Goal setting 101

We all have goals. Some goals are long-term and some are short-term. Some are goals we have shelved for so long they are dusty and covered with cobwebs. Some are freshly minted. However for those of us who are not as successful in life as we would wish we often despair of achieving our goals. Some goals seem out-of-reach and unattainable. This does not have to be what actually happens. We have the power within ourselves to change our lives and the place to begin is when we are setting our goals. There are simple rules that make it more likely for us to achieve our goals and the first is to follow the K. I.S. S. principle. In other words, keep it simple stupid. The more elaborate and complicated we make our goals then the less likely we will be to follow through with them. The best way to simplify your goal setting is to only set one goal -- the ultimate goal. After that then everything else is just details. What is the ultimate goal? What is your final destination? When you are on your deathbed and you cast a look back over your life then what do you want to see accomplished there? When you look around you what do you want to see? That vision is your ultimate goal. We all know that having a destination in mind makes traveling easier. Knowledge of that destination helps us plan what to pack and controls our transportation decisions. The same is true when it comes to setting goals and achieving those goals. If we know our destination then we know what to pack (and what to leave behind) and we can make better decisions about how to reach that destination. Simplifying our goals to that one ultimate goal also helps us focus on that one destination rather than constantly detouring and losing our way. It also makes it easier to measure the importance and relevance of so many other decisions that impact our daily life when we have the measuring stick. If we take Path A or Path B which will be more effective in reaching that ultimate destination? Naming that ultimate goal for ourselves is a tremendously powerful tool for our own success because so often we spend our time and energy focusing on managing the details of our lives. We are simply reacting to whatever is thrown at us by others or simply by daily life. However in order to truly achieve success and achieve our goals then we must take the lead and that means acting. Simply by setting our ultimate goal and focusing our energy and time on that goal means that instead of reacting we are now taking action. That action means we have taken a leadership role in our own success. Simply by taking that action we are taking control of our own life and that is a very powerful step toward success. If you want to achieve more success in your life then you must set one simple goal -- the ultimate goal for your life -- and you must get out in front of the goal to take action with your life instead of reacting all your life.

Transform negative reactions into positive proactions

Q. What happens when we let ourselves become dominated by negative responses to life, e. g. destructive behaviour patterns, negative emotions, apathy, etc? We find ourselves getting “worked up,” often to the detriment of our own wellbeing as well as to those around us. The result? We risk becoming increasingly angry and bitter about aspects of our life that we believe we have little or no control over. The solution? To explore the reality behind these actions and emotions, and transform them into positive causes. Q. Are You? - Too Easily “Affected” By Your Environment? - Guilty Of Feeling Anger And/Or Resentment? - Often Letting Yourself And Others Down As A Result? Begin making the transformation today! Q. What’s In It For You? - Discover The Reality Behind These “Reactions” - Develop Ways Of Recognising And Countering Them - Master How To Transform Them Into Positive and Proactive Causes By learning to transform our negative “reactions” into positive “proactions”, we create a far healthier state of physical and emotional wellbeing for ourselves and our environment. In turn, we become increasingly capable and responsible as individuals, and when faced with greater challenges we automatically find ourselves better equipped to deal with them and move on. How do we achieve this? Simple – first we have to acknowledge what it is that’s encouraging us to react in this way and then turn it around so as to create something more positive. For example, instead of reacting aggressively to a particular comment, we can learn to respond more appropriately by understanding what triggered that reaction coupled with its negative impact on ourselves and our environment. As soon as we’ve got to grips with the cause, we’re able to turn it on its head and understand what it is we need to be or do differently. Another example: instead of responding with a defeatist, “I can’t do anything about it,” try saying, “I understand it’s been difficult in the past, but this time I’m going to look at alternatives.” Result – in addition to becoming far happier and resilient in ourselves, we naturally radiate the benefits of such actions to others. INQUIRY: Take a look back at some recent situations when you allowed yourself to react negatively or angrily. What triggered this behaviour? What were your emotions and feelings before, during and after? Had you responded in a more proactive manner, what would you have done differently and what would have been the outcome? ACTION: For the next thirty days, explore the reality that’s causing you to react negatively to your life and your environment. Learn from the above and check in with any emotions and feelings. Get to grips with what it is you need to be and do differently and put it into action. Notice the difference you create within yourself and those around you. I wish you every success as you Transform Negative "Reactions" Into Positive "Proactions" ... Best wishes Simon “Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will - his personal responsibility.” Albert Einstein

Cannabis culture

During the 70s, smoking pot or cannabis was very popular. Since cannabis is a natural herb, people believed that it could not pose any ill effects on their health. People who smoke cannabis exhibit different physiological and behavioral effects. Most feel drowsy but generally happy, making this herb a favorite among teens. But of course, anything that is consumed in huge amounts is not good for you. Since there are evidences of cannabis abuse, many countries have considered the herb illegal. Cannabis addiction, like any other addiction, causes changes in a person’s behavior. Majority of the people who become addicted to cannabis have issues of depression and low self-esteem. By smoking cannabis, they feel more uninhibited and their moods are also improved. Because of the wonderful feelings associated with smoking cannabis, these people end up addicted to it. Becoming addicted to cannabis can also be as destructive as other addictions. When the effects of the herb wears off, the person experiences this uncontrollable urge to smoke pot again to regain the lost feeling. Soon, you will feel like you are unable to accomplish anything if you are not under the cannabis’ influence. You will begin having mood swings, feeling euphoric one moment and depressed the next. Aside from these, cannabis addicts also display behavior like disappearing for hours, lying about where they have been and stealing money to buy cannabis. Treating cannabis addiction requires intervention. In most cases, a family member or a close friend would be the one who will arrange for the person to go to rehabilitation centers. It is very seldom that these cannabis addicts would volunteer to undergo treatment. At the rehabilitation center, cannabis addiction is treated thru counseling and medication, if necessary. The withdrawal stage is the most difficult part since it is the time when your body returns to its normal functions. People who have completed treatment in rehabilitation centers for cannabis addiction are most likely to relapse because their personality shows a weakness to the herbal substance. Unless the behavior is changed, you can expect most of these people to pick up the cannabis addiction once again as soon as they get out of rehab. If you have a friend who is visibly becoming addicted to cannabis, you could try hypnotherapy before resorting to rehab centers. There have been evidences that hypnotherapy is effective in treating addiction, fears and phobias by targeting the subconscious.

