay on track. Spend less time worrying and devote your energy to the things you find most meaningful.

Meditating on the Sea and a Sense of Connection

  1. Take your seat. Once again, find your way back to the beach or the images that bring it to your mind. Scan your body and mind for any tension and let your breath melt it away.

  2. Contemplate the importance of water. Think of all the things that water does for you. Water provides beauty and enables life. It’s present everywhere: in the sea, your body, the rain, and swimming pools.
  3. Generate gratitude. Express your appreciation for water. It was there waiting for you when you were born. It makes your survival possible and quenches your thirst. It washes your clothes and allows people and goods to move across the planet.

  4. Add more blessings to the list. The more you think about it, the more you’ll notice all the things you have to be grateful for. Natural forces and other people provide us with many essential resources without requiring any effort or expense from us.

  5. Seek out ways to give back. Take a moment to ponder your connection with the Earth and other creatures. Think of their kindness and generosity. Even if the sea lacks any intentions towards you, it still showers you with precious gifts. With this perspective, you’ll feel highly motivated to do good deeds of your own.

Treat your mind to a beach vacation! Meditations on the sea are an effective way to put yourself at ease and see your life in a new light.

15 Ways to Be More Comfortable During Meditation

Posted on April 18, 2021 - 3:45 pm by
15 Ways to Be More Comfortable During Meditation

 

Meditation is good for your mind, but sometimes your body needs a little tweaking to get it to cooperate. These are steps you can take before and after meditating and during your session to relieve physical discomforts and make it easier to concentrate.

Steps To Take Before and After Meditation

1. Stay active. An active lifestyle and regular workouts will keep you in top shape for all activities including meditation. A supple body encourages a supple mind. Exercise also plays a big role in maintaining an ideal body weight that helps you to feel more at ease all the time.

2. Train for flexibility. Simple stretches help prevent stiffness and aches. Warm-up first to prevent injuries. Hold static poses and gradually extend your range of motion.

3. Eat light. Heavy meals tend to cause drowsiness. Select foods that are easy to digest and try eating smaller and more frequent servings.

4. Limit alcohol and caffeine. Depressants and stimulants affect both your body and mind. Take prescription medications as directed, but limit other substances that can make you foggy or jittery.

5. Dress down. Wear clothing that feels good. Garments that are soft and loose will protect you from feeling itchy or pinched. Bring along a sweater you can take on or off depending on the room temperature. Kick off your shoes.

Steps To Take During Your Meditation Session

1. Scan your body. Start out by checking in with your body from head to foot. Breathe deeply through your nose. Become aware of any spots that are tense or uncomfortable. Imagine your breath is healing them.

2. Minimize saliva. Our mouths produce saliva all the time but it can feel more conspicuous when you’re meditating. Pressing your tongue lightly against the roof of your mouth inhibits any excess.

3. Rest your arms and hands. Bend your elbows and place your hands in your lap cupped together with the palms upturned. If you prefer, you can rest them at your sides.

4. Lower your shoulders. Stress often shows up in raised shoulders. Gently lower them and press them back. This will bring your chest forward and make it easier to breathe deeply.

5. Lift your head. Hold your head up and slightly forward. This will take pressure off your neck.

6. Support your feet. Uncross your legs and place your feet flat on the floor if you’re sitting in a chair. If you’re sitting on the floor, center them in front of you.

7. Relax your eyes. Avoid eye strain and visual distractions by softening your vision. You can close your eyes or keep the lids barely open. Allow yourself to remain aware of your general surroundings without honing in on any individual item.

8. Shift positions. It’s okay to move anytime you feel stiff or uneasy. Settle into a new position and resume your meditation. Retrace your recent thoughts if your attention gets pulled away temporarily.

9. Get a chair. Unless you grew up in a monastery, sitting on the floor for long periods may be difficult at first. Pull up a chair. Pick a style with a flat seat and straight back that allows your feet to reach the floor.

10. Walk around. Walking meditation is great for beginners or as a supplement to your seated practice. When your body needs a break from sitting, you can continue your thoughts as you pace indoors or out.

Staying fit and maintaining good posture will enrich your meditation practice. When your body is comfortable, you’ll be able to sit longer and experience fewer distractions as you develop greater peace of mind.

