Positive mental attitude. PMA. Think positive and positive things will happen. You’ve heard the clichés and you’re well aware of the theory behind them, but the whole thing can be easier said than done.
People want to think positively, make the most of their available time and see the best in everything. Nobody gets up in the morning with the desire to cloud the day with negative thoughts and habits. Unfortunately, thinking positive thoughts isn’t something that comes naturally to most people.
We all want to be happy, but we’re also predisposed to assume we probably won’t be. All due to the negative thought patterns we develop throughout our childhood and throughout life, as a result of the culture we’re exposed to.
Of course, there are ways and means to turn things around and become an inherently more positive and optimistic person. One of the most effective approaches is hypnosis – a form of therapy that is all about changing your way of thinking (see also how hypnosis works for love).
But what is it about hypnosis that enables it to deliver such impressive results? How is it that hypnotherapy (and even self-hypnosis) can bring about the kind of life change no other form of therapy comes close to? And we’re not talking about small issues – as explained here, hypnosis can help with numerous serious mental disorders, as well.
A Quick Reality Check On Positive Thinking
First things first, the key to living life with a more positive outlook lies in learning to see the concept of positivity from a new angle. Contrary to popular belief, being positive does not mean being happy and walking around with a smile on your face, 24 hours a day.
Instead, being positive really means taking control of your thoughts to reinterpret what happens around you and alter your reactions and behavior patterns accordingly. It means being able to see potential problems for what they are and find workable ways to make the best of any given situation.
Unsurprisingly, these aren’t the kinds of skills the average person can develop and master overnight. You may find it takes some time to get where you want to be or experience any real positive change.
Nevertheless, every effort you make to shift yourself away from a negative mindset can only work in your favor. Negative thoughts can be deeply counterproductive and play a major part in determining our actions.
With hypnotherapy, you gain the power to take control of negative thoughts and change the way you respond to them. Something that can be useful at work, in your private life, and everywhere else.
Hypnotherapy and Self Hypnosis For Positivity
All forms of hypnosis have the potential to be equally effective for people pursuing a more positive and organized lifestyle. Some prefer meditation while listening to motivational recordings, some attend professional hypnotherapy sessions and others count on the power of sleep hypnosis.
In all instances, the basic premise is essentially the same. With hypnotherapy, you are provided with the opportunity to make positive change by gaining a better understanding of your thoughts and learning to listen to your inner self.
Though before and after any session of hypnosis – self-administered or otherwise – there are habits and activities that play an equally important role. Practice each of the following regularly, and you will be well on your way to a more positive lifestyle in no time – also, see here what science has to say about self-hypnosis safety.
Ask Yourself: What Makes You Happy?
Happiness is a concept that differs in meaning from one person to the next. Simply saying “I want to be happy” is not enough. Instead, you need to think about what really makes you happy, what you consider a ‘success‘, and why you want to achieve it.
Without a defined goal, you are unlikely to get anything significant out of hypnotherapy. Or for that matter, any other positivity-boosting activity like meditation. There is no right or wrong when it comes to what makes a person happy. Stop thinking too much about what makes other people content and focus your time on what matters to you.
Once you have pinpointed your happiness goals, you have all the information you need to work on achieving them. On the other hand, lack of confidence could hinder those efforts by making us vulnerable and unhappy with our lives.
Develop Positive Habits
It may sound simplistic, but simply developing more positive habits (and moving away from negative ones) can make a real difference. For the most part, this means thinking about how you feel about most everyday things in an entirely new way (see ‘Positive Thinking Hypnosis‘).
Irrespective of where you are and what you are doing, you can always take the time to focus on the positives. Everything you see, everything you hear, everything you feel, everything you taste – every experience, every hour of every day.
It’s not an easy habit to develop, but one that becomes second nature in time. It may help to regularly ask yourself a series of questions, in order to remind yourself about the pleasant things about your day. What did you see today that made you feel happy? What did you enjoy hearing today? What was the most pleasant thing you tasted?
Many (if not most) people are predisposed to focus on the negatives. We don’t always instinctively see the good in things – we may even work disproportionately hard to find negatives to dwell on. Breaking the habit is not easy, but developing positive habits is well within your capabilities.
Focus On the Positives
Similarly, it’s important to make every effort to put negative thoughts to one side, when it comes to your thoughts, feelings, and general sentiments.
For example, you could wake up with a busy day ahead and taunt yourself by repeatedly saying “Today is going to be an absolute nightmare” in your mind. Alternatively, you could say “There’s nothing I can do to change things so there’s no point worrying about them.” Or better yet “No way I’m going to let today get the better of me – I’m going to smash it no matter what!”
The thing to remember is that positive thoughts breed positive actions and behaviors. Hypnosis and meditation are ultimately about retraining your subconscious and reprogramming the ‘voice’ in your head. But it’s not something that happens without putting in the effort yourself (see also how to get motivated and energized the right way).
Each time you encounter something negative, twist it into a positive. Look hard enough and a positive solution can be found for even the most negative experience.
Daily Hypnotherapy Exercises for Improved Productivity
Wrapping things up, there are countless activities and exercises that can be performed between hypnotherapy sessions. Or perhaps, as an alternative to structured hypnotherapy, should they prove effective for you.
Each of these three daily exercises can be useful in helping you work towards your goals, ultimately giving you the power to change your mindset and become more positive:
1. Use Positive Language
Avoid negative language that only stands to serve as an obstacle at all costs. For example, you should never put yourself down by saying “I cannot do….” or “I don’t think I’m capable of…” Even if you have doubts, it’s better to adopt the perspective of “I could do this if…” or “Maybe I can actually do…”
It’s the classic case of removing the obstacle that is yourself. Always remember that if you convince yourself you cannot do something, that’s precisely what will happen.
2. Visualise Positive Results
Focusing on the difficulties of any given task is something most people do instinctively as explained in our ‘Public Speaking Hypnosis’ post here. Not to mention, dwelling on what might happen if things go wrong.
This is a recipe for failure, as you’re basically planning for disappointment from the start. Irrespective of how challenging anything may be, it’s far more effective to visualize a positive outcome and approach it like there’s no way you can fail.
3. Self-Hypnosis
Last but not least, there are countless approaches to sleep hypnosis and self-hypnosis that can work wonders. You can download and listen to recordings to relax, play recordings overnight as you lead, or train yourself to enter into a hypnotic trance at home.
All of which can help train you to relax deeply, listen to your inner thoughts and see things from a new perspective. Always remember that being more positive isn’t about being constantly happy – it’s simply about learning how to let go of negativity.
