5 Things You Can Do To Boost Your Self-Confidence
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don't mind and those that mind, don't matter.” Dr Seuss
How you think and feel about yourself? Having self-love, self-belief and self-esteem are some of the most important things you can do for yourself. They may sound selfish or narcissistic, but actually having this self-confidence will help you be a better person, help others and make the world a better place to be.
Being able to build and maintain one’s self-esteem is important:
- Many of us feel insecure because we compare ourselves to other people. When things don’t work out for us and they do for others we feel inadequate. When we start caring and loving ourselves for who we are, we don’t get so hung up on setbacks. Or worry about meeting other people’s expectations.
- When we have higher self-esteem and confidence we don’t need other people’s validation or attention as much. We feel more relaxed and in control of our emotions and worry less about what other people say.
- When we love ourselves more and have better self-esteem, we’re less likely to think negatively or self-sabotage. This creates more positivity and we become more motivated to try to achieve our goals.
When you work toward building your self-confidence you will be able to stay calm and handle the difficult times better.
In their lives, many people experience issues with self-esteem and self-confidence. Sometimes this may be for a short period, for others it can be a long-term problem. Whatever your background, it is never too late to work on these issues. There has been a stage in my own life when things have been difficult, but I worked on any self-worth issues I have had from my past and keep myself calm every day. My life has now become simpler and building my self-esteem means that I am happier now.
Using my own personal experience and my years spent working as a clinical hypnotherapist cognitive behaviour therapist, I have developed a programme to help other people with self-confidence issues. Find out more about hypnotherapy for self-confidence here.
Here are 5 things you can do to boost yourself like I did:
- Learn how to quieten the inner critic and build your confidence. When you have the self-destructive thoughts like ‘you are not good at your job’ or ‘you are very lazy and not intelligent enough to do this’. Or ‘you are not pretty like your sister or friend’, you change how you think and work on being more positive. Stop the critical voice or inner critic voice in your head and get a STOP phrase that works for you. This will help you to find a better way to motivate yourself and move forward.
- Learn healthy positive and motivational habits. These will help you to improve your self-confidence and take action towards a goal that means a lot to you. A single most powerful method to inspire and motive you is to jot down in your diary things that will help you achieve that goal. For example: if you want to lose weight & get more energy to look after your family, do the things that will help you achieve that goal. Keep the dairy updated. Look at it every day to see how you can improve on the positive things and build on it. Refocus on the things you like to do. Also, push through the barriers so you put most of your efforts on important goals.
- Replace your perfectionist ideas. Are you afraid to take action? For example, making a call to a new business or an old colleague, if you are afraid to live up to a perfect standard you have set for yourself. If you procrastinate and let the negative thoughts take over you will let your self-esteem take a drop and have negative thoughts about your performance. Handle your failures and mistakes as they can be a learning experience in a positive manner: we truly learn through our mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself and have a plan ready in case you made a mistake or you might fall into a despairing mood.
- Try a new action so you can be challenged to try a small goal or a big goal. You will boost your self-confidence when you step outside your comfort zone. If you have a fear of failure, take small steps first. Remember not to compare yourself to other people because that can be self-destructive. Instead, focus on you and what you need to do to achieve your goal. Replace self-destructive thoughts with positive affirmations.
- Surround yourself with a supportive network of people. Friends and family can help, and you are keeping away from destructive or unsupportive people. Being with uplifting or positive people will feel good. And you will think and feel positive thoughts. Remember the reason why you are doing this to boost your confidence, build self-esteem. Make yourself a priority.
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending”. Maria Robinson
These 5 things that you can do to boost self-confidence have done a wonderful job on my own self-esteem. If you need any help or support contact me on info@hypnotherapyisurrey.com or call me on 07967151790.
Did You Get A Good Nights Sleep Last Night?
We all suffer from sleep deprivation at some time or the other. This can be due to air travel, anxiety, stress, medical issues or other interruptions in your sleep routine. Sleep problems can cause tiredness in your daily routine; and if it's a regular occurrence and can lead to physical and mental issues.
