Long time no blog! 

Firstly my apologies as blogging fell by the wayside due to what has turned out to be a busy and eventful year in all sorts of areas of my life. 

However, it’s now October half term, and I am taking the week off (well most of it!) to relax, reenergise and recharge my batteries ready for a busy month ahead. 

Spending time going out and about with my family and also taking time to give myself some TLC in the form of indulgent lay-ins, Reiki self healing sessions, peaceful meditations, reading a good book and putting my feet up to watch extra TV is quite simply wonderful! 

Over the years I learned the value of ‘Me Time’ the hard way – by burning out repeatedly!  Now, like most people I lead a busy life with lots of multitasking so slowing down, relaxing and taking a step back to consider ‘what next’ is great.  In a normal working week I wouldn’t have the time to be this self indulgent but once in a while it’s a lovely treat! 

On a daily basis, I recommend taking the odd ten minutes when the opportunity arises… or half an hour, or even an hour or two for yourself because a) you’re worth it! and b) because I genuinely promise you, it is easier to be more enthusiastic doing all the things you do for other people, and to be happier and more effective in all that you do, when you also value and prioritise some time for you. 

Over the last few days I spent a couple of hours curled up on my sofa with my laptop browsing through the many photos stored on my computer.  It was time well spent triggering many good feelings!  

Whilst the advantages of digital photography are clear, for me there is nothing like a photo in a frame which catches my eye as I go about my day, and therefore positively influences my emotional state. 

Teide National Park

Pictured on the right is Teide National Park, one of the many photos which triggers amazing memories for me…..seeing this brings to mind not only a wonderful fun filled day spent with my family, but also lots of other ‘happy holiday memories’.  

Give it a go….find some photos of your favourite places or the special people in your life, print them, frame them, and notice how just a photo can change your emotional state. 

And when you want to take this a step further, look at a photo….and then simply sit down, close your eyes and take ten minutes ‘Me Time’ and invest it reliving your ‘photo moment’.  In your mind, bring it to life… turn your photo into a ‘mini movie’… make the images bigger… brighter… clearer… the colours richer… adjust the volume to enhance your experience… intensify your good feelings… and amplify all the sensations until you feel absolutely fantastic!  Then open your eyes and enjoy the rest of your day! 

So, here’s an update of some of what I’ve been up to workwise and a ‘sneak preview’ of what’s coming up on my website soon.  I have seen lots of inspirational clients and enabled them to make significant changes in their lives, I’ve had the pleasure of assisting at Kevin Laye’s Master Hypnotist training course, and meeting some amazing therapists who finished the course having developed excellent skills, which will enable them to make a fantastic difference to many peoples lives.  I was also lucky to spend a couple of special afternoons offering Reiki healing to the animals in need at Remus Horse Sanctuary in the beautiful Essex countryside. 

New Empowering Minds Logo

I am now the very happy owner of a brand shiny new logo, created for me by a good friend, Steve.  Many thanks Steve for working your magic to create something special for me.  Also coming soon, on the branding front, will be an updated website header to coordinate with my new logo. 

Okay the sneak preview…..I have been working on a self-help downloads page which will be going live on my website soon.  This consists of self-help techniques to empower you to take back control of your life. They have been created after years of experience working with clients, with consideration given to what can be achieved through a self-help technique when no prior knowledge of the therapies contained within is held.  

Over the next few weeks I will be deepening my skill set even further as I excitedly embark on my level three Reiki Master training with some highly skilled therapists who are wonderful friends and colleagues. 

Well… that’s all for this update… please feel free to leave any questions or comments… I am always happy to hear from you.  I will be back on here again soon, and certainly to let you know when the downloads are available. 

Until next time, my very best wishes to you! 

Susan

I imagine you’ve heard or said the phrase ‘I feel downright miserable’.  Well here’s a quick and simple look at the science behind those words.            

The position of our eyes, because they are connected to our brain, affects how we feel.  Our eyes need to move to different positions to access pictures or sounds attached to past experiences or to imagine the pictures or sounds of  future experiences.  Even the ability to chat away to ourselves is affected by the position of our eyes.  For now let’s return to the phrase ‘downright miserable’ – most (but not all) of us look down to the right when we connect with our emotions, hence the literal meaning of the phrase ‘downright miserable!’  Some people connect with their emotions by looking down to the left, this is more unusual and this tip is written with either possibility in mind.     When we look up it triggers a change in our brain activity enabling us to see things differently and therefore feel better.                 

