How to Memorize and Present in Public Powerfully and Effectively.

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At some point most people will be asked to speak in public, whether it’s a wedding toast, funeral eulogy, or for business. Then there are those of us who actively seek out opportunities to speak for the purpose of communicating a message that we feel needs to be heard or that is necessary for our livelihood.

As a hypnotherapist and success performance coach, I’ve worked successfully with presenters to help them deliver their message much more powerfully and effectively. One such person is Libbe Halevy. (Libbe has graciously given me her permission to use her story and feature her video presentation.)

Libbe HaLevy is a Communications and Creativity expert, and dedicated anti-nuclear activist. She recently had the opportunity to speak at the recent TEDxPasadena conference. TEDx is a locally organized event licensed by TED that brings people together to share a TED-like experience. TED stands for Technology, Education and Development and is an internationally renowned platform for “Ideas Worth Spreading.” (Although Ms. HaLevy had a Ted hypnotherapy experience, neither TED nor TEDx is associated with Ted A. Moreno–aka, me.)

Libbe came to me with the goal of giving a top notch professional presentation that was dynamic, interesting and informative. She had compelling information, the speech was well written and she is an experience public speaker.  However, she needed to have the nearly 20-minute speech completely memorized, could not use notes, and had to deliver it within an allotted time frame. I worked with Libbe for one session. Watch the video to see the results.

One of the qualities of a top notch presenter is the ability to speak without notes. Memorization can be a daunting task to many, but it gets easier with practice. Here are some tips: Read more

Ted in His Jammies Talking about RELAXATION.

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Do you want to be productive, happy and healthy? Do you want to feel good while working or playing? Then you must take time to relax. Relaxation is the release of tension, and the return to equilibrium. Sleeping is part of relaxing but your sleep could  suffer if you don’t take periods of down time during the day. Relaxation involves the conscious choice to release tension that comes from emotions such as fear, anger and anxiety.

Taking time to relax may involve:

  • regular breaks at work
  • vacation time
  • naps during the day
  • any activity that takes your mind off of problems and challenges such as reading, watching tv or listening to soothing music
  • art: music, drawing, painting, singing, dancing
  • low stress exercise such as walking
  • mindfulness techniques such as yoga, meditation, chi gong, tai chi.
  • eating mindfully

You may have some tapes or “programming” in your head that says that you should never relax and that you should always be productive. How is that working for you?

Night moves into day. Warm moves to cold. There is growth, then hibernation. Activity and rest is the natural order of things. You are part of that natural order. Give yourself a break if you are not in the habit of doing so.

One 20 minute hypnotherapy session can be like a three hour refreshing nap. If you have trouble relaxing and it’s taking it’s toll on your health or sanity, give me a call or use the contact Ted tab.

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.  

Your companion on the journey to transformation,

TMan

Ted A. Moreno
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
www.TedMoreno.com

FEEL FREE TO — USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, WEB SITE OR BLOG. Just let me know that you are, and include the following with it:

Ted A. Moreno is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Success Performance Coach. Ted empowers his clients to transform their lives by helping them reach their goals of success, abundance, personal development, health and happiness. To learn more, visit www.TedMoreno.com/blog

 

Do You Suffer from Driving Anxiety?

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Driving anxiety is the most common form of anxiety that I treat in my hypnotherapy practice.  This can range in severity from a hesitation to drive, where anxiety is always present, all the way up to a total refusal to drive at all, in which case it becomes driving phobia. A phobia is a fear that is paralyzing but irrational. Driving phobia is one of the most common phobias.

Driving phobia is a form of agoraphobia, literally defined as is the fear of open spaces. But it’s not the fear of open spaces that scares people, it fear of loss of control. People with a driving phobia or driving anxiety fear being trapped in a traffic jam and unable to escape if they have a panic attack. They also fear passing out, losing control of the vehicle, throwing up or getting into an accident. For many people, driving next to big trucks, merging onto the freeway or driving in the fast lane can be very nerve racking.