This can manifest itself as weight gain, stress, memory problems, low mood, irregular blood pressure, loss of energy and a compromised immune system.
Sleep Disorders and Insomnia
How do you know whether your insomnia is big problem, an annoying issue or medical problem? Read through the following list and see whether or not you do these things:
- Fall asleep on your desk at work
- Are irritable and grumpy in the day time
- Fall asleep early evening when watching TV
- Find it difficult to concentrate
- Look tired and other people mention this
- Feel angry for no reason and cannot control your emotions
- Take a nap in the day
- Drink lots of coffee or caffeinated drinks
If any of the above answers are yes then you do suffer from a sleep disorder. We all have an internal clock that regulates our sleep patterns know as circadian rhythms. When it becomes dark our brain releases a hormone called melatonin that makes us feel sleepy and we go to sleep. But when it is light (a cue) in the daytime sends a message to our brain that its time to wake up influencing your circadian rhythms. These rhythms are linked to the sleeping problems, which when not in sync, can lead to anxiety, depression and winter blues or seasonal affective disorder.
How To Get A Good Nights Sleep
What are the things you can do to get a good nights sleep, overcome sleep issues and learn to deal with them effectively:
- Identify the signs and symptoms that causes you sleep problems
- What is your bedtime routine that causes you sleeplessness?
- Keep a diary of your sleep patterns
- What are the things you eat or drink before bed time – alcohol, hot chocolate (caffeine), chocolate biscuits, liquids and what time have you taken them?
- How long are you awake for and what were you doing?
- Did you feel relaxed before bed time or you were stressed, anxious or unhappy?
- Are you on any prescriptive medicines?
By identifying the factors that could be affecting your sleep you can take steps to avoid them, or work on these issues. For example if you are feeling stressed you can try relaxation techniques, or you may want to get professional help such as clinical hypnosis with cognitive behaviour therapy to address the underlying issues that are causing your stressed state.
Things you can do for yourself to improve your sleep patterns:
- Be consistent about your bedtime routine including weekends (regular night-time schedule) – time you go to bed,
- Regular exercise regime in the daytime and not too close to bedtime,
- Don't nap in the daytime and if you have to have a nap, limit it to power naps of 30 minutes,
- Don’t consume caffeinated drinks, alcohol or stimulants,
- Don't eat your supper too late as rich meals or spicy meals can cause you to have heartburn and then you will find it difficult to fall asleep,
- Your will find it easy to sleep when your bedroom is dark, cool and not noisy,
- Turn off all screens (TV’s, Facebook, computers, iPads) an hour before you go to bed in order to let your brain relax and not get over stimulated,
- Instead listen to some calming music, practice mindfulness, read a book, listen to an audiobook,
- Don't drink too much water or drinks as you might want to use the toilet at night and that can keep you up,
- Listen to relaxing music or try a mindfulness exercise so that you drop of to sleep,
- Keep a pad by the bedside to write a list of the things that are bothering you and postpone the brainstorming till the next day.
If stress from work, family, relationships or your career or school is causing you sleepless nights, learning to cope with your stress, anxiety and maintain a calm, relaxed outlook that can help you get a good nights sleep is important.
If you think you could benefit from some professional help, take advantage of my free 30 minute consultation to discuss your options and get advice and strategies to sleep better at night.
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Tips For Kicking Those Bad Habits That Are Damaging Your Health
Most people go through life eating, working, socialising, without thinking much certain about how their actions affect their bodies. We may notice the effects our bad habits are having when we feel under the weather or have problems sleeping; but while we can make some connections between physical symptoms and our habits we are unaware of the real damage to our health and what to do about it.
Read on to see whether you recognise any of the problems and symptoms of these common things that can result in bad habits.
- Diet
By eating a healthy diet, you can have a good effect on your body, brain and keep your weight under control. If you are eating a diet low in nutrients or foods that are bad for your body this can have long-term effects on your brain.
