Playing with Fire

"If you use hypnosis, you are playing with fire!" That was the advice my client got from her minister.

When she told me this, my heart sank. I am still surprised when doctors, therapists and ministers, warn people NOT to use hypnosis. I feel so bad, that they are getting more and more discouragement, especially when they need encouragement and motivation to make changes they desperately need and want.

So here is what I say to that advice:

Yes! Using hypnosis can be compared to playing with fire. What happens when humans play with fire? or should I say "employ" fire?

Fire lights the darkness. Fire cooks our food. Fire warms the cold. Fire keeps the carnivores away at night.

Without fire, human beings would not have become civilized. They probably wouldn't have survived at all. So I am going with this metaphor:

Using hypnosis is like playing with fire, only it is not "playing" if you find an ethical educated certified hypnotist. So use it for motivation, optimism, healing, and behavior modification! Use it for developing confidence and eliminating fears. Use it! Just be careful that you use the fire with the proper supervision.

My client used hypnosis to reduce fear and anxiety. She is now able to take showers and leave her house, 2 things she was afraid to do for the past 4 years. She still has fears, but they no longer control her life the way they used to. Her confidence has soared, too. She decided to go ahead with hypnosis, even after she received this caveat from her minister. She decided to use prayer to protect her from any danger.

BTW, there is very low risk of negative side effects from using hypnosis. The hypnotee can always reject a suggestion from the hypnotist; he cannot be made to do something he considers immoral or unethical. The hypnotee is always in control.

One Hundred Forty Six point 4

I weighed myself this morning. I don't really think the scale should be my boss, but it will be one way to see that I have achieved my goal. The real way I will know is that I will fit and feel comfortable in my white jeans.

Anyway I know I have made a good choice by selecting Connie Russo at PMR Elite Fitness and Massage in Tarpon Springs. Connie is my partner as I learn to change my lifestyle to be aligned with my ideal physical image. So far I have worked out twice this week in the morning with Connie and a few others. For me, this boosts my motivation, because though I am comfortable taking it slow, I get more motivated when I slow down, but see others putting forth the effort. If they can do it, so can I!

 I am also keeping a food journal. Connie has provided a calorie counter, so I may learn how to finally do that. She did have a measuring tape and my waist came in at 32 inches. The good news is that the medical community has determined that 35 inches is the danger level for women. So the good news is that I am below the danger level!

One Hundred Forty Seven Pounds

I stepped on the scale this morning. This is the starting point. It said 147. I have determined that I need to lose 10 pounds. Well, 11. Actually 12. I have been struggling with these 10 pounds for 2 years now and they seem to be particularly stubborn. I blame it on hormones or age. Actually both. I blame it on menopause. Or perimenopause, which is the modern term. I have never weighed more than 150 punds. I reached 150 just before I gave birth to my son. So this fat around the middle is very uncomfortable for me. It's like wearing sandbags. It very much reminds me of my pregnant belly, as I never really carried a lot of weight in that area before. I am a pear, not an apple and have always had a waist much smaller than my hips. So now that the fat is gathering in the middle, where it should NOT be, I am determined to eliminate in a slow and healthy way. I'd like to eliminate it right NOW, but it doesn't seem to work that way. I have never been on a restrictive diet and I do not have the discipline to learn how to count calories and carbs now. I don't like to be hungry. So I've got to figure out a way to make losing fat fun or at least interesting. I'd like to share my journey with you. This will help me with my motivation. You see, I have decided before to lose those unwanted pounds. So how do I find myself here, at 147? I don't know. All I know is I want my waistline back.

As I am new to this, I have decided that 10 weeks should be sufficient to eliminate10 er 12 pounds . I will see 135 pounds on my scale on or before April 30, 2012.

This is the first step, making a decision. No, that was already made. The first step for me is announcing it to the world. So I have to reduce. Otherwise I will feel very foolish.

I think the dangerous width of the waistline is 30 inches for women. I might not be able to findmy measuring tape, but I can probably have my waist measured by my personal trainer tomorrow. I will be taking a class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings starting tomorrow.

Top 10 Motivators

There are many theories of motivation. It is a huge field, and a huge endeavor to try to boil down the list to only 10, so I have tried to identify the ones that I have observed in those around me and have experienced in my own life.

10. Money. This is a big motivator. People like to have money. Some even work at jobs in order to get money on a regular basis.

9. Altruism. Many people are motivated to help others, their community and even the world. Think of Mother Theresa and Oprah Winfrey. Some people are so altruistic that they ignore their own needs. The psychological term for this is codependent.

8. Excellence. Many people strive for excellence. Those who wish to be excellent speakers, join Toastmasters International. People who are preoccupied with excellence are called perfectionists.

7. Comfort, familiarity, habit. This can be good or bad, for example, brushing your teeth every morning is good, while overindulging in Chips Ahoy every evening is not.

6. Loyalty. This is also called social incentive. People do things for the team or the company, or their friends. It can also be called Peer Pressure or stupidity, like when a friend has a stupid idea and you go along with it.

5. Curiosity. Someone asks a question and you are intrigued, want to find out or figure it out. For example, someone asked me recently, how does Toastmasters International motivate its members? That got me to thinking about it ... and writing (and speaking) about it!

to be continued....