Doing work on your subconscious can change the course of your life
Many psychologists in books and academic papers have discussed the powerful impact of the subconscious mind. It is said to drive 95% of our behaviour, day-to-day. Our behavioural instincts, shaped by our past and often without our knowledge, are so programmed and deeply embedded that often we don't realise why we are doing the things we are doing. Something buried deep underneath our awareness is causing us to behave the way we do.
This is why we must use a strong and consistent behavioural change program to alter the way we think and to have better control over the way our "animal mind" drives our behaviour. The animal mind is the instinctual, habit-driven, survival-focussed thought patterns that are a central part of what makes us human beings. This includes our sleep-patterns, our emotional ups and downs, our personal relationships, and yes, our eating patterns.
As far as eating goes, have you ever had a diet, no matter what the flavour, that worked straight away, changed your body shape and kept the weight off (or on) permanently? They are rare. Often, if they work at all, diets are accompanied by some sort of counselling or psychological therapy, or a significant change in life circumstances such as moving house or a dramatic shift in personal relationships - such as having a new baby, or a relationship ending, or starting. Diets rarely create lasting change by themselves.
Our subconscious mind is influenced by experiences from our past. Thus the name of this website. We need to understand why we do what we do, over and over, or why certain challenges come along, such as a new job, or a change in personal circumstances, and we can't cope because we were not prepared for the change and suddenly our subconscious mind starts rejecting the new circumstances and stress occurs.
Over time, this stress can be overcome, but there is always the tendency to want to revert back to what is comfortable and easy. Back to what the mind knows and can cope with. Some people can fight their subconscious for long periods of time, but ultimately it is likely to cost them their health, either physical, mental or both.
There is a way out. Hypnosis, counselling or psychological therapy is the key. You must be willing to do the work on yourself, along with a loving and supportive environment, hopefully provided by your therapist. Through this process, you can understand who you really are. Clarity comes from re-visiting those past events - perhaps in a prior life or (quite often) in this life - and seeing how they have shaped the person you are at this very minute.
Your conscious mind may want to take you somewhere, but as it tried to, if the subconscious mind doesn't like it, it will put roadblocks in the way. One way to think of this is via the concept of ego states. In my practice, I use ego-state therapy and have found that it is one of the most powerful tools to self-understanding you could ever use. These ego states are aspects of your subconscious mind. Ego-state therapy is done via hypnosis, and enables different parts of your subconscious to be given a name, then "meet" each other and mutually work out the best way forward, with you as the ultimate beneficiary.
This is one of many ways in which you can find your best path in life, and be your best self in the process. The continual stress that you may feel can then be conquered via an understanding of those subconscious drives, and a happier, more peaceful life is the result.