I remember very clearly a day several years ago….. I was trudging along Oxford Street in London, shoulders hunched, looking at the floor, feeling ‘downright miserable’ and overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the swarm of shoppers.  Suddenly I realised all I could see was peoples feet….as I turned a corner, literally, towards Cavendish Square, and also in my quest to understand happiness, I looked up and realised there is so much more to see in life.                                 

The contrast from miserably looking at feet and pavements, to appreciating the beauty of nature……of the trees and sky was profound, as was the change in my emotional state!                 

Cavendish Square, London

This tip is incredibly simple yet incredibly effective!  As you go about your day, doing the things you do, remember to look up frequently.  When you’re outside look up at the sky, notice the varied colours, sizes and shapes of the clouds.  Notice as you walk around, the roofs of houses,  of office buildings, the immense range of architecture.  See the many different types  of chimney pots and lamppost tops, and even the life and growth of treetops through the changing seasons…..adopt a new posture, shoulders back, head held high and eyes looking up….because Things ‘Look Up’ When You Look Up At Things!                                   

And if you’re feeling downright miserable, get yourself outside for a brisk ten minute walk, shoulders back, head up and of course look up and see how much you notice………and then notice how much better you feel!  Please note it helps to look up when you’re indoors too, just it is extra helpful, if you’re feeling fed up or overwhelmed by your emotions to change your physiology completely.                                  

Good Luck…and Enjoy being in control of Your Happiness.  Please feel free to add your comments; it would be great to hear how you get on.  If you have any questions, please let me know.  Another tip will be posted soon, so please revisit for info…                                  

 To Your Happiness!                                  

  ”This is my ‘depressed stance’.  When you’re depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand.  The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you’ll start to feel better.  If you’re going to get any joy out of being depressed, you’ve got to stand like this.”  Charlie Brown  

Putting pen to paper on a daily basis, to keep a note of things you are grateful for is a powerful exercise to retrain your thinking and increase your happiness!

It’s effective if you are feeling depressed as you only record positive thoughts, therefore it begins the process of training your mind to stop focusing on negative things and creates new positive thought patterns (neural pathways) instead. Consistent daily writing enables these pathways to grow stronger, making it  easier and eventually automatic, to think positively.  It’s also a satisfying exercise for anyone as it enables us to switch our focus from everything we want but don’t have, to appreciating how lucky we are and how much we do have.

A few years ago, I kept a gratitude journal for many months……at first, because I had been habitually thinking negatively for a long time, I found myself thinking ‘what on earth can I write!’  As the days passed it became easier, and each evening before I went to bed, I put Positive Pen to Paper….

Here are a few extracts from my first days of writing a Gratitude Journal.  

Saturday 10th June 2006 – A beautiful, delicate, perfectly formed red poppy bloomed in my garden today.  I love my children so much……they’re so kind and loving towards me. 

Sunday 11th June 2006 – Had ice creams on the beach with my children on this extremely hot summer’s day.  Two red poppies in the garden now.  Slept well last night.

Monday 12th June 2006 – Enjoyed playing with my daughter…..we couldn’t stop laughing!  Planned a walk with my husband around Bewl Bridge Reservoir for next weekend.  17 miles!  Will be good to get out and spend some time just the two of us.

After only a week or so, I noticed it was much easier to think of things to write….and shortly after, as I stood in my kitchen one morning doing the mundane chore of washing up, I realised instead of feeling negative and fed up about it, I was in fact looking out of the kitchen window, listening to the birdsong, watching the birds swoop and glide from tree to tree!

In your Gratitude Journal you can write about anything you want…..perhaps the joy of watching a loved one smile, the sensation of the warm sun bathing your face, the beauty of the rich and varied colours of autumn leaves, a good nights deep sleep, an enjoyable book, the sound of your favourite music, a comfy armchair, the taste of a nice cup of tea or a warm and deliciously scented bubble bath……absolutely anything is fine as long as it’s something you are grateful for.

