Shining a light on hope

Would you like to feel more hopeful?

Having hope makes us feel good and, fortunately, we can create more of it. Would you like to have more of these qualities? :

Happiness         Optimism            Proaction           Enthusiasm

Life’s challenges

The covid pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding it can put us into fight/flight mode. It may be other challenges that create uncertainty, such as redundancy or divorce. Being in survival mode can lead to us expecting the worst and consequently rob us of hope.

When we are on red alert survival mode for long periods of time, it can take its toll on our mental, emotional and physical health. As a result, you may find that you are experiencing symptoms of stress and anxiety for the first time, such as panic attacks or sleep issues. Drinking too much alcohol or overeating are behaviours that might develop as unhelpful coping mechanisms.

Change the way you think

A simple concept:

“Stop worrying about what can go wrong, and get excited about what can go right”. Anonymous

Having hope is commonly understood as exercising a positive attitude and following the belief that positive outcomes can be achieved.

Hypnotherapy can help us feel more optimistic

As a solution focused hypnotherapist, I draw on neuroscience which shows we can rewire our brains and change the way we think. If hope is an optimistic state of mind, then we all have the potential to develop this further. Optimism brings about the expectation of positive outcomes.

We may not be in control of aspects of the pandemic or its outcome, but we can change our thoughts in response to it. I recently read that some people have found wearing a face mask beneficial. As a consequence, they felt more emotionally self-contained and secure out in the world. Some of us may find wearing a mask challenging. Therefore, it is not the circumstances in our lives that create anxiety, but rather our thought patterns around them.

Hypnotherapy can help you change your thought patterns in response to the events in your life. The upshot of this is that it can make you feel more in control and optimistic.

Feel more in control

One client had become trapped in a vicious cycle of excessive worry and always assuming the worst. Her negative outlook had overshadowed her ability to be hopeful about the future. In addition, she had lost confidence in her ability to adapt and deal with change and uncertainty.

Using hypnotherapy, she successfully decreased her stress levels and gained more control over her thought processes. This subsequently created a powerful shift of perspective. She went on to successfully overcome a negative thought pattern that had been there for many years.

Rekindle hope

By taking a more realistic, solution focused view of things, this client was able to rekindle hope and the positive expectation that she could achieve her goals. Because she was also becoming more aware of the positive aspects of her life, this helped her feel happier and more motivated.

Psychology Today writer Scott Barry Kaufman explores hope as a ‘dynamic cognitive motivational system’, dispelling the myth that sometimes portrays hope as a vague emotion that lacks real clout:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/beautiful-minds/201112/the-will-and-ways-hope#:~:text=According%20to%20their%20theory%2C%20hope,different%20ways%20to%20get%20there.

The benefits of being solution focused

This idea fits in very well with the solution focused model of hypnotherapy I practice, which encourages the client to be proactive and fully engaged in the therapeutic process. Changing the way we think leads to changes in the way we feel and behave. Positive thoughts, positive actions and positive interactions enable hope to manifest itself in our lives.

Feel good hormones

The wonderful cocktail of feel-good hormones that kick in when we achieve something  positive then drives us to want to do more. Serotonin is the number one neurotransmitter for helping us feel motivated and confident in our abilities to cope well, whatever life throws at us.

Dopamine and the ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin also contribute to this when we complete tasks and form meaningful and supportive connections with others. Success breeds more success and what we focus on increases; well- known sayings that resonate when we are embodying positive thoughts and actions fuelled by hope. In this way, we are encouraged to be more proactive. As new thought processes become more ingrained, adopting a more optimistic and hopeful outlook can feel more natural and we can begin to really embody these qualities:

“The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.” Barbara Kingsolver

Book an Appointment with Emma

You can take positive steps towards becoming more hopeful and optimistic about your future. Hypnotherapy can help you find the tools and inner resources to do this; step by step. Become the confident, healthier, happier you!

Contact me on 07550 098029 or through my website:

https://emmavictoriahypnotherapy.co.uk/contact/

…and book your free initial consultation. Find out if hypnotherapy is right for you.

You can also keep up-to-date with information about my practice, including the issues I treat on my social media sites:

https://www.facebook.com/emmavictoriahypnotherapy/

https://www.instagram.com/emmavictoriatranmer/

https://twitter.com/EmmaTranmer

 

Emma Victoria Tranmer MA (Hons) PGCE  DSFH  Clinical Hypnotherapist