Positive Pause – 25th July, 2016 – Positive Mindset

positive mindset“You have power over your mind – not outside events.  Realize this, and you will find strength.” Marcus Aurelius. positive mindset

The famous Roman Emperor believed that we are all responsible for finding, creating and maintaining our own happiness.  If we can find strength and peace in ourselves then happiness follows suit.  Aurelius said that “our happiness depends on the quality of our thoughts.”  By allowing our thoughts to be positive even in the face of adversity we can conquer most challenges.

Aurelius practised what he preached and kept a strong positive mindset through great hardships of almost constant wars and disease in addition to losing his parents and brother at a young age.

This week, when faced with a situation that you do not like but have no means to change, accept it in the first place and secondly, decide how you wish to respond.  This is where your positive power lies.

Please take the time to check out my online, self-help program, The Positive Habit.

Positive Pause – 18th July, 2016 – A Nice Perspective 

Nice perspectiveWe all awoke  on Friday morning to the tragedy of the events in Nice on Bastille day. For those of us in France or on our way there the events had an even stronger impact. Personally, France is my second home and it’s awful to see what is supposed to be a day that represents liberty, equality and fraternity turned into one of death and fear. Nice perspective

I realise that this perhaps does not appear to be a positive message but please bear with me!  It is important for us to realise that such moments of terrible tragedy underline the value and wonder of our own lives; they put things into perspective. Our everyday strifes and struggles pale in comparison to horrific events such as those that happened in Nice.  This is not to say that our personal troubles are insignificant but to remind us that when we take a step back and put them into perspective they can seem so much less important. We all have one precious life and such sad events are a reminder of the fragility of life.
This week, I ask you to send love and sympathy to those affected by the events in Nice and when you feel yourself being pulled into unnecessary or petty concerns, pull back and remind yourself that you are alive, your life is a gift and it is your choice to honour that. As Vicktor Frankl, the Jewish Psychiatrist who survived the horrors of Aushwitz put it: nice perspective
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, man’s last freedoms to choose ones attitude to any given set of circumstances, to choose ones own way.”

Positive Pause – 11th July, 2016 – Trust Yourself

trust yourselfWhat do you think? Should I have done that? Was I right? Would you have done the same?

In my work, a lot of the issues that I help people with stem from low self-esteem and poor self-confidence. When you examine what it means to have a low opinion of yourself or to doubt yourself it is usually rooted in a lack of ability to trust yourself.  Failing to trust your own decisions, opinions, behaviour, thoughts or feelings leads to a constant need to look outside yourself for validation and improvement.

Trust yourself

Many of us question ourselves and in order to feel better about a situation we look to others to take our side, to validate what we did and to reassure us that we were correct. An example of this would be when you stand up to a person who is trying to manipulate you and then start yo doubt whether you have behaved appropriately.It is common then to ask others –  what do you think? Should I have done that? Was I right? Would you have done the same?

This week, if you have any tricky encounters at work or in your personal life, or if you question your behaviour or something you may have said, please stop yourself from checking with somebody else if your course of action was correct. The truth is that, what they think or don’t think is not really relevant. Stand over your own decisions and behaviour. When you practise an open and honest awareness of your behaviour, the only opinion that is relevant is your own. You will know if you have behaved out of turn or could have handled the situation better.  If that is the case then take responsibility for yourself, apologise and do what you need to do to make the situation better. If you feel that you have behaved in a way that was fair and kind or if you needed to assert yourself, then rest assured that you have done the right thing.  Trust youself!

Please take the time to check out my online, self-help program, The Positive Habit.

Your Suggestible Subconscious

suggestible subconsciousMy work as a Clinical Hypnotherapist is about helping people to use their subconscious minds in a way that benefits them mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically. I believe in helping people to train their subconscious minds not just to overcome unwanted negative thought and behavioural patterns but to reach their full positive potential. suggestible subconsciousous

I feel very fortunate that I am able to help people bring out the best in themselves and to lead happy, successful and peaceful lives. Many clients report transformations quite quickly and are often amazed at the shift in their perspectives. A good example would be the shift from dependency on emotional eating to choosing to release emotions in a safe and healthy way such as going for a run or to a yoga class. The truth is that these transformations are simply the subconscious mind responding to the client’s conscious commands.
Your subconscious is incredibly susceptible to suggestion and, like a child, it generally believes what you tell it. Hence the thoughts you have are paramount to the life you create.
This week, each morning practise this uplifting affirmation which focuses on the choice we all have to be the master of our minds.
First thing when you open your eyes, say to yourself with feeling and energy:
‘Today I choose happiness, health and success. I choose love and harmony in all my relations. I choose peace and serenity for my mind.’ 

As the day progresses and if you find yourself slipping from this mindset, gently  remind yourself of the choice you have made.  It is not the events that happen in your life that shape you, but your response to them; how you respond is your choice.  By programming  your subconscious first thing in the morning you are literally wiring yourself for wellness.

suggestible subconscious