Guest blog by Beverley Silverwood, EFT, Reiki and Hypnotherapy practitioner
Beverley Silverwood
How many times a day do you say or think “I’ve changed my mind”?
Just consider…
I’ve just got to have that dress/shirt… maybe I’ll take it back.
The music of x is amazing… now I find it annoying.
I’m in love with ……maybe not anymore.
It’s a process we all do consciously or unconsciously, making decisions we believe to be true in that impulse moment but may actually at some point – either immediately or some time afterwards – realise that we’ve changed our mind to another preference.
Just take a moment and think about how many times you have changed your mind so far today, this week, month, year, over a lifetime, and so on.
We all understand this human experience and take it for granted, but what if this thought process could be applied to our emotions and experiences that are important to us?
How could it help with weight loss, health and fitness, relationships, self-esteem, stress relief and so much more?
We all operate from two main thought drivers, the conscious and sub-conscious minds. The common phrase “I’m in two minds” illustrates this perfectly.
Our conscious mind is the reasoning, logic mind and gives instructions such as operating equipment, crossing the road, how to book tickets, if I eat this I will put on weight, if I eat this it will contribute to my wellbeing, if I train regularly I will become fitter…
The sub-conscious mind programme operates from our life experiences so far, teachings from parents, schooling, media coverage and most importantly the emotions and feelings that were created during this time. We may have been told by someone that “you’ll never succeed”, “you’ll never be slim”, “you’re lazy”, “you’re not good enough” (in my case, I was told to mime in the school choir and I never sang in public until recently) and we believe this persons opinion to be true.
Many fears, phobias and negative beliefs can also be ‘inherited’ simply by witnessing the experiences of others even if they haven’t actually happened to us. For example, a family story passed down, such as “all the women/men in my family have weight problems.”
The more we think these thoughts, the more they become beliefs.
The important thing to remember is that our mind cannot distinguish between fact or fiction, so whatever image is playing out in your mind, it will believe to be true. This is why we cry at sad films, jump at scary ones when in fact we are perfectly safe on the settee in our pj’s!
So just consider some of those pesky, negative thoughts you may have had in relation to your weight loss and fitness programmes.
I’ll start the ball rolling…
I’ll start tomorrow, I’m just going through the motions, it’s not going to make a difference, what’s the point, I’m comfortable at this weight, I’ve tried everything before, I’ll just have this one chocolate, and so on. Familiar?
So, how can YOU change your mind about YOUR beliefs?
1. Challenge those thoughts that may have been running for a very long time, ask yourself are they actually still TRUE? Here’s a tip, imagine you are in court and being questioned, have you really got evidence to back these thoughts up 100%? Take each one in turn and consider its validity and whether it deserves a place in your life.
2 Turn the beliefs around to the opposite and think of real evidence where the opposite of your belief may be as true or truer. Write them down and look at them regularly adding more positive evidence as it arises.
For example, I’ve tried everything = I haven’t tried everything. It’s impossible to have tried everything so how can I know?
I’m comfortable at this weight = I’m uncomfortable at this weight.
My clothes are tight, I feel unfit, it’s just an excuse, I have a medical condition from this weight.
The more these new statements and beliefs are thought, they will then override the old outdated beliefs
3. Use tools and techniques to support you
Gratitude journal
Being aware of all the good things that you do have is a great way to overturn negative beliefs or sluggish thinking. Start a regular daily habit of writing down everything you are grateful for in that day. Start at three things and try and build to ten. It could simply be a beautiful day, someone who helped you in a shop, a smile from a stranger, pottering around the garden, a joke on the radio that made you laugh – every small achievement or inch loss. The more you are grateful for, the more positivity you will have in all aspects of your life.
Meditation
Simply the art of being still and allowing the body and mind to rest and renew. Any small amount can be really beneficial, just by stopping, noticing your breathing , focusing on yourself. You may wish to join a meditation or mindfulness group. There are many guided meditations available on YouTube .
Therapies such as –
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) – a modern effective therapy using self-tapping on key meridian points on the upper body to release emotional blockages and promote well being.
REIKI – a relaxing and de-stressing treatment for healing the body and balancing the mind. 
HYPNOTHERAPY – deeply relaxing therapy allowing positive changes to thoughts, feelings and behaviours
If you would like to know more about any of the therapies, please feel free to contact me beverleysilverwood@gmail.com
Here’s to your success in your weight loss and fitness journey!