Infinite Health Concepts

self-talk

Changing Habits
food, hypnotherapy, Mental Health, mindset, overeating, self-talk

Resistance Is Futile

How Focussing On Not Wanting To Do something Is Counterproductive Have you ever tried not to think of a purple turtle? No not really (and let’s be honest, generally purple turtles are the last thing on people’s mind), but now you’re actually thinking about the purple turtle because I mentioned it. And if I now asked you not to think about the purple turtle, you would still have it on your mind. The same happens when you think about habits or behaviours that you want to change. This is because our brain is not really good in recognising a no or a not in a thought, it rather focusses on the subject of the thought. If you think you don’t want to eat chocolate or lollies, then despite telling yourself not to do it, all you do is draw your attention to chocolate or lollies. The same goes for not wanting to snack after dinner, all you do is to draw attention to snacking after dinner. So what’s a better way to change unwanted habit, behaviours or recurrent thoughts? If you want to change a habit, a behaviour or recurrent thoughts, it’s relatively simple: First you have to have the intention to change. Then you decide that you want to focus on something entirely different. If it comes to eating chocolate or lollies, what is it you could do instead every time the thought of chocolate or lollies comes up? You might want to brainstorm those ideas, they could be simply just having a glass of water or having a piece of fruit instead. Same goes for snacking after dinner, what could you focus on instead when the thought comes up? What other activity would take your mind off snacking? It could be doing a puzzle, going for a walk, playing with your pet etc. Whatever works for you. When it comes to unwanted thoughts consider what you could think about instead. If it is repetitive negative self talk, then find a positive statement that you can think of instead and most importantly that resonates with you. Regardless if it is a habit, a behaviour or a thought, you can also have a rubber band or elastic hairband on your wrist. Every time you start to go down that old road of the unwanted behaviour or thought you snap that elastic band to remind you of your alternative and then do the alternative action or think the alternative thought. Why does it work? Our brain can be pretty stubborn with its habitual thought patterns. The snap of the rubber band acts as an interruption to your thought pattern and gives you that precious little break to change. The message is – don’t resist what you don’t want to do or think but focus on what you want to do or think instead. The great news is that hypnotherapy is quite effective in helping you to achieve that more easily. If you want to learn more Book your free exploration session today – no strings attached. If you’d like to learn more about Negative Self Talk, read our previous The Power Of Self-Talk How To Empower Your Inner Voice

self confidence
confidence, self-talk

Simple and Practical Tips to Boost Your Self-Confidence

Whether you need an instant confidence boost or regular exercises to improve your self-confidence in the long-term, I guarantee these two simple tips will work wonders. Body Posture In the same way that our inner dialogue determines how we feel about and see ourselves, body language influences our self-confidence. Slumped shoulders or a hunched back sends our bodies the message that you feel insecure and are lacking energy. Conversely, an assertive posture projects confidence and can help ease stress. When we feel stress, we physically manifest it in our bodies. Our muscles tense. Our chest tightens. Our heads ache. It’s difficult to catch yourself looking tense or constrained, especially before a stressful situation! The next time you have an important business meeting (even if it’s on Zoom) or feel worked up before a social event, try adjusting your body language to reflect the way you’d like to feel, not the way you feel already. Once you see (and feel) the difference, you can start practising. Set interval alarms on your phone for a quick posture check throughout the day. Are you sitting up straight? Is your posture open and receptive? Or are you closed off and slumping? The more you practice body language self-awareness, the easier it will be to maintain a healthy posture and your self-confidence. Make Yourself Laugh! Okay, if you’re not feeling 100%, you’re probably not in the mood to laugh. But that’s the point! Laughing is an exceptional antidote to help you combat a poor sense of self-confidence. Laughing will help get the endorphins flowing, lighten your mood and arm you against the negative forces of stress and anxiety. It may be as simple as watching a light-hearted comedy at the end of a long day. You could also do something silly. Start dancing around your house to a song that makes you happy. Put on a ridiculous outfit. Experiment with makeup. Or you could call a friend who’s an excellent storyteller and knows how to make you laugh. Distracting yourself from pervasive negative thoughts can help show you how enjoyable life is when you approach it with a sense of lightness. Even if temporary, laughter is always the best medicine. Got any other tips for an immediate self-confidence boost? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!

Destructive Self Talk
mindset, self-talk

The Power of Self-Talk: How to Empower Your Inner Voice

What we tell ourselves determines how we see and feel about ourselves, so why does self-talk become self-sabotage for so many of us? “You’re an idiot, not good enough, not capable. You’ll fail, why bother?” You wouldn’t let someone else speak to you like that, so why allow your inner dialogue to take over your mindset in this way? Self-Talk = Self-Sabotage We’re always talking to ourselves, but rarely pay attention to what’s being said or where it comes from. However, when we lift the curtain of our subconscious, we shine a light on the thoughts and beliefs that make us who we are. It’s not always a pleasant sight. As you move through this time of global uncertainty, your inner dialogue has probably become louder. With more time to spend by yourself, your negative self-talk is inevitably amplified. You might have lost your job or now spend your days working from home. Or maybe you’ve had to adjust to social distancing restrictions, giving up weekend brunches and personal training sessions for a more self-directed and individual approach to life. If your inner dialogue once played a supporting role for your mental health, don’t worry if negative self-talk is taking centre stage. What’s important is learning how to change your internal dialogue from being an antagonistic villain to an empowering hero. Just lift the curtain of your mind and turn on the spotlight. Who’s Behind the Curtain? So, you’re ready to interrogate your internal dialogue and start your journey of empowerment. But first, you need to understand the characteristics of your negative self-talk. These fall into four categories: Catastrophising: You always expect the worst and override logic with forceful emotion, thinking your life is a tragedy waiting to happen. Personalising: You believe everything’s always your fault and your life is likely filled with shame and guilt. Mental Filter or Magnifying: While catastrophising is about expecting the worst, magnifying only shows you the worst. This can lead to being incapable of acknowledging positive forces and feeling like you’re drowning in the negative aspects of life. All or Nothing/Black or White Thinking: You see the world as black or white—there’s no in-between. This means you think there’s no way out, leaving you feeling trapped and powerless. If you’re having trouble identifying what kind of negative self-talk you suffer, write a list of your critical thoughts. Documenting self-talk will help you become aware of your inner dialogue. It will also help you form a plan to build positive self-talk. Are You Ready to Flip the Switch? Transforming your self-talk from negative to positive takes persistence, just like forming any other positive habit. Changing your perspective may be easier said than done. This is because it’s easier to say discouraging things about yourself than it is to prove negative self-talk wrong. Even if it seems like an uphill battle, always remember: You have the power. Ultimately, you can be the master of your thoughts even if it takes a little extra time and effort. But before you practice positive self-talk, you need a plan. The most effective way to see the way forward is to understand where your negative self-talk comes from. Unravel your mind and expose your thoughts for what they are. Determine what areas of your life need attention or what areas you can draw strength from. If you’re prepared to deal with negative self-talk as it occurs, you’ll be able to remain present and poised in your quest to change your perspective. So, where are you at with your inner dialogue? Have you experienced a toxic takeover? Are you struggling to manage negative thoughts as they arise? Or do you need to look deeper into what shapes your negative self-talk? If you want to delve deeper and begin your transformation, take advantage of our complimentary exploration session. We’ll help you identify your negative self-talk and show you how to transform your inner dialogue into an empowering, optimistic voice. Book your free exploration session today – no strings attached.

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