Ok, so my first blog of 2012 and I get to utter those immortal lines of Eddie Murphy in the brilliant and hilarious film Trading Places “Merry New Year.”
Despite our flight being delayed and therefore us not getting home until 3am yesterday, my New Year spent in the Gambia with my wife was nothing short of wonderful. Nothing is more wonderful than spending time with my beloved wife, but to do it in such an amazing environment was heavenly.
It was very hot and I definitely left the country having relinquished the title of whitest man in Africa. We ate too much, drank too much, met some wonderful people, danced, watched fire eaters and traditional African dancers on New Years Eve, we laughed loudly and had a ball. We read lots of books (I read 4 of Iain Banks Sci-Fi Culture novels and have nearly read them all now, they are just brilliant), we refused to connect to the internet at all while we were away, I was not bitten by a mosquito once, the local people were simply delightful and great fun, we bid farewell to 2011 and got excited about our plans for 2012.
Upon arrival back home, perusing my garden as I made sure nothing had been too detrimentally effected by the high winds experienced here while we were away that have been causing havoc everywhere according to the news, my mind starts to move on to the plans for the garden this year. There are spaces here and there that will be filled by more lupins, foxgloves, delphiniums and pentstemons (my favourites) from the seeds that I collected from last years plants once they had flowered. So the seeds will be germinated and sown in my greenhouse, covered and then potted up every few weeks until they are ready for the cold frame and eventually into the garden late spring.
Most people do not require a great deal of motivating at this time of year. The New Year heralds a new leaf which tends to inspire many. Though for some, the laziness and gluttony of the festive season makes it tough to get into gear.
Either way, we need some motivation that is intrinsic motivation. That is, motivation that comes from within us and not just external motivation where something else is required to get us going.
So my plan for the blog for the next few articles is going to be focusing on abandoning laziness, ending procrastination and truly getting motivated, inspired and driven towards all the marvellous things we want to make happen in our lives this coming year.
I am going to do this in a number of steps and not just aim to do it all at once with one swooping process that fixes all. In my garden, I do not just plant the seeds straight out into the garden to face the elements of winter, do I? No, they’d not germinate, they’d not get access to all that they need at the early stages of growth, they’d not be protected or strong enough to develop into full-blown flowers of beauty that flower each year and bring joy, colour and life to me and my garden (plus the butterflies and other insects do love the same flowers as me).
So today, we are going to prepare the garden, so to speak. Then we are going to diligently plant the seeds of our motivation before growing it into full-blown motivation and inspiration and drive and it all in a way that is going to last rather than being a quick fix solution of any kind. All the processes are going to be done with self-hypnosis, as you expect from me and my hypnosis blog, and so lets get cracking…
5 Steps To Preparing Your Mind For Motivation
Prior to starting I recommend you have a good think about what you wish to get motivated about. What do you require more deep-rooted motivation to achieve? What are your desired outcomes for this year? What do you want to do more of? What are your goals? Get these things firmly in your mind, because we want to have a focus for the sessions. Then proceed to step one.
Step One: Induce Hypnosis.
You can do so by any means you desire or know of. You can use the process in my Science of self-hypnosis book, use the free audio we give away on this website to practice or have a look at the following articles as and when you need them; they are basic processes to help you simply open the door of your mind:
Heavy Arm Self-Hypnosis Induction Method
Using Eye Fixation for Self-Hypnosis
The Chiasson Self-Hypnosis Method
Hand to Face Self-Hypnosis Induction
Using Magnetic Hands for Self-Hypnosis
The Coin Drop Self-Hypnosis Induction
However, with this process, an induction is potentially too much activity, so I teach my clients how to adopt a hypnotic mindset and simply have a mindset that is positive and expectant. Again, to really understand the cognitive set of the hypnotic mindset, go grab a copy of my Science of self-hypnosis book where it is explained in simple but comprehensive terms.
Once you have induced hypnosis, move on to step two.
Step Two: Engage your imagination in whatever way is right for you. Trust however you choose to interpret this, is the way that is right for you.
When imagining, it does not have to be perfect cinema screen images, though if you do have that kind of imagination, then that is fine. When you practice mental imagery techniques in conjunction with hypnosis, you’ll find your imagination works better and becomes more fluent with these types of processes.
