(Excerpts from her book, “MINDFULNESS made Easy”)

These ways of thinking makes it easy to be the best version of YOU. They are based on my research and over fifty years of celebrating clients:

1. HYPNO-MINDFULNESS or COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (CBT)

Imagine a dartboard with the bull’s eye that says, “HOW I CHOOSE TO LIVE MY LIFE.”

A Hypno-Mindfulness approach focuses on assumptions, beliefs, and thoughts so you easily self-regulate your actions and reactions. It has you assess:

What happened just before I acted that way?

What were the consequences of my actions and reactions for me?

What were the consequences of my actions and reactions with others?

How would I rather act in this situation?

In other words, you assess what’s important to you in this moment and the results of the action you take. As you attend to what you say and do, you’re more aligned with your core values.

2. POSITIVE HYPNOSIS OR AUTHENTICITY TRAINING

(Also called “Self-Coaching,” “Positive Psych-Hypnosis” and “Positivity Training””)

Imagine a timeline with the end-game affirmation; “EVERYTHING MOVES ME TOWARD JOY!”

Self-kindness is key to your happiness when you recognize and celebrate your talents, strengths, coping skills and way of thinking and naturally love yourself more and more. The more you notice how you joyously navigate your life using authentic gifts, the happier you are.

AFFIRM: “I smile on myself. I pay attention to what I do well. Every day in every way I’m better and better and better. I identify with joy. Joy is my compass. I learn from every experience. Self-empathy soothes, comforts and brings joy.

DO THIS: Write down your gifts and natural strengths (I.E.: Empathy, Humor, Gratitude, Love Learning, Kind, Team Player) … Then draw a circle around them. Around the periphery write down the wonderful possibilities your strengths bring to you and imagine them as happening in the here and now.”

3. GESTALT SUB-PERSONALITY WORK

(Also called parts therapy and schema coaching)

Imagine yourself as a kindly judge who says “GOOD JOB!”

As you move between chairs you dialogue with different parts of yourself, you embrace your inner judge and jury and sentence yourself to happiness.

Instruction: “Think of something that recently caused you to criticize yourself. Each chair in front of you represents a different perspective to better understand yourself: The first chair represents your self-critic; the second the emotion of being judged and the third your supportive higher self or wise councilor. Sit in each chair and use the voice and viewpoint and perspective of each point of view.

Chair ONE: SELF-CRITIC. Sit in your inner critic chair and verbally express how you think. (For example: “You are so lazy and don’t get anything done.”) Notice your posture, demeanor (can it get meaner?) and tone of voice.

Chair TWO THE ONE JUDGED

Sit in the chair that represents the sensation or emotion of being judged and give that part of you a voice. (For example “I feel hurt” or “I feel unsupported.”) Notice the emotion, posture, demeanor and voice tone.

Allow time for both sides to fully express and exchange everything they need to say.

SUBSCRIBE FREE TO PALOS VERDES PULSE

Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas: Adjunct college teacher and author of 27 books, who credits her successes to remaining curious and asking “why?” and “says who?” She can be reached at 310 541-4844. She offers training in self-hypnosis and hypnosis.