Meet Carol, a manager at Jaberwocky Widgets, who is stressed about having to deliver some bad news to her boss, Lewis. Carol thinks, “Lewis will be soooooo incredibly upset. I don’t want to tell him. But if I don’t, it will be even worse. I’m the manager, and I need to be the bearer of bad news.”

Then Carol learns about the Blah Blah Technique and tries it.

Blah Blah Technique

1. Think about the stressful situation. Then out loud, say what you’re thinking.

Ex. Carol says, “Lewis will be soooooo incredibly upset.”

2. Then convert the syllables into the word “blah” and only say the blahs.

Ex. “Lewis will be soooooo incredibly upset” would convert into the following.

“Blah-blah (two blahs since “Lewis” has two syllables) blah (will) blah (be) blahhhhhhhh (soooooo) blah-blah-blah-blah (incredibly) blah-blah (upset).”

You can see I included the English words in parentheses above to make it easy to follow along. But of course Carol is only going to say the blah words.

3. Practice this three times a day at a minimum. More is even better.

Within a couple of days, the stress will be reduced.

Remember to use the same rhythm, intonation, etc. When you do it, you want to put the same emotion into the blah words as you did the English words.

I have noticed that when a client doesn’t reduce their stress, it’s often because the client didn’t put the same emotion into the blah words as she did with the English words. So when you practice, make sure you get yourself into the stressed emotional state. Don’t just go through the motions. Get yourself upset by talking about the stressful situation! Then use the Blah Blah Technique.

At first it might be awkward having to translate the syllables into blahs. But it gets easier with practice. You can do one sentence in English followed by the translated blahs. Then you do a second different sentence in English followed by the blahs. Or you can speak a few sentences in English, and then do all those sentences in blahs. Experiment with which system works better for you.

If you’ve practiced the Blah Blah Technique for two days and the stress isn’t reduced, feel free to contact me. I’m happy to chat for five minutes to help troubleshoot what’s happening with the technique.

The new pricing is in the free hypnosis reports. If you’re already on my email list, you’ll receive an email with the updated pricing info.

If you’re not on the list, please visit the home page to get your free report. And if you have any questions, feel free to call.

I do realize that it’ll take work to get TV executives interested in a hypnosis show concept, but I’m excited to be seeing progress. If you know someone in the San Francisco Bay Area that’s open to having their hypnosis sessions filmed for a future Web episode, please have them contact me. As a thank you, they’ll get a discounted rate. And yes, we’ll edit out things that are too personal if needed.

It’s possible that the first episode we filmed won’t be the first episode shown on YouTube. But it still feels good to have the client session raw footage be done. Next step is to take that session footage and edit it down into something entertaining yet educational.

Meet Peter. He’s a programmer, and he really doesn’t like his boss, Lumbergh. But Lumbergh comes around Peter’s cubicle pretty often to ask about the TPS reports. And Peter dislikes doing the TPS reports. Did I mention Peter really doesn’t like Lumbergh?

Anyhow, here’s the hypnosis technique and an example of Peter using it.

1. Take a minute or two and breathe slowly and deeply.

• You can do the Countdown Technique or just simple deep breathing.
• This clears your mind and prepares you for the next step.

2. Ask yourself, “What’s the benefit in doing this task? What’s motivating me to do it?”

• Now I realize that some will say there’s no benefit in finishing the paperwork. But at some point in the chain of thinking, there’s a benefit.
• This is a crucial step. Don’t skimp here. Take the time to get an emotionally strong answer.

3. Visualize what’s important or the outcome you want.

• You can even imagine talking to the person that benefits from this task completion if that helps. Or if there’s no great benefit, then you benefit by virtue of it being off your desk so you can do other things.

3. Then start the task. If your energy flags, go back to step one or two.

Here’s how Peter could use this technique.

Peter: “Okay, I finished the deep breathing in step one. Now I have to figure out how getting the TPS reports done makes a difference. Frankly I don’t care about the TPS reports. But let me give this technique a try. I need to find one positive from it.