Symptoms of driving anxiety

Symptoms of driving anxiety are similar to most other forms of anxiety: heart palpitations, perspiring and sweaty palms, disorientation, confusion, dizziness, dry mouth and shortness of breath. This is the classic “fight or flight response”. Some times people feel that they are going to die or go crazy. This can be really scary and people will simply not drive to avoid these kind of intense feelings. It’s good to remember that  these are just feelings and even the most severe panic attacks don’t cause any long term ill effects.

Still,  driving anxiety can seriously impact a person’s  ability to function on a daily basis if they need to drive to work or drive for a living, especially here in So Cal where driving is necessary to get anywhere fast.

How does driving anxiety start?

Driving anxiety can start in many ways. Usually a person has experienced a car accident or “close call” and that memory is still causing the subconscious mind to be protective. Sometimes, this kind of anxiety can show up out of the blue.  If you are a person that is prone to anxiety or fear, then driving may be one place where this shows up.

In addition,having episodes of low blood sugar can create anxiety. If this happens while driving, then you might start associating driving with anxiety. Low blood sugar can be caused from not eating or after eating a meal high in simple carbs or sugar. This is especially true for those that have family histories of diabetes or hypoglycemia.

Driving anxiety can turn into a phobia though avoidance. In other words, of you have some fear of driving and you decide to stop altogether, it becomes a full blown phobia and the more you avoid it, the harder it is to get back in the saddle, so to speak.

The good news is, fear of driving is a learned behavior. If you have ever felt comfortable driving, then that is something you learned. If you are uncomfortable now, you can relearn how to be comfortable again. Here are some tips to help you get back on the road feeling safe and comfortable and confident. If you are currently not driving due to driving anxiety, I highly suggest you get help by contacting me  or another professional so I can help you.

Tips to help with driving anxiety.

  • The basics: avoid blood sugar imbalances. Avoid driving on an empty stomach.Pay attention to how you feel after eating certain foods, especially those high in sugar or simple carbs (bread, pastries, soft drinks). Drinking alcohol the night before can also trigger blood sugar imbalances. Also, if you are driving while sleep deprived, you are asking for trouble. Start by taking care of yourself.
  • Caffeine: is a known trigger for anxiety. Some of my clients have felt relief from driving anxiety just by cutting back on caffeinated beverages.
  • Consider car pooling. If you are engaged in conversation you are less liable to think anxious thoughts. You also have to drive half as much. Think this one over carefully, as some people are more distracted while conversing while driving.
  • Manage your stress. A common cause for anxiety is extended periods of overwhelming stress. Do what you can to lower your stress level: exercise, take more breaks, meditation, yoga, etc.
  • Affirmations.Hand write, in script, some positive affirmation about your ability to drive calm, comfortable and relaxed. For example “I’m calm, comfortable and relaxed while driving and enjoying listening to music (the radio, audio books, etc.)” Read them right before you go to bed and right after you wake up. Say them out loud and imagine yourself driving while feeling calm and relaxed. Don’t underestimate the power of this simple exercise.
  • What really stops most people is the anticipatory anxiety:“Oh my God, I need to drive tomorrow out to the west side. I just know this is going to cause me a lot of anxiety. I’m already feeling it!” Instead, try saying something like”If I feel anxious I know I can handle it.”
  • Desensitization. This is a therapeutic technique that can help you become more comfortable with what is fearful. It involves taking small steps to get comfortable with situations that trigger anxiety. For example, if you can’t even drive your car, then start by sitting in your car in the driveway or on the street with the engine on but not moving. Notice whatever anxiety comes up and just be with it. Do that for longer periods of time until you can sit in the car, engine running, without anxiety. When you reach that point, and it may take a few hours or a few days, then drive around the block. If you feel anxiety, just pull over until it goes away, then continue driving. For freeway driving, you might try getting on one on ramp, staying in the slow lane, and then getting of on the next off ramp.

The most important thing to realize is that even though driving anxiety does not feel good, it will not kill you. It is your reaction to the feeling of anxiety that determines how you manage it. Instead of fighting anxiety, just allow it to be. Notice it, and see if you can observe it with detachment. Take deep breaths and try to remain in the present moment. Realize you have a tendency to create anxiety with your thoughts so try focusing on something else, like the environment, music, or the cars in front of you.