Imagine that you are going to start planting in a garden of high motivation, drive and inspiration. Right before you is an area of earth and soil for you to start to grow and develop your motivation and end any procrastination and laziness.
You notice that the sun is shining brightly, but there are neighbouring trees, overgrown bushes surrounding the planting area that are casting shadows and shade upon it. Also notice that planting area is hard and dry and looking bereft of goodness and healthiness. It is currently a baron, unfriendly, hard looking area.
Imagine that this represents your current level of activity and motivation in relation to your desired outcomes and goals. Notice and think about the potential, what can be achieved with all these raw material and resources, get the image in as much detail as possible, see the sights, colours, textures and details, hear the sounds, get the feelings associated with this place as it currently is, then when you have got the scene and really feel as if you are there in it, move on to the next step.
Step Three: Now look around you and find a tool shed nearby. Walk towards it and open it to see a shed filled with pristine shelves of tools and equipment, all looking new and shiny. Notice the wide array of tools available to you.
Notice also, that some of the shelves are filled with compost, soil feed and organic solutions and healthy goodness.
Take out the tools that you think you need. Take out the watering can, the solutions and feeds that you need.
Now start to tend to the surrounding area. Remove unwanted weeds, overhanging branches, overgrown bushes and make sure the sunlight can reach the planting area. Clear any debris that would have hindered growth in this area.
With the area cleared and the sun shining upon it, now start to tend to the soil. Hoe the soil, dig it, turn it over, add goodness to it by watering and feeding it. Add the compost to it.
Notice the colour of the soil and earth starting to change, notice how it softens and becomes rich, fertile and well. Hear the sounds of the fork and spade in the ground, notice the sounds of the birds in the vicinity getting excited, feel the breeze upon your skin.
Continue to do whatever you need to do to make the area as fertile, healthy and well as possible. As you do this, start to tell yourself that the garden represents your mind and that you are clearing out and priming your mind for what is coming up in the next few days. When you are sure that the soil, earth and planting area is absolutely primed, tended perfectly and all set and ready for planting, then move on to the next step.
Step Four: Now, bend down and put your fingers into the soil, rub it between your fingers and get a sense of how healthy it is as the sun shines upon it. The sun shines upon you also here. You know that what you have done with your garden here in your imagination has been done in your mind and has created a rich, fertile mindset, ready for drive and motivation to be planted and developed and cultivated. Feel the difference in your body knowing that you have made the first step in decisive action today, that you have chosen to let go of laziness, that you are choosing to end procrastination and start taking responsibility for driving and building your own motivation, inspiration so that you take some action towards your desired outcomes in the coming days and weeks that last and last.
This soil is right now. It is ready for you to plant the seeds within it. Tell yourself that in a manner that is undeniably convincing, in a way that ensures you believe it is the truth and then move on to the final step.
Step Five: Now just wiggle your toes and fingers, take a big energizing breath and open your eyes to end this session.
Have a good think about your goals, desired outcomes and things that you want to achieve. Start to feel optimistic and practice this session a couple of times so that you are absolutely ready for the next step of our process next time.
Ok, so I wish you that Merry New Year and I look forward to us getting driven and inspired to make sure 2012 is simply awesome for us all. I’ll be back very soon…
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Have some of themes here resonated with you? Then have a read of these pages:
1. Do you need help or support in a particular area of your life?
Coaching with Adam Eason Or Hypnotherapy with Adam Eason
2. Would you like a satisfying and meaningful career as a hypnotherapist helping others? Are you a hypnotherapist looking for stimulating and career enhancing continued professional development and advanced studies?
Adam Eason’s Anglo European training college.
3. Are you a hypnotherapist looking to fulfil your ambitions or advance your career?
Hypnotherapist Mentoring with Adam Eason.
Likewise, if you’d like to learn more about self-hypnosis, understand the evidence based principles of it from a scientific perspective and learn how to apply it to many areas of your life while having fun and in a safe environment and have the opportunity to test everything you learn, then come and join me for my one day seminar which does all that and more, have a read here: The Science of Self-Hypnosis Seminar. Alternatively, go grab a copy of my Science of self-hypnosis book.