Peter: “Hmm… If I finish them early, then Lumbergh will spend less time hanging around my cubicle. That’s it! I’ll visualize myself at my cubicle with friends! That’s what I want!”

Peter spends a few moments visualizing what he wants. In his mind he’s joking around with this friends, and he’s enjoying time at the office since the TPS reports got finished.

After a bit of practice, he’s whizzing through the TPS reports. Before this technique, his subconscious really hated the TPS reports and had no reason to move quickly. But now his subconscious sees that there’s a good reason to finish early. He’ll spend less time with Lumbergh, and he’ll spend more time chatting with his friends at work.

Peter’s no longer focused on what he dislikes. He’s focused on what he likes. And his subconscious is helping him get things done faster.

What about more complex situations?

If you have questions on how to use this technique for your situation, feel free to call me. I’m happy to chat for five minutes at no charge.

And if you’re thinking the names Peter and Lumbergh sound familiar, you’re right. They’re characters from the movie, “Office Space.” They had an outrageous scene with a hypnotherapist, much more outrageous than my blog post. If you haven’t seen it, don’t worry; I won’t tell you what happened. But it’s worth renting.

Obviously there need to be more studies to confirm this, but even before confirmation I’ve been hearing for years that diet soda is worse than regular soda. This study is pretty large with over 66,000 women over 14 years. The article is below.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-diet-soda-increases-risk-diabetes-why-still-192600358.html

Now for the hypnosis idea. Do you drink diet soda? If so, would you have a tough time switching to another beverage? The reason I ask is that I’m considering two hypnosis ideas.

1. Hypnosis MP3 for diet soda drinkers.

2. Hypnosis class in San Francisco to help people who drink diet soda.

Please post a comment below to let me know your opinion on whether there would be a demand for such an MP3 or such a hypnosis class in San Francisco. Or if you want to share your opinion privately, email me at wsong [then put the "at" symbol] habitproject.com.

If you’d be interested in being one of the testers of this MP3 or if you’re interested in the hypnosis class, please email me privately. If I develop the MP3, you’d get a free test copy as well as final copy in exchange for giving feedback on the product.

But what if you want to pay the old rate but just can’t start hypnotherapy in January? There’s a solution. You can prepay at the current lower rate in January and then do hypnosis a few weeks later.

In that same email newsletter, I mentioned that I’d be introducing some hypnotherapy programs and events as well. Here’s a brief list of what’s coming in 2013.

• Weight loss workshop.
• Procrastination workshop.
• Insomnia workshop.

And I’m still planning what else to offer in 2013. If you have a suggestion for a hypnosis program or event, feel free to comment below or contact me privately.

And I just want to thank all of you for your support. Last month I had three great conversations.

• I met a hypnotherapist who’s a former radio producer who’s happy to share her thoughts on making a successful show.
• A non-hypnotherapist colleague said she has TV contacts she can introduce me to when I’m ready.
• A new contact said he may be interested in financing the idea.

Here’s my question.

Do you know someone who would feel comfortable having their sessions filmed for the upcoming Web-based episodes?

If you know someone who’d be interested, have them email me directly with “Hypnosis TV show” as the subject line. They’ll get a discount on their hypnosis fee as a thank you for letting me film them.

My email address is below.
wsong [then put the "at" symbol] habitproject.com

Next it’s time to help your subconscious to see different possibilities. Because right now the subconscious has a limited point-of-view. If the subconscious feels the current belief is the right one, it has no desire to change its belief, and you remain stuck.

Let’s meet Wilma who’s under stress. Her husband Fred recently retired. Sometimes he hangs out with his friend Barney, but often he stays home watching TV.

Wilma’s not used to him being around. Her friend Betty (Barney’s her husband) says Wilma will get used to Fred being around. But Wilma needs to alleviate stress now.

Wilma did stage one of the Parts Technique for a few weeks, but now she wants to do more. She wants change. After a couple of minutes of self-hypnosis, she starts stage two.

Parts Technique (stage two)

Wilma: Hi subconscious mind, how are you today?
SCM: Stressed about Fred. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy, and I’m glad he’s retired. I’m just tired of seeing him so much.

