I recently learned that Diana has a severe drug addiction. And the frustrating thing is that she won’t admit it. Peter was recently diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer and will most likely pass away in a few months.  Shawna has recently had severe depression and sadness, spending much of her free time crying. But she won’t seek help.

Others I know lost their job, are going through divorce, are in danger of losing their home, need to borrow money to see them through tough times, etc. And all of this has happened in a relatively compact time frame.

Watching so many people in my life suffer in such a short time has been tough. It’s as if everything happened at once, and my ability to cope with everyone (and my own set of challenges that I’m not even mentioning) was temporarily overwhelmed. I began to ask myself, “What the heck is going on? If feels as if everyone’s life is falling apart, and I’m doing what I can to help, but wow… there’s just so much going on. I feel as if I can’t breathe.”

Ironically, during this period I did some great work with clients who had very challenging issues. It’s as if because of the personal turmoil, my professional life improved to balance things out.

As all this unfolded, a little voice inside kept giving me reminders such as, “Do more self-hypnosis instead of putting it on the back burner. Get back to regular exercise instead of putting it off. Eat healthier foods. Put yourself first instead of last. And take out the garbage more often; it’s getting full too often in the kitchen.”

As I started to take the advice, and took out the kitchen garbage bag more often, my emotional state greatly improved. As I took better care of myself, I noticed that some of the people around me saw improvement in their own lives (hmm…).

By getting back into a better rhythm of self-hypnosis, I’m getting back into a better rhythm of life. It gives me the opportunity to clear my mind and body of stress, to feel my old sense of relaxation, and to just have some quiet time for myself.

Are you having a tough time in life, or are the people around you having a tough time? One simple action you could take is to practice self-hypnosis to clear the stress each day, to relax, and to have quiet time for yourself. Self-hypnosis is great during normal times; I’ve learned it’s even more crucial during the not-so-normal times.

If your inner voice is telling you to put yourself first, it’s not a selfish request. It’s crucial that we are as strong as we can be, so that we can handle our own challenges and have strength left over to help those we care about. We all need a reminder that self-care is important. And I’m thankful that my subconscious kept reminding me until I listened.

Is your inner voice giving you a reminder about something?

What could improve your learning speed? Here are two tips.

1. Put yourself into a relaxed state (i.e., hypnosis).
2. Keep your arms and legs uncrossed.

How do you put yourself into a relaxed state?
1. Relax your neck and shoulders.
– Gently move your head a bit to allow your neck to get into a
more comfortable position. Let your shoulders sink down.

2. Focus on having a slightly longer and deeper inhale and exhale.
– If you feel your attention wander, return to the breathing.

3. Allow your mind to focus on the speaker.
– Focus on the speaker, seeing and listening to him/her.

Earlier I mentioned keeping your arms and legs uncrossed. A 1989 study was done with 1,500 people during six different lectures. The group with folded arms reduced their retention by about 38%. Folded limbs = less learning. Keep your arms and legs uncrossed.

Confused at first, I then concluded that when I searched long ago, I didn’t “see” those old jeans (and other clothes) as “give to Goodwill” clothing. My mind categorized the jeans as “old comfy clothes.”

But recently having bought new clothes, and needing to create space for them, my mind automatically shifted categories. The old pair of jeans went from the “old comfy clothes” category to the “give to Goodwill” category.

And as 2009 comes to a close, I realize more and more, that when I let go of things, such as old jeans, I’m making space for something better, such as new clothes. On a deeper level, when I let go of physical things that no longer serve me, I make room for something better to come along, including more mental space to breathe.

Is there something in your life that you could let go of? Perhaps you could give some old clothing to Goodwill. Or perhaps there’s an old stack of magazines that could be donated or recycled. Or perhaps there are boxes in a closet that haven’t been opened in years.

Whatever it is, consider letting it go if it no longer serves you. And allowing yourself to be open to something better coming along, including more mental space to breathe.

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On another note, I wanted to say thank you to all my clients, colleagues, and friends for being a part of my life. I’ve enjoyed giving to you and receiving from you, so thank you. It’s been a wonderful journey since I started my private hypnotherapy practice back in 2003. And I look forward to 2010 being even better for all of us.