If you are still driving even though you experience anxiety, these tips can be helpful and good luck. However, if your level of anxiety is very high, you will probably need some help. You don’t need to live with the anxiety; give me a call.

Ted A. Moreno

Click Here For a Free Guide to Relieve Anxiety

 

Scatpooy Epidemic

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SCATPOOY seems to be present in quite a few people these days. Although not quite an epidemic, you want to make sure you don’t catch it.  The best thing to do is to immunize yourself now. However, if you notice any symptoms, you’ll want to deal with them immediately.

Symptoms may include paralysis, insomnia, and loose bowels, but will always include overwhelming  worry, fear and anxiety.

SCATPOOY (SCAring The Poop Out Of Yourself) won’t kill you, but if left untreated, it can cripple you by leaving you overwhelmed, fearful, and hiding out in the bathroom or stuck in bed.

I experienced this debilitating disease myself, shortly after I bought my house in the middle of the recession in 2009. My business was really slow. Like a parasite, a scary thought started to bore through my brain. It went like this: “I’m going to lose my house and I just bought it.” This thought grew in intensity and fear as I continued to feed the virus with negative scenarios, such as imagining me and my wife packing up our stuff and moving back into an apartment, feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

I found myself expecting something bad to happen. Because of the negative vibes I was sending out, my business phone stopped ringing almost completely, which made the situation worse. I was nervous as a snail crossing the highway.

One night I was lying in bed freaking out, thinking about all the past pickles I’d found myself in. It then occured to me that I had been in situations much more dire, and had managed to make it through.  I’d never been homeless, always had enough to eat, and always had people willing to help me out.  I realized that I had been creating frightening images that had not taken place. Yes, I had been infected with SCATPOOY.  I was scaring the crap out of myself.

I knew immediately where I had been infected, so I stopped watching and listening to the news about everybody losing their homes. It’s not that I didn’t care, I just didn’t need to hear all the sad stories. I needed to take action and make sure that that didn’t happen to me. That night, I swore an oath: “This is our house, and here we will stay.”

The truth was, I was not even close to losing my house. Yet, I was acting as if it was already happening. That night, I stopped focusing on what I didn’t want, and started to focus and think about what I did want.

It’s good to be concerned, and to plan for eventualities. It’s smart to see the writing on the wall and be prepared with a contingency plan. It’s another thing entirely to create fear and worry over something that doesn’t exist or that hasn’t happened yet. That’s called Scaring The Poop Out of Yourself, and it will not help you. If you feel that you have some symptoms of this malady, then you need to start now to cure yourself.

First of all, remove yourself from possible sources of infection: the negative news, negative people who get off on Scaring The Poop Out Of You, and information that only gives you the worse case scenario instead of what actions you can take.

Second, try to see reality clearly. SCATPOOY can cloud your vision. Try to see what’s happening now, instead of the disaster that you think will happen. Then deal with what is in front of you; it’s probably not as bad as the horror film in your head.

Next, change your language. In the cold fever of fear, what are you deliriously babbling about to yourself? Does it sound like “Oh my god, I just know that this is going to be terrible?” Take a chill pill, then stop and ask yourself: “How do I know that? Can I predict the future? I don’t know that it’s going to be terrible.” Even if it has been that way before, the past does not have to equal the future.

Be sure of the cure. Get clear about the outcome you want. Create it in your mind along with all the feelings that will come from having it. Start to shift your focus away from your symptoms and onto wellness. Use positive affirmations such as “I’m going to be OK.”

Write yourself a prescription. Determine what actions you can take now to prepare, remedy, or plan for the situation that’s worrying you. Realize that for every problem, there is a solution. It may not be the ideal solution, but try something. Doing nothing leaves you even more paralyzed.

Trust in your ability to overcome the infection of fear.  I can assure you of this: you have no idea how resilient you can be. Sometimes we need to be put to the test to force us to reach deep down inside for courage, resourcefullness and plain ole grit. Tell yourself, “I’m up for this challenge, it may not go my way but I won’t let it take me down.”