Wilma: Hey, we’re both stressed about Fred. Do you want to change this?
SCM: We can’t tell Fred to stop hanging out so much. He’ll be hurt.

Wilma: Are you saying we either do nothing or hurt Fred’s feelings?
SCM: Yes.

Wilma: Have you thought that maybe there’s a third option?
SCM: I don’t see it.

Wilma: Humor me. If there was another way, would you want to hear about it?
SCM: I doubt there’s another way, but I’ll humor you. What is it?

Wilma: Let’s talk to our creative part. Creativity, you’ve heard our conversation. I’d like you to come up with solutions to lower our stress. Don’t worry about whether it’s a good idea or a bad idea. The subconscious and I will sort through your ideas. You just need to come up with ideas without censoring yourself. Ready?
Creativity: Yes!

Wilma: Go ahead and start. When you’re done, let us know.
[Time passes.]

Creativity: Ready! You could help Fred find a hobby, activity, volunteer work, or part-time job outside of the house. Heck, you could do the same for yourself.

Wilma: Great ideas! The subconscious and I will discuss them. Thank you!
Creativity: You’re welcome.

Wilma: Subconscious, what do you think?
SCM: If Fred wants to be outside of the house, we can help him find something, and we won’t hurt his feelings. I like it.

Wilma: What do you think of us doing something outside of the house?
SCM: Maybe. I’ve got options to think about. I don’t feel stuck.

Wilma: I’m glad. Let’s talk tomorrow.
SCM: Okay.

Here are the general steps for stage two of the Parts Technique.

1. Enter hypnosis.
- Do your favorite self-hypnosis technique (e.g., Countdown Technique, or simply deep breathing for a couple of minutes) to enter a relaxed state.

2. Ask the SCM if it’s open to possible new solutions.
- Often the SCM gets stuck in its own world. You can help it get unstuck.
- Be very respectful. Don’t say, “Subconscious, why are you so stubborn?”
- Instead say, “Humor me for second. If there was another way, would you want to hear about it?”

3. If you feel it’s appropriate, bring in Creativity.
- Your version may have a different name.
- It’s not always necessary to bring in Creativity. Use it at your discretion.

4. Discuss the ideas with the subconscious mind.
- Sometimes it may need time to think. It’s fine to discuss the next day.

If you’re thinking stage two is a lot more complex than stage one, you’re right. The example with Wilma could have gone in multiple directions. You’ll find that though it’s complex, it’s also a flexible and powerful technique.

If you practice and get stuck or have questions, contact me. I’m happy to chat for five minutes to help out. Think of me as a resource.

Be on the lookout for part 3 of the technique.

Josh, this hypnosis post is for you.

When you struggle with a habit, whether it’s wanting to quit chewing tobacco, to quit smoking, or wanting to lose weight, there’s a battle inside of you. As a hypnotherapist in San Francisco, I see this battle each day in clients and of course myself, because each of us has habits we’d like to change.

Part of you knows it’s good to quit chewing, but an even stronger part makes you chew. Let’s give each part a name. Fred wants to be free of the chewing habit. Toby wants to chew.

Toby is bigger and stronger than Fred, so if Fred tries to stop Toby from chewing, Toby will beat him up. How the heck can Fred win the fight? He can’t, so it’s best to avoid a fight. Instead of conflict, it’s better to have peace. And one way is to help Toby. He’s a smart guy; he’s chewing, because it’s the best option he’s got. He’d rather do something else.

And one simple step in moving from a conflict model to a peace model is to stop yelling at Toby. By talking with Toby in a more respectful way, Toby will realize that there is something better than tobacco. He may begin to realize that he deserves better!

How do you treat Toby with more respect? When you chewed tobacco in the past, you might have said, “I really hate doing this. Why can’t I stop?” When you talk down to yourself, you’re actually hurting Toby. Since Toby’s in charge of tobacco, you want to be nice to him.

Be an observer, and say, “I notice that I have a container of chewing tobacco in my hand. I’m opening it. I can smell the odor. I’m taking some out and putting it in my mouth… I just finished chewing.”