When you actively eat foods that damage your health, long-term your brain becomes exposed to cellular inflammation and this damages some cells that can cause development of diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Also food containing sugars and saturated fats like burgers, cakes and french fries can have detrimental effects on your brain. To stop this, you can start eating healthy foods: fruits, whole grains, fish and vegetables which are rich in antioxidants and these will fight damaging effects of inflammation.
- Stress
Stress and anxiety such as relationship issues, work commitments, family problems and financial issues can cause you to develop habits that can damage your health. Some stress is good when working hard towards your goals, but excess stress can lead you to eat too much of the bad foods. Stress can trigger a sympathetic nervous response that makes your breathing quicken and heart breath faster releasing cortisol.
After you calm down your parasympathetic nervous response kicks in which leads to you to relax. Chronic stress can make you forget things and be more anxious and perform badly at work. You may revert to bad habits like smoking, overeating or drinking too much. When you feel tense and anxious there are deep relaxation techniques, yoga, mindfulness, meditation and visualisation techniques that can help you get in control of the overwhelm.
- Exercise
An active lifestyle can help you not only stay physically fit but also keeping organs like your heart and lungs functioning better and maintaining your optimal weight. Exercise can also help keep you mentally acute and helps your cognitive health too. Movement improves physical and mental health, releases endorphins and keeps you looking young and healthy.
Even just walking for about 20 minutes a day is positive for your brain and can improve your cognitive brain functioning. It will mean making better decisions with your food habits, help you keep focused despite the many distractions around and help with conflicts that may arise.
- Sleep
Sleep can also enhance your health and well being. If you struggle with your sleep patterns, you will wake up irritable, tired and not able to concentrate on your work or at your studies. Lack of sleep can interfere with your brain function and you may resort to bad habits, such as eating junk foods to give you energy to work.
If you know that you struggle with sleep then aim to eat healthy foods in the evening - not chocolate or biscuits at night - also avoid caffeine or drinking alcohol before you go to bed.
- Willpower
Define the goals and set a time limit that is realistic with what you want to achieve by kicking the bad habits. It can be hard and emotional, but persistence will make you succeed.
If you can acknowledge your bad habits, take active steps with commitment and tailor your attitudes to match them, you will make positive changes to the bad habits that can damage your health.
If you would like help removing bad habits from your life, book a free 30 minute consultation with me to see how clinical hypnosis and cognitive behaviour therapy can help.
Kick Those Bad Habits With These Techniques!
Try a few of these techniques:
- Recognise what your bad habits are and the reasons for doing the things that you regret later. Are they stress related or are you bored? Do they occur when you are doing a routine or do they occur in certain situations? Understand what your rewards for your vices are, what your triggers are and why your bad habits show up.
- Replace the habit with a positive habit like replacing junk foods with starting a new exercise class. This will take up less of your mental energy rather than cutting the bad habit out of your life. Willpower is a finite resource, so make it easy by distracting yourself with healthier habits.
- Don't try to stop or contain your thoughts. If you are saying in your mind that you should eat that cake then all you will think of is that cake. So take away the temptations and surround yourself with healthy snacks.
- Change your environment or routines that are related to the bad habits. If you stop to buy a chocolate bar on the way to work, go a different way to avoid passing the shop. If you want a cigarette when you go out with friends, cut down on socialising for a short time to give yourself the best chance of quitting.
Kicking bad habits takes a certain amount of willpower and a good understanding of how your mind works. You need to work with these mental patterns rather than fighting against them.
If you find it hard to make long-term changes to your bad habits, attitudes or behaviours clinical hypnosis with cognitive behaviour therapy can help. It can identify the issues and triggers that cause your bad habits, and make healthier suggestions that will help you improve your health and wellbeing.
Contact me for a chat about your individual situation – click here.
Quit Smoking With These Self-Hypnosis Tips
Whether No Smoking Day (8th March 2017) is the reason you want to quit smoking, or if you’ve just decided that now is the right time to stop smoking for good, finding the right smoking cessation method can be difficult.
Patches, gum, nicotine replacements and other methods can be successful for some people, but not for everyone. However, self-hypnosis is a great option – whether used alone or in combination with another smoking cessation method.
