How to Perform an Ecology Check - NLP training

When we are designing a desirable outcome we want to make sure that we don’t have any subconscious beliefs that would conflict with that outcome. This is known as an ecology check. It means that you are taken into account every aspect of a possible outcome and ensuring that it fits in with all aspects of your life.

When you are trying to affect change in your life it is important that all parts of your mind are heading in the same direction. It’s similar to two people rowing a boat. If one person chooses not to row then the boat will just keep heading around in circles. This is what happens when your beliefs are not congruent with each other.

In order to perform an ecology check you will need to examine yourself objectively. In order to do this take on the poise of a journalist, you are simply after the facts. Once you have taken on this objective approach it is time to ask yourself a series of questions. These can include questions such as whether or not the behaviour benefits you in some way. Many seemingly bad habits such as over eating have what is known as a secondary gain. This is a benefit you derive from a harmful activity. This might include something such as the comfort that food provides you.

Another question you should ask yourself is whether or not the results of this outcome are something that you undoubtedly want in your life. You should look for signs of hesitation and doubt about the outcome. Monetary goals are often undermined because the person has some hesitation about how the money would change their lives. This must be resolved before the outcome can be achieved.  You will also want to ask who else would be affected by the outcome. If you drink alcohol with your partner are you worried that they may find it distressing if you quit?

You may find that you do not have the answers to these questions straight away. That is fine and you should allow your subconscious to think them over. These questions are a type of puzzle that your brain needs to solve. It can work on them while you are asleep and while you are working on other projects. To keep them firmly in your mind you should write the questions down and read them just before you go to bed. You should also keep a pad and pen handy so that when you wake up if the answers to these questions arrive you will be able to easily write them down.

The final stage of your ecology check is to evaluate the answers that you received from your questions. Ask yourself whether or not based on these answers you need to change the direction in which you are heading. You should also ask yourself what these underlying beliefs mean for the outcome that you are trying to achieve. Performing an ecology check may take a little extra time but it is an excellent way of ensuring that you will achieve your outcome.

How to Reduce the Pleasure of a Vice - NLP training

Almost all of us have things in our life that we derive pleasure from in excess from the actual benefit they provide to our lives. Whether it is drinking wine, smoking cigarettes or eating chocolate there are elements of our life where we would actually like to reduce the amount of pleasure that we experience from them. By reducing the pleasure that we associate with these activities you will find it much easier to reduce or remove them from your life.

You need to identify what benefits or pleasure you derive from pursuing this activity. You want to take your time with this activity because you will often find that there are some hidden benefits that you will discover. To start write down the activity in the middle of a circle on a piece of paper. From this circle branch off writing down any benefit or pleasure that you gain from pursuing the activity. Think about these in the terms of the state that you gain from it. For example if you feel relaxed as a result of drinking wine then write down the result such as the feeling of a lack of stress.

For each of these states branch off and write down the benefits that you gain from being in this state. For example what are the benefits that you gain from being in a state of relaxation? Once you have a complete outline of all the pleasurable states and benefits that you experience as a result of this activity stand back and have a look at what you have written. This is essentially a map of the pleasure that this activity provides you.

Next examine these states and see which of them are the core drivers of the pleasure that you experience as a result of this activity. Which of these states provide the excessive pleasure that you are feeling as a result of engaging in this activity? Some of these states will relate directly to the basic purpose of the activity. Relaxation and loss of inhibitions might be seen as the core state of drinking wine. However something such as giving you a way to pass the time is not a core benefit.

Once you have done this you should think of an unpleasant outcome that will result of you engaging in this activity. If for example you are drinking excessively you might want to imagine the painful hangover you will experience. Try to visualise as much as possible the pain of this experience. When you feel one of the beneficial states starting to creep into your mind such as the desire to fill your time up instead imagine the painful state that will occur.

Step outside of your experience and assume the Metaposition. This is where you are an observer to yourself. Look at all the pleasurable states that you have written down which derive from this activity. Acknowledge that all of these states could in fact be felt without the activity that you are deriving excess pleasure from. Think of ways that you can experience these states without having to engage in the harmful activity. If you want to experience the state of relaxation for example you could instead practice meditation. Find alternatives that will still achieve the same pleasurable states.

Finally you want to test this out in the real world. You might want to see if your desire for drinking wine has actually reduced. If you find that the pleasure that you associate with the activity has not been reduced sufficiently then you will need to repeat the activity until you find that you have satisfactorily reduced the pleasure that you experience.

How to Resolve Inner Conflicts in Five Easy Steps - NLP

We all have inner conflicts that we would like to resolve. We can spend a lot of time arguing with ourselves and procrastinating rather than moving forward in the way that we would like to. In this guide you will learn a simple five step formula that you can use to resolve any inner issue that you feel need to be resolved so that you can take action. This will incorporate the best elements from both sides of your conflict in order to create a new belief that will empower your life.

Step One: Identify the conflict

The first step is to identify what it is you feel conflicted about. This might be a conflict which is helping to self sabotage you or some aspect of yourself you feel uncomfortable with. Once you have identified the conflict remember a time when you have experienced that conflict.