By observing what happened without putting judgment on it, Toby will start to shift his thoughts. This isn’t enough to quit tobacco, but it’s a huge first step, because part of the power of tobacco is all the energy we give it through judgment.

Josh, I know that this analogy sounds strange, but hear me out. Let’s shift gears for a moment, and pretend that tobacco is a guy, the type of guy that thrives on conflict and strong emotion. This guy gets stronger if you tell him he’s a jerk or if you try to fight him.

But this guy has a weakness. If you stop hating, fighting, and judging him, then he gets weaker. His food is conflict and emotion, and now you’ve stopped feeding him. He’s now starving.

Hypnotherapy clients tell me that this first step is tough, because they’re so used to judging themselves in many life areas. But once they become observers instead of judges, these clients tell me how much happier and peaceful they become. And this is even before they quit tobacco.

As you observe rather than judge, then the tobacco part gets weaker until you reach a tipping point. At that point, it’s much easier to fully let go of tobacco, as its power has drained away.

Josh, the issue isn’t discipline. The first step is about letting go of judgment and being an observer.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/texas-rangers/post/_/id/4889244/statement-from-josh-hamilton

Self-hypnosis can help, but it depends upon what type of self-hypnosis you’re doing. If you’re doing the relaxing type of self-hypnosis, that’s a good start. But many of us need a more powerful hypnotherapy tool after we’re relaxed.

The technique below is stage one of a powerful tool. It has various names from the hypnosis and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) worlds, but I call it the Parts Technique, and I’ll share stage one of the technique.

The technique is really just a daily chat with your subconscious mind. In stage one, you’re building a relationship with your subconscious mind (SCM). You’ll speak with your SCM in an encouraging way as if talking to a good friend.

Let’s say that you’re using hypnosis to stop smoking or lose weight. If you get tempted to smoke or you eat something you regret eating, or have any type of setback, you could say, “Hey subconscious, it’s okay. We’ll get through this. This is just a temporary setback during our journey together.”

Say something like this whenever there’s a setback, though you may even want to shift the language at some point. Perhaps call it a bump in the road when that feels appropriate. Your language may shift over time. You’d simply be supportive with your subconscious in the moment it needs your support. Be a good friend.

Now onto the main technique.

Parts Technique (stage one)

To make this even more powerful, have a brief two-minute conversation. At first, try to limit it to two minutes. After a week or two, it’s okay to go longer. But at first keep it brief. This daily conversation will accelerate your progress in surprising ways.

This is like having a friendly conversation with a good friend. You say hello, how are you, and then listen to what your friend has to say. Sometimes you’ll ask follow-up questions. And you simply listen without judgment, without giving advice, without an agenda. You’re simply listening in a kind and gentle way.

1. Enter hypnosis.
- Do your favorite self-hypnosis technique (e.g., Countdown Technique, or simply deep breathing for a couple of minutes) to enter a relaxed state.

2. Ask open-ended questions to gather information; at stage one, do not ask the SCM to do something; your role at this stage is simply to gather information and then write that in your  journal.

Here’s an example with Jane and her subconscious mind (SCM).

Jane: Hi subconscious mind, how are you today?
SCM: I’m alright.

Jane: I’m glad. Is there anything that’s on your mind today?
SCM: I’m thinking about the Smith project that’s due soon.

Jane: Tell me more about that.
SCM: One approach is to modify the main office’s layout, but another approach is to modify the workflow between teams… I think that…

Jane: Is there anything else on your mind?
SCM: I think that’s it for now.

Jane: Okay. Thanks for sharing. And I’m glad that we’re talking with each other each day. We’re on this journey together, and I just want you to know that we’re a team.
SCM: I feel safer knowing that. Thanks.

Jane: You’re welcome. And I’ll talk to you later.

At the end, drink some water and walk around for a couple of minutes to come out of hypnosis. You’re building a relationship with the SCM, so that it knows it can count on you for support. As the relationship gets stronger, it becomes easier to create changes, because your subconscious mind trusts you.

Soon I’ll post something about the the next step, Parts Technique (stage two). At stage two, you’ll build upon the work done in stage one, and you’ll be able to create changes at a much faster pace.