Give it and go and notice the difference it makes…..and if you want to, please feel free to add your comments, or contact me with any questions you may have.  Another tip will be posted next week….please revisit here for details.  This one you can incorporate into your daily life with ease and without using any extra of your precious time!   

To Your Happiness!

Susan

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”  Frederick Keonig

Wishing all who read this, a very Happy New Year!  Here’s to making 2011 Your Happiest Year Yet! 

To help you along the way, I will, over the coming weeks, be publishing some Fantastic Happiness Tips for You!  Read them, give them a go, and please feel free to add your feedback or ask any questions you may have.

Those of you, who know me or have been clients of mine, know my passion is Happiness, and how it is possible to be in a state of happiness despite circumstance.  Some people seem to ‘have it all’, their lives materialistically and circumstantially are as they want them, yet still they are unhappy.  Whereas others have ‘next to nothing’ they want in both respects, yet always have a smile on their face.  Most of us are somewhere in the middle with ‘what we have’, whereas all of us have the ability to be happy most of the time when we know how!

Over the last few years I’ve been on an amazing journey of finding my own happiness, and over the last couple of years I have had the pleasure of enabling many clients to find theirs!  Now I’m using this blog to share some Fantastic Happiness Tips with you.

The first tip will be published next week…..please revisit here for details.  It’s an exercise which takes just a few minutes a day.  I first used it on 10th June 2006, at a time when I was feeling very depressed.  Used consistently, on a daily basis, it made a significant and positive difference to my way of thinking and consequently my state of mind.

Wishing you a very Happy 2011!

Susan

“Remember, happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think.”  Dale Carnegie

Constantly evolving technology is transforming our lives, from being able to access information on the internet, email, online shopping and now the rapidly growing interactive world of Social Media.

Have you ever had a bad day or been a bit fed up, only to turn on your computer to find someone to ‘talk’ to who cheered you up? I know I have!   

One evening recently I was feeling ‘under the weather’ and posted a simple update to my Facebook status ‘feeling poorly, early night with a good book’, only to be overwhelmed by the lovely messages I received! Now although these messages didn’t directly change my physical health, they did boost my emotional state when I was feeling low, and as our  mind and body are intrinsically linked these messages will have had an impact on my overall wellbeing.

Twitter, another online communication platform, is becoming increasingly popular and has opened up access to who we communicate with even more.  Through Twitter we are able to find likeminded people – by following, listening and engaging we can build relationships and ‘enjoy the company’ of people in a social environment whom without modern technology we would never ‘meet’.

If you would like to get to know me please click here to follow me on Twitter.

During my working hours, I help people to find happiness by ‘setting them free’ from emotional baggage using a combination of highly effective therapeutic skills (TFT, NLP, Hypnosis, Reiki…) so they can enjoy a fantastic future! 

However, like millions of people, I enjoy using social media to keep in touch with friends, build new friendships, networking and to advocate my work and theirs. In the relatively short amount of time I have been doing so, I have ‘met’ many wonderful people who I love engaging with – chatting and supporting each other through good and bad days has enriched my life and I hope it has theirs too.

I’m not passionate about technology but I am passionate about people, communication and making a difference – technology simply provides me with more opportunities to do so. 

Perhaps you’re wondering how Social Media is linked to helping ease depression – here is an interesting article from The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jun/02/communication-distance-internet-mental-health-problems

It is understandable when you’re feeling low/depressed or even if you’re just having ‘one of those days’ to want to stay at home and ‘hibernate’ – going out can seem like too much effort.  The problem is people become isolated and lonely, and stuck with their own thoughts – when these are negative or upsetting it is all too easy to spiral down further, whereas a problem shared….really does become easier to cope with.

Thankfully, now, from the comfort of our own homes, we can ‘meet’ people, we can offer kind words, and give and receive moral support.  We can still be a part of the world when we feel unable to venture out into it.

I specialise in treating depression, I empathise deeply as I suffered severely for many years.  However I consider myself extremely fortunate, as I now use the negative experiences I went through to help others recover.

If you are feeling depressed, I recommend these three steps to help you get back on track.

