Here's How to Create Your Suggestions

The content of your suggestions is very important. To be most effective, hypnotic suggestions must be:

- positive,
- specific,
- measurable,
- beneficent, and
- in the present tense.


Positive

Your suggestions have to be positive in both purpose and content.

This means you do not use the word "not." (Because the subconscious ignores the word "not" and thus receives a command to do exactly the opposite of what you wish. Test that right now: close your eyes and say to yourself "I will not think of a green elephant").

Also avoid saying you'll "try."

You wouldn't want a surgeon to tell you she'd “try” to take out your painful gall bladder, would you?

To "try" means you are unsure, only half-hearted, about your action.

Wrong: "I will not bite my nails".

Right: "I am free from the need to bite my nails."

Wrong: "I will not get angry."

Right: "I am calm and relaxed."

Wrong: "You will try not to be afraid of the cat."

Right: "You are calm and confident near the cat."



Specific

Your positive suggestions should be specific. The subconscious takes things literally, therefore the more precise your suggestion the more easily it is accepted.

Wrong: "I will control my eating."

Right: "I eat three meals a day and nothing else."

Wrong: "I am going to study better."

Right: "I concentrate on my studies from 8 to 10 each evening."

Wrong: "You are going to get lots of exercise."

Right: "Each day from 7:30 to 8 a.m. you walk briskly."



Measurable

Another reason for your positive suggestions to be specific is that you can then measure progress. In the examples above, you could record how many meals you eat, how much studying you do and when, and how you're exercising.



Beneficent

Your positive, specific, measurable suggestions will be better absorbed by your subconscious if they mention enjoyment.

Wrong: "Every day I write at least two pages of my book."

Right: "Every day I enjoy writing at least two pages of my book."

Wrong: "From now on I eat slowly."

Right: "From now on I enjoy eating slowly."

Wrong: "You relax in hypnosis from 3 to 3:30 each afternoon."

Right: "You enjoy relaxing in hypnosis from 3 to 3:30 each afternoon."



Present Tense

Because of the tendency of the subconscious to take things literally it is advisable to make your positive, specific, measurable and beneficent suggestions in the present tense.

This also helps to entrench the new behaviour or attitude as a permanent part of you, not as something that applies only to some vague time to come, or even to a particular date in the future (e.g. next January when you are scheduled to give a speech).

Wrong: "I will be confident and will enjoy making a speech next January 31."

Right: "I am confident and enjoy making speeches, including my speech on January 31."

Wrong: "I will be free from fear and I will enjoy appointments at my dentist's, including the checkup on March 3."

Right: "I am free from fear and I enjoy appointments at my dentist's, including the checkup on March 3."

(It might also be helpful to redefine "fear" as "discomfort").

Wrong: "You'll not have headaches any more."

Right: "From now on you enjoy a clear head free from discomfort."



Choosing

For an even more powerful effect, add, "I choose . . .", or "You choose . . ." to your suggestions.

For example, "I choose to enjoy being a non-smoker for life." Or, "You choose to enjoy eating smaller portions."

Can I keep my eyes open?

Certainly. The main reason to close them is to block visual distractions. Thus you avoid eyestrain and will find it easier to focus inward.

Subliminal messages strengthen your feelings of contentment and confidence as you watch beautiful computer-generated images and listen to calming music. You Cannot Get Stuck in a Trance

No way. You are always conscious and always in control while in hypnosis. There is no danger that you will get stuck in a trance. For example, should the tape recording fail, you would simply come out of hypnosis, or if you preferred, drift off to sleep.