NLP Making Changes

NLP Making Changes


This is the second article based on my interpretation of NLP


To follow on from that first article I’m going to look at two ways
changes can be made using NLP.


However before anything can be made to happen.
If someone is not fully committed to making changes.
Then it wont happen. The reasons behind any change
have to hold a conviction that drives the belief, that
making the change, will bring about tangible
improvements to life as it stands for that individual.


Prior to looking at change, I’m going to look at another
NLP presupposition which states that mind and body
are not separate from each other but complement
each other. For neither will work without the other.
 

Based on that principle NLP practitioners can create
changes for their clients. Simply by changing the way
they hold themselves physically.
Anyone can do it.
I cover this in much greater detail in my book.

Link below.

Lets try this as an exercise, imagine or recall a morning
where you had to get up early to get into work.
For whatever reason the thought of doing this was not
a good one.

Try to recreate this experience and go into it deeply.
Be there for a moment.
When you know your in it, just examine the way you feel,
but more so look at your posture.
How does it feel, more often than not, the head is bowed,
shoulders are pulled forward.
The Torso is slumped and breathing is shallow due to
compression on the chest.


As another option, try physically sitting like this for a
while and see where your thoughts start going.
Usually not the best of ways to start a day.


Now come out of where you are and try this out. Imagine
you are some where that resonates
of a much enjoyed experience.
It can be out walking by a river.
On a warm holiday beach, in a woods enjoying the scenery etc.
Bring it to mind and dive into that experience. Recall everything
about it that you can. Try to actually be there.
Now notice how different your posture is now.
Are you feeling more relaxed, even energised.
Are you breathing deeply because your shoulders are
held back. Head is held evenly by the neck muscles.
Chest is out and you are walking tall.

Once again experiment with this a bit, try putting yourself
into this position and see where your thoughts go.
See how it feels.

If done properly, what you experience is the synergy
between mind and body. What this shows is the the mind
does have an effect on the body and vice versa.
Using techniques like this one we can make personal change.


Great little technique, however the changes tend to be
short term. But with constant practice those changes
will become more long term as we instinctively learn
to manage our sense of self awareness.
To recognise when we move into those states and choose
to do something to change them.


Deep level change is more of a challenge, especially for
those who working on themselves.
Being objective in our thinking is not always easy.
So what follows is an example of how we effect
deep level changes.


This requires a level of understanding of the issue at hand.
So working with a scenario that goes along these lines.
We have an issue of confidence which manifests itself when
we are placed under certain conditions.
Such things could be public speaking, general
conversation, maybe work based communications.
In general somewhere outside of normal
communications where there is a fear of putting
ourselves forward.


To understand how and why this fear is generated
we have to ask lots of questions.
Either of ourselves or of our clients.
Were not interested in what initially caused the fear.
We want to know what triggers the fear, and how that
fear is represented in our subconscious mind.


Once those have been established, we can look to
make changes to the trigger mechanism and the representation.
Which in turn will change how we react
to anything that stimulates the fear.


So as a practical example, lets say we get nervous
when asked to speak in say an office meeting.
There may be no tangible reason for it but when he office
meeting comes around. It gets worse.
Physical symptoms can be nausea, butterflies
even to a crippling mental state bordering on panic.


What sets it off, the trigger could be anything so we’ll say
it’s the thought of having to stand up in front of others.
Being very self conscious of making yourself look
silly or making a mistake.
Been there myself and done it many times.


So we need to find the representation.
This could simply be a picture in the mind.
More likely the representation will be made up of visual,
audio and physical components. In other words you can
see, hear and feel yourself doing it.


To find this out we simply go into the experience
and play it through.
Without using too much jargon.
We recreate the experience to analyse the experience.
Once we understand the component parts of the experience.
We have a model to work with, which we can now manipulate.
Which basically means, we can change
any of the component parts.
In so doing, we can change the effect that the experience
now holds over us.


So to further clarify, lets assume that the representation is a
visual one. A picture of people laughing at you
for making a mistake.

So how will changing this, effect how the experience works.
We try to shift the framework to a more supportive and
positive position.
Rather than having people laughing at a mistake,
we install a different picture, they are giving you a round
of applause and approval for an excellent speech.


Rather than being nervous timid and quiet
we create the image of you being positive, animated
and fully focused on your delivery in the moment.


Rather than sounding dull and boring,
we create a soundtrack of a vibrant and highly articulate
person delivering a clear and concise message.


Rather than standing still holding the notes in front of
your face, we create the motions of an energetic person
who has belief in what they are trying to convey.


As can be seen, changing how we view the representation,
can change the effect is has upon us.
Giving us options on how we choose to react
to the original fear.


This is the basis on which most change work is undertaken.
As such, offers an insight into how NLP can be used as an
aid to create better options in life for ourselves and others.


We hope this article has aided your understanding of NLP

For further reading the following series of links
offers additional insight into making changes using NLP.

This my own personal book and shows some of the ways
I have used NLP to make some change work for me.

NLP Kickstart Change

The following blog post is an excellent article on
short term decision making using Future Pacing.

  Making decisions Short Term

For parts one and three of this article

NLP My Personal Interpretation

NLP Desire Manifestation


Thanks for your visit