The great hypnotist Marc Savard used that aphorism at the start of my hypnosis training and he couldn’t be more right. How many times have you worried yourself into a bad state of mind? Did the awful thing that you imagined actually happened? Pretty rarely, I’d guess. Our imagination is incredibly powerful and when you put it to work creating negative consequences, it can come up with some doozies. Those negative imaginary outcomes can make you feel stressed, anxious, powerless, or depressed. Even worse, by focusing on negative outcomes, you make it more likely that you will see a negative outcome.
Why not use that imagination to picture yourself succeeding? If you’re worried about a job interview, picture yourself answering every question perfectly and leaving with a job interview. If it’s a trip, picture a smooth ride and a easy arrival. The more your mind sees a successful outcome, the greater the chances of that happening. It also will fill you with confidence instead of anxiety.
Hypnosis can help you create positive focus and positive success. Many of the people I see who want to stop smoking are worried about the negative aspects they imagine will happen when they quit – gaining weight, being anxious, being irritable. In our sessions, we focus on the positive outcomes – breathing better, more money in the pocket, the feeling of pride for succeeding. Those positive outcomes become embedded in their subconscious and become their reality.
Isn’t it time to stop worrying and start succeeding?