Lastly, immunize yourself. Vaccinate your brain with daily positive affirmations. Supplement with mind vitamins from those who have overcome major challenges and have left a record of their experiences. Have a support team of positive spin doctors give you daily doses of inspiration. Exercise your right to choose and control your thoughts and create your own reality.

SCATPOOY may be a chronic condition that you’ve been living with for some time, or it may be a new condition caused by the stress of something happening in your life that is out of your comfort zone. Which ever it is, don’t beat yourself up. Like they say, poop happens. Just come on out of the bathroom or out from under the covers and give me a call, I can help.

Next month we’ll discuss a condition many people suffer from that is the opposite of  SCATPOOY. It’s known as NCI-Burp. (Negative Crap Inside- Building Up and Ready to Pop) I hope you don’t have it…

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.  

Your companion on the journey to transformation,

TMan

Ted A. Moreno
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
www.TedMoreno.com

FEEL FREE TO — USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, WEB SITE OR BLOG. Just let me know that you are, and include the following with it:

Ted A. Moreno is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Success Performance Coach. Ted empowers his clients to transform their lives by helping them reach their goals of success, abundance, personal development, health and happiness. To learn more, visit www.TedMoreno.com/blog

 

Extolling the Virtues of Walking

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Last week I decided to do something that I have been wanting to do since I moved to where I now live. I’ve been wanting to take a walk in a nearby park that has a large reservoir. It’s within walking distance from my house, but I usually don’t have enough time to both walk to the park and explore the many trails. So last week I drove the three minute drive to the entrance and started walking. Read more

Are You A DIY? Attend my Self Hypnosis Class Starting 10/23 at PCC

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If you are a DIY (Do It Yourselfer) then you might be interested in taking my Self Hypnosis for Success Class at PCC starting October 23rd and continuing for the next three Saturdays: October 30th and November 6th from 9 am to 10:30 am. Click here to register!

All hypnosis is self hypnosis, so in this class you’ll learn to use this valuable tool to address a variety of concerns including: overcoming bad habits such as procrastination, gaining confidence, increasing motivation, releasing limiting beliefs and business success. We’ll cover what hypnosis is and isn’t, how to do a hypnotic induction on yourself, crafting suggestions and how to put it all together to reprogram your subconsious mind for success in just a few minutes a day.

You’ll receive a course syllabus as well as my Guide to Self Hypnosis and my Self Hypnosis Conditioning CD, which also includes my studio produced “Peaceful Place” relaxation track as an added bonus.

This will be the third time I’m offering this class, and so far I’ve recieved great response. Here are some comments from the course evaluations I received from the  class held in January 2010:

  • Ted is very knowledgable and enthusiastic about his field. It really helped me a lot.”
  • “It actually works!”
  • “Professional, organized and informative. The instructor was engaging and knew his subject well. I’m glad I took the course!”
  • “Clear and easy guidelines to follow. Instructor is knowledgable and well experienced.”
  • “Ted is dynamic and makes an effort to engage the students. The content was well delivered.”

Remember, you’re being hypnotized daily, through advertising, the media, and the people you spend time with. In addition, you’ve been hypnotized throughout your life to believe things about yourself and the world that may or may not work for you anymore. The good news is, you can take control of your own positive programming. If you have habits of thinking and behaving that are holding you back from the success and happiness that you want, then you can learn to use the power of your own mind to change. Click here to register!

If you’re not interested in learning self-hypnosis but believe that hypnosis can be of help to you, give me a call and I’ll give you a free half hour consultation to discuss how you can benefit from working with me as your hypnotherapist or personal/small business coach. Call (626) 826-0612, email [email protected] or click here.

A subconscious mind is a terrible thing to waste! Put it to work for you with self hypnosis. Click here to register.

Giving Yourself Permission to Just Hang Out and Relax.

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Friday I stayed home with a bad cold.  Cancelling the two appointments I had on Saturday was not an option.  I got through Saturday without sneezing on my cleints, and spent the rest of the day on the couch with a box of Kleenex.

Sunday I woke up at 6 am still feeling pretty lousy. Saturdays and Sundays I usually get up at 6, and write this blog in my home office. The voice in my head  was saying: “Get up right now, go into the office and start writing…wait, how about just a couple more minutes sleep? OK. Then I’ll get up and get to work…yeah, that’s it…”

I woke up at 8:30, feeling guilty and behind schedule. All of a sudden, something occured to me: “I’m under the weather, can’t I get a break??”