Step Two: Take the other side

You will now step inside the event that you feel conflicted about. You will not be in the observer stance at this point but rather you will take the other side to the one that you are normally on. Observe all of your senses while you are in this mode. What do you feel? What can you hear? Whilst on this side ask the other side to tell you what its positive beliefs are. What is the goal that it is trying to achieve?

Step Three: Changing sides

Now move out of this side and take the other position. Repeat step two and observe what it is like to be on this side. Ask the other side what its beliefs are and what outcome it is trying to achieve.

Step Four: Finding a solution

Move out from being only on one side and take the Meta position. This is where you stand above and apart from the two sides. You are now a disinterested observer. Ask each side what would be a satisfactory solution for both sides. You also want to perform an ecology check on any proposed solutions. This is where you make sure that outcome does not conflict with any other desires or beliefs that you hold.

Step Five: Integration

Note to yourself that this new idea is a composite of both of the original two sides. You should also identify that it is something which is distinct and separate from these two sides. Once you have recognised this new idea as its own whole concept you are ready to integrate it with yourself. Bring this new idea into your body and fully accept it as part of you. Once you have done this you will want to look to the future and see this new idea having positive benefits in your life. Look at how this new idea serves you and your life.  If you encounter any problems or conflicts perform another ecology check and resolve these problems before moving on. You will also want to try out your new idea in real life and see how it performs.

How to use Anchors

NLP provides you with a set of tools which will help you to create positive states on demand. We refer to these tools as anchoring techniques. This analogy derives from the ships anchor which provides it with stability in open waters. However in NLP we use the word anchor to describe an external stimulus that sets off a particular internal state.

An example of anchor is the way that the smell of fried chicken may make your mouth water. Or to take another example the green light which lets us know it’s time to go. One of the most famous examples of anchoring is Pavlov's dogs. Pavlov trained the dogs by ringing a bell when dinner was presented to them. After a while even if the dinner was removed. The dog’s mouths would start to water at the sound of the bell.

Using NLP anchors will help you to find ways to use your positive experiences to help you deal with more trying situations.

How to Set an Anchor

Step One: You need to first get clear about the positive state that you want to get into. When you describe this state you want to be very specific about what it will be like.

Step Two: Remember a time in the past when you were in that state. Even if the situation might be different to the one you are in now, as long as it is a comparable state you can use it.

Step Three: You want to re-experience that time in as much detail as you possibly can. You want to be totally absorbed in the experience. Remember the sights, the sounds, the tastes and what you were thinking and feeling inside.

If you have followed these steps you should be in a high positive state. This is when you want to set an anchor for yourself. A good physical anchor is using your hands. Look at your hands and see they are doing as you remember the experience. Make a special movement with your hands such as a clenched fist. You do not have to do a physical anchor like this instead you could create a mental image to use as your anchor or any other anchor associated with one of your senses.

In the future when you want to get back into a powerful, resourceful state simply fire the anchor. In the example I used before I suggested a clenched fist. If you have set this anchor then in the future when you want to trigger your resourceful state then clench your fist.

The anchor you use should have certain features. Firstly it should be unique and distinctive. It should be an action that you would not use every day or a sound that is not commonplace and it should be an action that is unique to you. The timing of setting the anchor is also important. You should set the anchor when you are at your peak state. You also need to repeat the action as anchoring needs to be reinforced if it’s to be effective.

How to write an affirmation

Affirmations are a way for you to change your beliefs that may be holding you back. A well written affirmation can help you to get the outcomes that you desire. Even though we may not be consciously aware of the fact we talk to ourselves all day. If you don’t take control of this self- talk it can easily become negative. These are negative affirmations such as “I’m not a confident person” Or “I’m going to fail” that need to be replaced with positive affirmations. This article will show you how to create your own positive affirmations. 

Make Sure You Are Addressing the Core Issue

When we write our affirmation we have to make sure that we are addressing the real issue. What you see as the problem you want to remedy may only be a symptom of a more underlying problem. For example you may say you want a raise of $50 a week, but perhaps the real issue is one of your own sense of self-worth. With a greater sense of self-worth you are far more likely to be able to ask for a salary that reflects your true value.

Write your affirmations in the present tense

For example “I now weigh 70 kilograms” is in the present tense in contrast “I am going to weigh 70 kilograms” is not. The difference is important because your mind doesn't know exactly when this is going to take place if you put it in the future tense then it may take a long time for it to come.

Affirmations have to be about you meaning that you cannot write affirmations about other people. For example an affirmation that does not focus on you would be “My employees are a hardworking, diligent and always on time.” A better affirmation would be “I lead people to accomplish all that they can with passion and excitement.” Remember this is self-improvement you need to change yourself first before you can change those around you.

Make your affirmations energetic

Include words such as passionate, excited, and delighted in your affirmations. A good affirmationshas force. Find the words that are right for you and that will drive you on to achieve your outcome. Another important point is that your affirmation must be positive. Never write what you don’t want only write what you do want. If you are having trouble identifying exactly what it is that you do want, first write down what it is that you don’t want. For example “I don’t want to be fat and unhealthy” The opposite is that you want to be thin and healthy, this is the affirmation you should use.

Finally when you say your affirmation use visualisation. In your mind see the outcome as if it has already come to pass. Your mind cannot differentiate between what is in your mind and what is real. If you visualise with regularity and intensity then eventually your mind has no choice but to close the gap between external reality and your