Many of us like to keep busy, but sometimes, we may feel that committing to things can be a soul-numbing drudgery. There are days when all the affirmations and positive visualization fail to overwhelm the prospect of one more hour of sleep, or the comfort of a couch molded to your body.
When you are motivated and have the seemingly infinite power of momentum behind you, waking up at 5:00 a.m. to have someone scream at you while you sweat all over the area immediately surrounding a stationary bike completes you.
But what about the other times? I, like all hypnotherapists, am completely fascinated by motivation. How do we flip the switch and find the groove or zone we operate best in? How do we remain consistent and productive? Is this all mental? Is some of this physiological? In these cases, urgency can help propel you forward.
In a recent deep dive, I read an article published in Science Translational Medicine. A study on the placebo effect tested reactions to migraine pain medications. One group was given medication, one group was given a placebo, and the last group received no treatment. The results showed that the placebo was 50% as effective as the actual medication. An astonishing testament to the power of the mind, no doubt, but there’s more at work here.
Patients who experience the benefits of the placebo effect are under the care of a physician, see the physician at regular intervals, and take the placebo at regular intervals. They are engaged in the process of getting well. There is a practice to it.
The placebo itself can prompt the release of things like dopamine and endorphins, bringing an immediate physical impact that supports the positive mindset.
How Can We “Placebo Effect” Ourselves?
While the placebo pill addresses an urgent situation or an ailment of some kind, many of us engage in wellness-related activities because we feel that we should, without assigning a more specific need. There’s little urgency, there’s no apparent problem to solve. Applying the placebo principle to these wellness practices ensures that all these activities are healing and preventative, rather than just performative.
Consider neurolinguistic programming (NLP). NLP is a psychological approach that aims to help individuals understand their own minds and how they come to think and behave the way they do. The intended impact is to help change an individual’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in order to achieve specific personal goals. It is based on the idea that our brains, language, and habits are all connected, and by adjusting how we interact with them, we can unlock new possibilities in our personal and professional lives.
There is an 80/20 rule used in neurolinguistic programming: eighty percent toward your goal and twenty percent away from where you are. If you just gasped at the possibility of a premise that isn’t one hundred percent positive, well spotted. But consider this: isn’t the art of manifesting, or bettering oneself in any way, an admission that you aren’t satisfied with where you are? People who use NLP to create change in their lives know that the vision board approach often becomes a wish. A dream with no intention behind it and no resolve to do the gritty things that drive real change. The 80/20 rule is an overwhelmingly positive approach, but it contains the fear of being stuck where you currently are. It creates some urgency, provides a reason.
Design Your Reality
Do you meditate? If so, take a moment and consider the condition of your mind without the benefit of meditation. The tight thicket of fractured thought that gathers to dull your acuity. Incapable of finding the present moment, and instead, opting for long periods of doom-scrolling or binge-watching sitcoms. Consider this state continuing, unchecked, as you age. Is this painting an urgent enough picture for you?
Urgency can be the catalyst that drives change. Yes, focusing on the healthiest, most productive version of yourself is positive, but understanding what you’re avoiding and preventing by engaging in these good habits can help maintain consistency and momentum.
You design your reality with each decision that you make. Decide to believe that your effort is worth it today. Just today. It doesn’t have to be the best workout, the most enlightening meditation session, or the most insightful walk. Just do it today and repeat this to yourself every day!
Marcel Touponse is a Hypnotherapist, Sound Healer, Life Coach, and Tarot Reader. He co-owns The Blackbird House in Old Wethersfield and operates Blackbird Hypnosis. Marcel’s goal is to assist you in “becoming aligned with your mind.” He offers regular workshops on Self-Hypnosis and is available for small and large group tarot readings.
COMMENTS