Ways to Enhance Your Meditation Practice

Posted on March 21, 2021 - 12:48 pm by 1
Ways to Enhance Your Meditation Practice

Ways to Enhance Your Meditation Practice

Meditation can be an effective way to reduce stress, achieve clarity, and attain a mentally calm state. It allows you to view the world from a perspective that isn’t tainted by your personal beliefs and past experiences.

Meditation is simple but challenging to do well. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few tricks up your sleeve. There are several things you can do to enhance your meditation practice and receive greater benefits.

Try these ideas for ways to enhance your meditation practice:

Be consistent. Have a time and place that you meditate each day. If you want to maximize your skill at meditation, make it a permanent part of your schedule, like brushing your teeth. You always brush your teeth at the same time each day. Do the same with your meditation practice.

  • If possible, have a meditation-specific location where you meditate. This can be a spare room or a corner of the house that you can set aside for your practice. Make it comfortable and inspiring.

Have at least one longer session each week. While you can receive great benefits from meditating for as little as five minutes, there’s something magical that happens when you sit for an hour or more each day.

  • Have a session or two each week where you add five minutes each time until you’re up to an hour of sitting time. Feel free to go even further if you have the time.

Avoid expectations. You’ll have good days and bad days when meditating. There are days you feel that you could sit there for hours. There are other days when your mind is running wild, and it feels like you have no control. Both are fine. Just be aware and sit with whatever is happening.

Avoid meditating when you are fatigued. With enough practice, you can indeed fall asleep in the sitting position! If you’re extremely tired, you’d be better off taking a short nap and meditating at another time.

Meditate throughout the day. Sitting on your cushion under ideal conditions isn’t the only place to meditate. It’s just the easiest.

  • The real trick is to be able to meditate while sitting elsewhere, like in a hot, noisy, smelly bus. Can you focus on your breath and fully experience your surroundings under those circumstances?

Meditate on an empty stomach. It’s harder to meditate when you have a big meal digesting in your tummy. You feel tired and sluggish. Your best meditation sessions will occur when you’re alert and able to concentrate.

  • Try not to meditate when you’re excessively hungry either.

Minimize interruptions. Shut the door and let everyone know that you want an hour of peace and quiet. Turn off your phone. This is your time. Take control of it.

Try meditating with a group. If you only meditate with a group, try meditating alone. Most people have a definite preference but give the other option a try from time to time. It’s a different experience, and you’ll gain a different perspective. You might even make a new friend or two.

Whether you’re just learning to meditate or a seasoned pro, you can enhance your meditation practice further. Meditation is one of the best ways to relieve stress and increase your enjoyment of life. Consider how you can strengthen your ability to meditate and reap the greatest benefits from your meditation practice.

The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

Posted on January 22, 2021 - 11:22 am by
The Meditative Path to Building Your Confidence

 

I’m sure you have heard that meditation is an effective way to relax, the truth is it can be used for many other purposes too. If you’re trying to restore your confidence in your self, incorporating a daily mindfulness practice will help,

One of the most important ingredients for your happiness and success is having self-confidence. It gives you the tools you need to be more motivated and energetic. It will help you reach your goals. It will enhance your health while strengthening your relationships.

Do you want to feel better about yourself and your ability to face your life’s challenges?

Learn how to use meditation to build your self-esteem and self-confidence.

Increase Your Self-Awareness Using Meditation

Self-doubt can destroy your experiences and opportunities especially if you shy away from taking risks. Meditation creates a personal safe space for overcoming your habits with honesty and courage.

Try these strategies:

  1. Listen to your body. Your posture affects your self-confidence. Sit up tall and taking deep breaths when you start to meditate. Examine yourself from head to foot to spot any discomfort. Try tensing your muscles and then releasing the tension.
  2. Let go of all judgments. Notice your thoughts and feelings without criticizing them. Embrace your strengths and weaknesses.
  3. Challenge your assumptions. Do you cling to outdated beliefs that hold you back? Rewire your thinking by examining your typical reactions and considering more constructive approaches.
  4. Make conscious decisions. It’s easy to wind up drifting along on autopilot. Mindfulness meditation can help you to take charge of your life.

