As the days grow longer and warmer people are once again looking to the great outdoors for fun and exercise. Unfortunately for many, the closest they come to getting out to exercise is looking out the window while they watch TV. The best made plans and intentions to start exercising every day are neatly stored away in the 'things-I-really-must-start-doing-to-improve-my-life' files.

Hypnosis is a wonderful modality to help motivate people to want to create positive change in their life. Usually people will attempt a new venture, such as exercising or dieting, by calling upon will power. Will power was never meant to create permanent change, only temporary. Imagine I asked you to hold your left arm straight out in front of you. Then I placed a heavy encyclopedia in your hand and asked you to keep holding your arm out straight. Then I placed another book on top of the first one. Sure, maybe you could hold them there for a bit, but soon your arm is going to get very tired and you will drop the books. The same is true when you try to create a new, positive habit using your will power, it may work for a short while, but eventually you'll revert back to old patterns. Go into a state of hypnosis where you are highly suggestive to positive ideas and you will wrap your mind around the ideas you want to embrace to reach your personal goals.

Too often however, people start too big, meaning, they set a goal that is not plausible in their mind to achieve. If they have not walked further than from their doorstep to the car each day - the idea of taking a daily two mile stroll will seem an impossible, unpleasant task. The key to successful goal achievement is to begin with a goal you know you can accomplish. This creates a feeling of satisfaction with the desire to do it again, making the next goal a bit more challenging.

I work with many clients in my hypnotherapy practice who want to lose weight. Any successful weight loss regime must include exercising. Before the session begins I ask them detailed questions about their lifestyle, and habits and goals they want to accomplish. Usually, the conversations go something like this:

"What is your target goal you'd like to weigh?"
"I'd like to reach 135 pounds. Right now I weigh 185 pounds."
"What are you willing to change in your lifestyle to help you reach this goal?"
"I can stop eating at fast food restaurants and make my meals each day."
"Is this something you can actually see yourself doing?"
"Oh yes! No problem."
"Great. How about exercise? Are you currently doing anything right now?"
"No, but I definitely want to begin an exercise regime."
"Okay, tell me how you'd like to start."
"Well, I can go to the gym every morning for an hour before I go to work, or,
I want to walk a mile every morning on the track by my house etc."
"Great. Is there anything which may block you from doing these things?"
"Well, I'm not a morning person so it will be hard to get to the gym I guess."
Or, "I can't remember the last time I even walked around a track once, but I don't suppose a mile can be that difficult.... can it?"

Right away I know any suggestion this individual hears while in hypnosis will be rejected by the subconscious mind. Why? The mountain looks too big to climb. What we can do, is create a smaller goal program, one that is feasible and plausible to the individual. For the person who has a hard time getting up in the morning, it was more plausible for them to go to the gym four days a week on their way home from work. For the walker, walking once around the track each morning for two weeks was a much easier goal to accomplish than thinking they had to start off with a mile. When we met again, they were feeling great because they had indeed, kept to their goal plan and were now ready to make it more challenging.

Using hypnosis gave them an extra boost. Whenever you are in your subconscious mind, picturing, feeling, imagining yourself as already having achieved your goals, a very powerful imprint is being created. The subconscious mind knows no difference between fantasy and reality, so whenever an idea is accepted into it, it has GOT to come true. What is it you've been wanting to start? Exercising? Taking that art class you've been putting off for so long? Creating the space to do the things you want to do for your personal growth and enjoyment helps make life's daily responsibilities easier to manage. Hypnosis is a great way to get you motivated and back on track to reach those goals. You owe it to yourself. You ARE worth it!