Self hypnosis and hypnotherapy an article for therapists

For me Self Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy go hand in hand when I am treating clients. I see them as completely complementary of each other and a must for greater success and empowerment of the client. Each and every client that starts Hypnotherapy with me first learns that art of Self-Hypnosis. This doesn’t mean that they get a tape or a cd to listen to, but they actually learn the process without the need for any recordings. This is REAL empowerment. My theory is that if a client comes for smoking and in a few years time they are struggling to lose a few pounds, they shouldn’t have to turn back to me, but use their new skill of Self Hypnosis to tackle it themselves. My other goal is to get a client to a place where they feel that THEY have made the change – thus allowing them to be their own hero and not me. This is so important as with this attitude they begin to take charge and begin achieving even more great goals in their lives. So how do you teach Self Hypnosis in just fifty minutes so that they client goes away feeling confident and motivated to practice? First I do Chevreul's pendulum and explain how there is a mind/body connection. So as we imagine our bodies relaxing that they will just relax the same way that the pendulum swings when we imagine it doing so. This is an inevitable response and will always occur if done correctly. Then after this I may sometimes do a short ‘eyes closure’ induction and then the sway test all while standing with the client. This really confirms to them the connection between mind and body as they can actually feel the relaxation in their eyes and body. Then I would have the client sit in the chair and do a short landscape induction. This is something that I have created and added to each client’s induction to help with imagination. Unfortunately I can’t cover this process all here as it would take too long. After this I use the Self-Change Hypnosis induction, which has three key elements and then onto the post hypnotic suggestions. I take about twenty minutes to do this. Then I encourage the client to do the first element of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction for themselves and I do the rest, thus allowing them to experience Hypnosis for a second time in the same session. Then after that we do a third round of Hypnosis with the client doing the whole of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction and giving themselves some post hypnotic suggestions. Using the Self-Change Hypnosis means that if is foolproof for the client to learn. Well I hope that you have enjoyed this article and have gotten something from it.

On greatness

It’s a long way from mediocrity to excellence. So common sense would seem to indicate that it’s just as long a road from excellence to greatness. But I believe that greatness is an entirely different road that bypasses both mediocrity and excellence. Greatness is no closer to excellence than it is to mediocrity. Bill Gates is excellent; Nelson Mandela is great. Bill was busy making his first billion and putting a PC on every desk while Nelson was languishing in prison. That’s the difference. True greatness can only be born from personal tragedy. It’s not the only ingredient, but it is indispensable. Even tragedy won’t be enough without choosing the appropriate response – if you react by choosing caution and dedicating your life to avoiding further pain (as most people do), the world shrinks – you will find that you lack the imagination to find any risk worth taking, and lack the courage to take a risk even if you found it. You could definitely call me a whiner. Sometimes, anyway. Life is just too difficult and there is just too much pain - especially the emotional kind. My heart gets broken, people betray me, my hopes get dashed time and time again, I climb towards the summit time and time again only to get knocked down once more. If life could just be a little bit easier...But in my heart I know that even if it got easier I still wouldn't be satisfied. I won't be satisfied until things are ... PERFECT. I guess we all long for a perfect world. Believers wait for one, agnostics long for one, and atheists wish they could stop thinking about it. So let's do a thought experiment here - what if the world was really perfect? What if there was no war, no poverty, everyone was beatiful and healthy, we all lived forever, nobody had acne, everybody loved each other and nobody picked their nose? It's the ultimate challenge for a Professional Whiner - to find something wrong with a perfect world. But I accept the challenge. There is one thing that would be missing in a perfect word, one kind of person that heaven cannot produce. A hero. Heros are born of adversity, and since a perfect world would have no adversity, a perfect world would have no heroes, only soft, fuzzy whiners who wouldn't last 30 minutes in a Louisiana cotton field. Of course it could be argued that a perfect world would have no need of heroes. Well, this world has no real need for the Grand Canyon or the Himalaya mountains, but they sure are nice... Without fear there can be no courage. Without the possibility of betrayal there can be no real devotion to another. And without being familiar with despair, we cannot know true joy. I find something surpassingly beautiful about a strong and noble character - a nail that refuses to be pounded down. When I get depressed or upset about the way that life is treating me, I try to remember that someday I will have forever to take it easy and thrill as every dream I've ever dreamed comes true one by one. But who will I be by then? That is all being determined right now. This brief millisecond between birth and death is the only chance I'll ever have, in all of eternity, to stand strong and prove myself against adversity. I can only hope that when it's all said and done that I will have proven myself worthy.