• Keep talking…. there is no need to suffer in silence.  Stay engaged with family and friends – this can be face to face, by phone, email, Facebook, Twitter – all have a place in society today. Also use modern technology to ‘meet’ and engage with new supportive people.  It really is lovely how many kind-hearted people there are out there.
• Check out the tips in my blog http://www.empoweringminds.co.uk/2010/03/23/blog/ they are quick, simple and very effective – give them a go because they work!  Please feel free to tweet me, post a comment on my Facebook page, email or phone me to let me know how you get on.  I’m more than happy to answer any questions or offer you advice.
• When the time is right for you to take the next step and venture out again, remember to use the tips you’ve learned, remember you are not alone, take it one step at a time and if need be ask for help. Recovery from depression is possible – rest assured there are many dedicated practitioners who are ready and able to help you.  I am one of those people who through personal experience has some understanding of how you may be feeling and would love to help you.

My Facebook page is constantly updating with interesting information and tips to Empower Your Mind, please connect with me on Facebook by clicking on the Facebook button here

 My very best wishes for your happiness,

Susan

Ps – please revisit my website or Facebook page as there will be more happiness tips coming soon.

As you are reading this I guess you either want to lose weight, know someone who does or you’re just curious… I battled with my weight for many years, tried loads of different diets but just ended up fatter!  I thought the only way you can lose weight is to either diet (which in my mind meant going hungry, eating boring food and not having fun) or to exercise loads (which I saw as serious and hard work). Well I tried both options and even combined the two sometimes but I couldn’t keep it up.  I wanted to find a way to lose weight whilst living a ‘normal’ life around food and having fun!

 Before I move on to some great weight loss tips, I’m going to state the obvious because there is no escape from the scientific fact – to lose weight, you need to eat less or move more, better still both!  However the secret of how to achieve this is by changing your mind so you can achieve your goal.   I went from a size 22 to a size 12 by changing my thinking and ditching the diets, below are some tips of how I did it.

I lost 5 dress sizes by changing my thinking! You can lose weight without diets too!

 Just suppose today is the day when you are totally fed up with your size…you pick up two jigsaw puzzle boxes, and you know it is time to choose which one to create.  On each box is a picture of a future you – the first picture is of an even fatter you, how you will eventually look if you do not change your behaviours.  The second box has a picture of you exactly how you want to look, assuming nothing can fail.  Before you decide which puzzle to make you drop both boxes and some of the pieces get mixed up, so you pick up the picture of how you want to look and scoop up a pile of pieces and begin to create the slim you.  

• Focus on the picture that you want to create.  How do you want to look…? How do you want to feel…?  Even listen to how you want to sound, hear the positive things you will be saying to the slim you… Our minds work to create what we focus on so no more ‘fat focusing’ because it keeps you overweight, instead from this moment on, hold in mind the image of the new slim you. 
• Quit dieting permanently! Diet pieces do not belong in your slim puzzle, they involve depriving yourself, going hungry and are not sustainable long term, hence so many people yo-yo diet. If you are physically hungry, eat.  This stops your body from thinking there is a famine and switching into ‘fat storage mode’. 
• Only eat food you like! If you hate particular foods, stop eating them!  They are surplus pieces. We have an abundance of choice – food should be enjoyable, so only eat food you like and chew every mouthful much much slower.  To make this easier put your cutlery down while you have food in your mouth and savour the flavours in every mouthful.   
• Stop eating when you are full up!  Overeating is like trying to cram extra pieces into the puzzle, all it does is increase the size of the picture into a shape that you do not want to be.  Remember you can eat again when you are hungry as there is no limit to how many times a day you can eat. 
• Move your body more.  If you hate going to the gym, find a different form of exercise you enjoy doing, then it will slot into place easily. Please note anything that involves physical movement counts as ‘exercise’ so I’m sure you can think of something…   

The above tips when followed consistently are extremely effective!  However if you have missing pieces that you need to help you complete your slim picture – perhaps new skills you need to learn to make it possible for you to change your thinking/behaviours, or perhaps you would like to learn techniques to eliminate emotional eating/cravings, or if you would like to find out how specific foods (these could be foods that are ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’) may be affecting your energy levels/ability to lose weight, or if you simply want to learn ways to stay focused and motivated for success, please feel free to contact me to find out how I can help. 