In this post, I share why self-hypnosis is so successful, and also tips for practising it at home.
How Does Hypnosis For Smoking Cessation Work?
Most people believe that hypnosis is like stage hypnosis, it will make you ‘cluck like a chicken’ or ‘dance around the room’; but hypnosis is an evidence-based method and does not make you fall asleep or do things against your will. During a hypnosis session, you will relax through visualisation and deep breathing exercises, and the hypnotherapist will guide you through the whole process. You will receive a piece a music that helps with the relaxation or a hypnosis CD. Suggestions given during the hypnosis session will help you change your feelings and thoughts; and the behaviour that follows. It will help you focus on your stop smoking goals by accepting the suggestions and preparing you for success.
Self-hypnosis can help you to concentrate and focus on your end goal to stop smoking for good by changing your habits and behaviours.
If you have found it difficult to gain control over your smoking habit in the past and respond well to suggestions, self-hypnosis will work well for you. Hypnosis relies on your belief that you can quit and you are ready to make the changes that is needed to quit. Your commitment to quit smoking and self-hypnosis will help you succeed with your goal.
The following self-hypnosis tips are best used after having had a professional hypnosis for smoking cessation session. If you would like to discuss your goals to stop smoking with me, please book a free 30 minute consultation here.
10 Self-Hypnosis Tips To Stop Smoking
- Practice self-hypnosis by finding a quiet place free from social media, mobile phones, or other distractions. Wear comfy clothes and schedule your time so you are not rushing through this process.
- Sit down on a comfortable couch and relax and take deep calm breaths. Try not to fall asleep just gently enter the deep hypnotic state.
- Self-hypnosis suggestions are given that are indirect statements such as ‘Smoking is bad for my health and I want to not put harmful substances into my body anymore’.
- Take deep breaths (in through your nose and out through your mouth) and focus on a specific spot in the room.
- Relax and close your eyes and ‘let your body go’ or settle deep into the couch, feeling heavy and loose.
- Allow your attention to focus on your in-breath and out-breath. Simply take calm breaths and if your concentration wanders bring it back to your deep relaxing breathing.
- Remember and repeat positive affirmations and keep them real so they are not too far from what you would normally say to yourself.
- Use a soft and soothing tone in your voice and don't get frustrated as it might take a little while to practice and teach your body to relax and let go. For example: ‘I will not damage my body anymore and I respect myself’ should be said in the present not past tense and saying things that are happening for you at this moment.
- Once you have finished with the affirmations, feel that you are returning to the present and count from 1-5 and stretch and slowly open your eyes, return to the present.
- Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for this to work as self-hypnosis is not the same as being present in a session with a clinical hypnotherapist. Keep motivated and keep up with your practice daily and you will succeed.
Some people can quit after one session with the clinical hypnotherapist while for others it can take six sessions for this to work. Every person has their own unique way that therapy works for them. By practising self-hypnosis techniques you will be effective in gaining control of this habit that had plagued you for a long time. Keep your mind busy when you feel the strong urge to smoke, also eat healthy meals and drink plenty of water. Find an exercise class or an activity that you can keep busy with and try to avoid alcoholic drinks that may make you go back to smoking again.
Self-hypnosis can be difficult to master and does not work for everyone, which is why a session with a clinical hypnotherapist can help you get started. The therapist may be able to uncover other underlying issues that are affecting your ability to stop smoking, for example, stress and anxiety.
Quitting smoking with self-hypnosis as a stand-alone or as an adjunct therapy is an effective way to stop smoking. Self-hypnosis will help you to keep reinforcing the suggestions given in the sessions especially on the days that you feel the urge to smoke a cigarette. Remember that smoking is not a physical habit or behaviour, it is a mental problem and the way to achieve success with your quit smoking goal is through getting the help you need.
If you would like to discuss any of the above in more detail please get in touch with me. Call +44 (0)796 715 1790 or email astarandrea@gmail.com
Or you can get started straight away by booking your free 30-minute consultation below.
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