Using Meditation to Generate Compassion

Maybe you don’t even realize that you are undermining your self-confidence. Focusing in on your thought patterns will give you an opportunity to transform the way you treat yourself.

Boost your self-confidence and learn to be kind to yourself using these techniques.

  1. Become aware of your self-talk. What does your internal conversation sound like? Replace negative messages with achievable postive feedback.
  2. Chant mantras. Reciting uplifting words and phrases is a proven way to stay focused during meditation. Write your own encouraging affirmations or find inspiration in people and self-help books.
  3. Nurture yourself. A great way to start investing in your confidence and wellbeing would be to schedule daily meditation time. Start eating healthy, get regular exercise, and add restorative sleep to your routine.
  4. Seek support. Childhood memories and other influences can make it difficult to show compassion for yourself.

Accomplish More Using Meditation

Recognizing your achievements can give you a boost in your self-confidence. Meditation teaches you to live more mindfully, and that can help you to excel in your personal and professional life.

Consider these tips:

  1. There’s n. The stress of rushing around can erode your confidence. You’ll probably accomplish more with less effort as meditation trains you to move more deliberately. Figure out your priorities and shorten your to do list. Take breaks throughout the day to prevent burnout.
  2. Be gratitude. Being thankful makes you feel more secure and connected to others. You’ll have the confidence to take worthwhile risks and try new things. Your warm and relaxed attitude will also make it easier to collaborate with others.
  3. Keep practicing. Be patient with yourself as you build your confidence. Change is normally a gradual process. Expect setbacks and evaluate your progress daily. You’ll probably find that meditating is more productive on some days than others.
  4. Meditation helps you to look at the big picture which in turn creates the balance you need. As you balance the various aspects of your life, your confidence, and peace of mind increase two-fold.

Meditation can make your self-confidence soar. When you love and appreciate yourself for who you are, your life becomes richer and more rewarding.

Meditation versus Self-Hypnosis

Posted on January 13, 2021 - 11:03 am by
Meditation versus Self-Hypnosis

 

Often times there is much confusion surrounding meditation and self-hypnosis. Are they just two different terms for the same thing? Or are they completely different?

There’s no straight forward answer. There are so many types of meditation. Some of them are very similar to self-hypnosis, while others are obviously not.

When used properly and consistently both are impressive tools.

When you think of meditation what  comes to mind? You might have visions of a yogi or monk sitting quietly in solitude.

When you consider self-hypnosis what comes to mind? Do you think of a psychologist. Perhaps you remember the stage hypnotist you saw in high school or at the bar that made some of your fellow peers walk like zombies.

Consider these differences:

1. Purpose: Most meditations have a general goal in mind  even though its possible to mediate with a a very specific event. These goals usually revolve around understand the nature of your mind, mindfulness, and limiting the power or influence of random thoughts.

  • Self-hypnosis focuses on a specific purpose, such as becoming more confident while public speaking or quitting smoking. Self-hypnosis is used as a means of making one more open to suggestions or affirmations.
  • Self-hypnosis can also be used to overcome phobias, change your attitude about health or wealth, or to even lose weight.
  • Self-hypnosis is often utilized to find a creative solution to a problem. For example, you might want to determine the best plot twist for a novel or find a solution to a complex dilemma in your life.

2. Attention. Meditation allows you to focus on a fixed point or entity, such as the breath, maybe a spot on the wall, or a mantra. The goal is to grasp your attention on a focal point. When your thoughts move astray, and yes they will, the objective is to return your attention to your personalized focal point. You learn more about how your mind works and how to focus more effectively.

  • On the other hand, self-hypnosis frequently involves following a story, such as confidently navigating a social situation. The experience is the object of your focus. You lead yourself through an experience and gain benefits from that.
  • With self-hypnosis, you can change your normal perception and perspective. You can experience something that might not be available to you in everyday life.

3. Guided or non-guided. Meditation can be assisted with oneself or it can guided. By definition, self-hypnosis is non-guided. However, many people consider the use of hypnosis audio recordings to be self-hypnosis. The use of a live hypnotherapist would not be self-hypnosis.

