Dr. Daniel Amen, of the Amen Clinic, has written several books and done PBS specials on how changing our brain physically (with nutrition, exercise, and if necessary, drugs) has a direct impact on how we think and feel. This article is a link to his step 3 of 7 ways to improve your brain function. Step 3 is about killing the "ANT's" (Automatic Negative Thoughts) that run rampant in our mind. Click here to read more
My Comments: I truly appreciate Dr. Amen's wholistic approach to brain health and emotional health! It is too easy to think we just need to suck it up or take a pill to feel better, often times ignoring the very real physical components of how our brain and body functions impact our emotions and thinking.
Automatic negative thoughts is something hypnosis works with all the time, in shifting what the automatic thoughts are, and helping people get out of stuck loops of a negative thoughts and responses to life events. In my practice I explain it as our minds get wired like juke boxes. Remember those? As a result, when something happens in our daily life it is as if someone just pressed B7 or D29 and a whole automatic response is instantly fires off. This response not only includes thoughts, but feelings, and physical responses!
One of the things hypnosis is great at, is helping people to change their responses by changing these buttons. It isn't something I do to a client, but rather in a partnership of uncovering what the negative buttons are that causing issues, and disconnecting them or changing what response comes with them. Once the change is made it needs to be reinforced to become established and permanent. But then how long has the old negative buttons been running? It makes sense it could take a bit of time to cement in the new buttons.
Combining the power of hypnosis with other elements of wholistic health such as; nutrition, lifestyle, support networks, and more, creates a positive and powerful impact on people's life experiences. This time of year, when resolutions and new choices are in the forefront of many people's minds, it a great time to begin looking at how to improve our brains, so that those new choices and resolutions can become a reality.
What can you do today? Begin by monitoring your thoughts - keep an eye out for those "ANT's" and consciously choose a better thought = stamping out the ANT. Spend even 5 minutes a day in a mini meditation, focusing on experiencing your life in a better way. As you do this bring as many of your senses into play as possible. See the changes you are desiring, feel it emotionally and physically, hear yourself responding in the new ways you would like. Make it real!
To your best life,
Nancy
www.BirthYourDreams.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Great advice. I found an early morning meditation to be very effective. But I use it to focus on visualizing goals as oppsed to clearing my mind :-)
Post a Comment