New renewed hope springs big changes which we project into our daily lives and future. We’ll attempt to set our goals higher to spend more time with family and friends, earn more money, create and follow a path to a healthier lifestyle.
But for the majority of us we eventually realize that not much changes in our lives, it always reverts back to the “same-old same-old.”
This trend also seems to continue month after month, then year after year, we become boring and predictable.
It’s not that we don’t ever set any goals to improve ourselves, or that we’re extremely undisciplined or lazy, but the one thing which prevents us from moving forward is we’re afraid to leave the past behind us.
What our subconscious mind does is it records and stores every one of our events in complete and vivid detail, and we’ll use that information to decide how to handle certain events in the future.
So then it becomes an uncontested subconscious choice for us which we usually can’t control. But if you’ve ever meddled into personal growth, then you most likely know that your past history doesn’t always determine your future destiny.
Since for the most part it’s out of our hands how our unconscious mind interprets our past when moving forward, it also uses it as a measuring stick to determine how to handle new situations that we face on a daily basis.
And since it’s considered a subconscious process, we don’t even realize or know that it’s even happening, until we find ourselves sabotaging our goals when attempting to create new changes in our lives.
Why How We Respond Becomes Uncontrollable
These responses begin when in our childhood. Say for instance that you’re asked to do a class presentation when in Grade 4, and you have a bad experience.
What your subconscious mind, even at that age, does is it collects data to protect you from further harm in the future, by making a mental note. The mind records that publicly speaking in public can be harmful to you.
You’ll also most likely forget about the incident, but your subconscious never will. One day, you’ll decide to do a marketing presentation to promote a new product, and then your subconscious mind suddenly kicks in and interrupts, “Stop! Don’t do it”
Since your subconscious mind can’t really yell at you, it’ll let you know by making your forehead and palms sweat, or your knees will buckle, it may even make your stomach upset. Your mind will do whatever it can from you entering into that “dangerous” situation.
Blocking Out These Subconscious Actions
What we’ll then attempt to do is try using sheer will to overcome these subconscious roadblocks which were build up in our past. But that may be the difficult route since there is an easier way, which is learning to rewrite your past.
For those who study or teach Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), the process is known as “reframing.” What this does is it gives the subconscious mind a brand new interpretation of a past event.
If you’re able to remember the incident which has become the roadblock, you can then actually reframe it yourself. You can also reframe the experience directly into the present. Regardless, all that you need is to be completely relaxed, open, and then use your imagination.
How To “Reframe” Your Mind Using NLP
• Find a quiet place, a spot where no one will interrupt you for at least 15 minutes. Sit or lie down, be as comfortable as possible and then relax your body by taking a few deep breaths. You should remain curious while allowing your mind to be open rather than trying too hard.
• Ask your subconscious mind if it’s okay to have a different experience regarding a certain event. If there’s resistance, then ask the reason why. Know that the answer whether it’s correct or not isn’t that important so just play along.
Ad• Your subconscious mind may feel that the situation is just too “unsafe,” so ask how it can be made safer. It’s important that you resolve any issues which your subconscious has before proceeding.
• Replay the incident in your mind without actually stepping into the situation itself, and then watch what’s happening. If there’s a series of incidents, then choose the main one which represents all of them.
• Then step into the screen and begin feeling what you were at that time, or whatever dominant feeling that comes up. If the incident happened to be extremely painful, you may then just want to remain as an observer and empathize with yourself on the screen.
• Then completely clear the screen and “vision” that same event with a completely different script. This new script should be how you’re wanting to feel. For that public speaking example, for instance, what you want to feel is confidence, so script the scene with you standing up straight and then speaking firmly and clearly. Have your the audience completely rapt with attention, they nodding with approval.
• Now step right into the scene that you’ve just created. Feel that same event which now has a completely new script. Make sure you make the scene more colorful and as loud as possible. Enjoy the feeling for a few moments before you remove yourself from the screen.
• Then watch this newly written script for a few moments, allowing your subconscious mind to know that this is the new healthier way that it now plays out. Thank it for protecting you from harm in the past and then clear the screen.
Depending how severe the incident, and the reaction that you have to it is, you may need more sessions or decide to consult with a professionally trained NLP practitioner.
For most, this easy process will usually alleviate the physiological barriers which allows them to make the changes that they’re needing to make.