After all,  I was battling a cold. It seemed like it should be OK for me not to jump out of bed and start working on this particular Sunday. Then I decided something that totally changed how I felt: I wasn’t going to do a darn thing  that day except take it easy. And that’s what I did. I sat on the couch and watched TV, something I never do. I played with my kids. I felt like I was on vacation. No pressure, no work, I had nothing I had to get done. It felt freakin’ great. Here I thought I was the expert on how to relax, but I had to be reminded that day how incredibly important it is to just chill out.

Relaxation is as necessary as food and water. Without regular relaxation, stress builds up and creates dis-ease. Yet, it seems that in our culture, we feel the need to jam more and more into each day. The fact is, research shows that daily time for relaxation actually increases productivity.

The mind can only take in so much information or stimuli before it becomes overwhelmed. Many factors can contribute to overwhelm, including lack of sleep, physical discomfort or pain, emotional challenges, hunger, and especially stress and worry. When we become overwhelmed, we aren’t able to keep things in perspective anymore, and our tolerance and patience plummets. We actually enter  a trance state, and since we’re focused on what we don’t want, we create more of it through the power of suggestion, creating a vicious cycle.

If you stay stressed and overwhelmed long enough, this state can become a habit or the norm. Things begin to fall through the cracks, exhaustion kicks in, and if you don’t have the good sense to say “I need a vacation” then your body will force you to take one.

If you’re having trouble relaxing, here’s a few useful tips:

  • Schedule your relaxation time in as an appointment with yourself. Could be a whole day, a few hours, or a few minutes to listen to a relaxation or hypnosis CD. The key is make the choice to do it and do it regularly.
  • Take breaks. I know you’ve heard this before. Alex Mandossian suggests having a timer and work in 50 minute increments, then when 50 minutes is up, you absolutely have to get up and take a break, walk around, or have a snack or a meal.
  • Take a power nap. According to Wikipedia, “Scientific experiments  and anecdotal evidence suggest that an average power nap duration of around 15-30 minutes is most effective.”
  • Keep your perspective. Will your email inbox ever be empty? Will you ever really conquer all the weeds? Have you every been truly caught up? Will the work at your job ever be “done?” If the answer is no, then that is the reality. Work when you should,  relax when you should. I don’t know for sure, but I’ll bet that it’s true that nobody ever said on their deathbed, “I should’ve spent more time at the office.”
  • Learn to say no. Is it imperative that you attend every invitation you recieve?  Give your time whenever asked? Are you guilted into attending parties, weddings, work functions etc. even when you don’t want to? It’s your life, your precious and valuable time, and your choice, so choose wisely.
  • Take one day a week off. One day when you absolutely do not involve yourself in your work, job or career. One day to let your mind be free to focus on something else. Even God took a day off.
  • Loosen up and have some fun. The last time I spoke to God, She told me that we’re here to enjoy life. Who am I to disobey? What good is working hard and  having lots of stuff, if you can’t hang loose and enjoy it? Short answer: no good.
  • Listen to music. In my house, I’m the kitchen clean up guy. It’s a lot more tolerable if I’m listening to tunes. Even if you aren’t a big music lover, listening to relaxing music while driving can go a long way towards  easing the stress of a daily commmute.
  • Take a walk outside. It will get you out of your head, and that’s where your stress lives. A walk after dinner will do wonders for your attitude.
  • Then there’s the tried and true…yoga and meditation or some kind of mindfullness practice. Having been around for a couple of thousand years, we can assume that there’s something valuable in these practices.

Or you can make it really easy on yourself and just call me. Here’s what I’ll do for you. I’ll give you a half hour Power Relaxation Session  for $59, including a recording of the session. You come in, we say our howdy dos, you get in the happy chair, I do the hypno-relax magic, you walk out with a smile on your face and a recording waiting for you in your inbox. How easy is that? (South Pasadena location only, this offer expires September 30th.)

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.