Best wishes for your success! 

Susan

“I use my memories, but I do not allow them to use me”

I came across this quote the other day and thought it summed up one of the ways I work nicely.

It’s Easter Monday and I’m just back from a shopping trip with my teenage daughter, so thought I’d write about memories as we had some memorable moments!  I hope over the Easter weekend you’ve added some good ones to your memory bank for future use.  Read on and I’ll explain more.

Often my clients are held back by upsetting even traumatic memories from the past.  Frequently I’m told ‘I just can’t get that image out of my head’ or ‘I keep hearing that  …’ or ‘I can’t get past…’ When I hear these sorts of things I know they are experiencing a memory resurfacing which is influencing their feelings in the present.

The good news is using a highly effective combination of therapies I work with clients to remove the emotional upset attached to their memories.  After treatment with me you will still have your memories however they will no longer cause the distress they once did.

We can also use positive past memories to create the future we want.  Perhaps you want more confidence, more motivation, to be calm and confident etc – by accessing a memory of a time when you felt this way, we can attach these feelings to present day or future situations enabling you to create the emotional state you want.

Sometimes people create what we call ‘future memories’ – these can be good or bad.  When we imagine what might happen in the future we create a neural pathway – simply put this is the train of thought our mind runs when a particular situation arises. Repeating such imagined experiences strengthens this pathway so that when it comes to the event for real our mind naturally behaves in the way we have been imagining.

Our minds working in this way can be beneficial when used to positive effect; this is often called mental rehearsal or visualisation.  It can be applied to numerous situations from imagining the perfect job interview by repeatedly visualising it going successfully to running the perfect race – many sports people create future memories through mental rehearsal/visualisation so that when they compete for real they automatically switch into this mindset.

Unfortunately sometimes on the premise that we had a bad experience in the past we go on to create bad future memories.  Our minds can even generalise the negative emotions into more and more situations, ending up with the problem becoming progressively worse.  Thankfully all of this can be easily rectified leaving you free to enjoy the future you want.

If you are stuck going over and over something from your past, now could be the time to move on, or if you simply want to create an even more positive future call me to find out how I can help you.

Spring is finally here although a little lacking in the sunshine department! So many people have said to me over the last few weeks they need some sun to feel better. Well short of being able to send everyone on holiday, here are a few tips to help you feel happier and more positive. I hope they tide you over until the promised summer sunshine arrives!

The first tip is a favourite of mine – it works well with whatever situation you imagine as our minds cannot tell the difference between a real and a vividly imagined experience, so once I’ve finished this post I’m going to close my eyes for a few minutes, feel the warmth of the golden sun bathing  my skin and the gentle sea breeze ruffling my hair as I listen to the tranquil sound of the gentle waves of the perfect turquoise ocean greeting the shore……

• Remember a time when you felt fantastic – close your eyes and take yourself back to that situation now, see what you saw, hear what you heard and feel how good you felt.  Now just suppose you could intensify that feeling and feel even better!  You can close your eyes whenever you want and remember to feel fantastic!
• Go outside and walk for ten minutes, all the time looking up to the sky, perhaps noticing tree tops, chimney pots and twinkling stars.  Raising your eyes raises your spirits!
• Practise looking at negative situations differently.  The way you look at a situation determines how you feel.  For example if you are fed up with your job, you could be glad you have one and aware that you can choose to look for a different one.
• Random acts of kindness – studies have shown when we help another we feel good and so do they, so do a ‘random act of kindness’ and you’ll have two happier people for the price of one!
• Laugh!  Watch your favourite comedy, spend time with people that make you laugh or remember a time when you laughed until you cried – who were you with? Where were you?  What were you doing?  Laughter really is excellent medicine and it’s free!
• Move your body.  Get up and move in any way you like – physical movement changes the chemical balance in your brain and releases ‘feel good’ chemicals.  Jump up and down, go for a brisk walk, dance around your kitchen to your favourite music – do something, anything to move your body regularly.

The above techniques are simple yet effective.  Face to face there are many ways I can help you with personalised treatment to get rid of baggage and teach you how to use your mind to create the future you want.  Please feel free to call me for a chat to discuss how.

My next blog will be about memories past and future…coming very soon…please revisit.