  • There are many audio programs available online that will help you learn how to meditate or utilize self-hypnosis. The quality of these recordings varies tremendously, as there are numerous beginners practitioners putting their new ideas out into the world.

Both meditation and self-hypnosis can bring you benefits, and you can use both in your life.

Meditation is effective in quieting your mind, it enhance your ability to focus, and decrease the tendency to ruminate. Meditation has been around for thousands of years and is very effective.

Self-hypnosis is a more surgical tool for dealing with the challenges in your life. Whether you want to increase your confidence, lose weight, quit smoking, or get over your fear of heights, self-hypnosis can be a powerful tool.

Both techniques can work very quickly in some people, but others find that weeks or months are required to see real benefits. If either one might be of benefit to you, why not give it a try for a few months? Measure your results and proceed appropriately.

Self-hypnosis and meditation are not considered to be the same thing but are certainly related. Remember, there are many types of meditation, and some are more similar to self-hypnosis than other types of meditation.

5 Ways to Master Your Mind

Posted on October 15, 2020 - 12:51 am by
5 Ways to Master Your Mind Image

 

It depends on whose numbers you want to believe, but roughly 95% of our behavior is beyond our conscious awareness. Your subconscious files away your memories, experiences, perceptions, and insights and maintains them far beyond the recollection of your conscious mind.

These past experiences and revelations have a tremendous impact on your beliefs, habits, and general behavior.

Programming the subconscious mind is a powerful tool for altering behavior!

Using these strategies will help you program your mind to benefit your mind, body, and soul:

1. Affirmations. Everyone is familiar with affirmations. These are positive statements that you repeat to yourself each day. Affirmations can be powerful, but they must be used correctly:

  • Avoid affirmations that are clearly untrue. Your subconscious is flexible, but it’s not willing to seriously consider the ridiculous. Repeating, “I am a billionaire,” is too factually untrue to be accepted by your subconscious. “My financial situation is improving rapidly” is easier to swallow.
  • Use imagery and emotions to really sell it. See yourself as thin, financially successful, or selling your first novel. Generate the same emotion you would have in that situation.
  • Repeat your affirmations 3 sessions per day for 5-10 minutes each. Right before falling asleep, right after awakening, and any opportune time during the day are ideal times. For example, if you want to strengthen your confidence, repeat the affirmations when you’re feeling self-doubt.

2. Subliminal technology. There is software available that flashes subliminal messages on your computer screen. These programs can run all day long without your awareness. You can use the affirmations included with the software or write your own.

  • There are also audio programs with positive messages embedded in the music beyond your ability to consciously recognize.
  • There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the usefulness of these programs. Since so many are available for free, there’s no harm in giving them a try for a month. See what happens.

3. Hypnosis. You’ve been hypnotized many times. You probably just didn’t view it as hypnosis. When you’re totally engrossed in a book or movie, you’re hypnotized.

  • Hypnosis is just a state of intense concentration with reduced awareness of what is happening in your immediate environment. In this state, you’re more suggestible. In other words, it’s easier to influence you or to change your mind.
  • There are many books, audio programs, and videos that utilize hypnotic techniques. Many people find these highly effective, while others seem less impressed. Again, give it a try and determine if it’s worth your time.

4. Meditation. Meditation is a great way of concentrating your focus. Meditation creates a mental state that opens the mind to new ideas. Meditation can be learned quite effectively from books and videos. It does require practice to become skilled, so this isn’t a quick fix. 3 Minute Meditation 

5. Visualization. If you’re good at visualizing, you can convince your subconscious of nearly anything. A convincing visualization is viewed by your subconscious as an actual experience. For example, if you visualize yourself giving successful speeches, your subconscious will become convinced this is a skill you possess.

  • Again, the best time to use this process is right before falling asleep and upon awakening in the morning. Visualizing is easier and more effective at those times.

We are only aware of a tiny portion of what our brain is doing at any moment.

Our brains are dealing with far too much information for our conscious mind to process. The brain is controlling body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, digestion, concentrations of various salts, neurotransmitters, hormones, and far more sensory data than we’re aware of.

The same is true for our behavior. In theory, the subconscious mind controls 95% of our behavior. It only makes sense to address this 95%. There are several ways to program the subconscious. Pick one and see what you can accomplish!