TMan

 Ted A. Moreno
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       
 (626) 826-0612
 
Photo by Skye Moorhead. www.skyemoorhead.com
 

How To Beat Test Anxiety

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Been a hot  summer here in Southern California.  It’s still hot even though today, 6 days into fall,  mornings are cooler and days are getting shorter.  One thing I’ve noticed,  traffic is heavier because everyone is back to school.

When I was in school,  I pretty much skated by, hardly studied, and did pretty good. It was the same in high school. In college, however, I suffered the consequences of no real study habits. I would cram the night before, like I always did, but when it came time to recall the information, my mind went blank. The problem was that when I did study, I didn’t do much better. Fact is, I just wasn’t used to being challenged by exams and when I was, I got shut down.

Hey, I was lazy! I admit. But can you imagine blanking out, shutting down, and being gripped by anxiety after thorough preparation and study? It’s called test anxiety. A 2006 U.S. Department of Education-funded study conducted by the Institute of HeartMath and Claremont Graduate University with 980 10th-grade students found that 61% of all students reported being affected by test anxiety. This is where you can get so nervous and anxious about doing well (or just passing), that  performance on a test is negatively affected.  If you can see how a college  final can produce this type of anxiety, then imagine having this anxiety while taking the bar exam, or an exam for licensure, where the stakes are high and both money and time may have been heavily invested.

Test anxiety is a form of performance anxiety, where someone is extremely nervous about having to produce a result in a limited time period or in front of people who are judging them. Stage fright, fear of public speaking and “choking” in sports performance fall into this category.

Of course, it’s normal to have some type of nervousness about taking a test and in fact, this nervousness can be helpful by getting us into a space where we are pumped up to do well. When this nervousness escalates into anxiety,  however, it can not only interfere with recall of information but may create a reaction so intense that it may cause some people to give up taking the exam entirely, or to continue putting it off until “someday”.

Symptoms of this type of anxiety are similar to most other forms of anxiety  reactions: rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, shortness of breath, shakiness,  confusion, or other physical aches or pains.

In my work as a hypnotherapist with people who are challenged by test anxiety, I notice that many of these people share similar characteristics, such as being highly stressed, having perfectionist tendencies, or being worried a lot. Most instances of test anxiety can be dealt with in just a few hypnotherapy sessions, but here are some suggestions you can put to use right away.

* Diet can affect your ability to think and recall information. If you are skipping meals or eating meals or snacks high in carbs while studying for an exam, then you may be experiencing episodes of low blood sugar (glucose). Since the organ the uses the most glucose is the brain, a balanced diet can be helpful in creating optimal brain power. Have healthy snacks while you study.

*Sleep seems to go by the wayside when students are preparing for exams. Plan your study time for when you feel the most alert, which for most people is not usually late at night. But if that works for you, then make sure you’re getting the amount of sleep that’s right for you. It’s probably more than you think. Kind of makes sense to be well rested in the days leading up to a major exam, no?

*Lack of preparation can cause test anxiety. Last minute cramming may leave you feeling like you are not ready, and that can be scary. Pay attention to time management, organizing your schedule  to give yourself  teh best conditions for learning. Decide ahead of time when, and for how long you will study.

*Watch your self talk. Avoid scaring yourself with conversations such as  ” I know I’m going to just blank out right in the middle of the test!” Give yourself encouragement and support. Use positive affirmations in the days and weeks leading up to the exam. (See my previous post of June 29th )

*Mental visualization can be one of the most effective techniques you can use to “rehearse” taking the test while feeling calm, relaxed and comfortable. See yourself walking out of the testing location feeling good about your performance.

*Extreme self care might be getting a massage the day before the exam to release excess tension and stress. Get a good nights sleep the night before the exam, and don’t even thing about showing up without eating a good meal with protein. Daily walking or any type of exercise can also be a great stress reliever. Remember, anxiety comes from prolonged stress and tension. Find ways to release it.

For the most part, test anxiety is a learned response, and if you can learn something you can unlearn it and learn a different reaction. If you or someone you know is blocked from success by an inability to do well on exams, I can help. I’ll give anybody coming in for test anxiety their second session for no charge after their first paid session at my regular rate. Have a great fall!

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.

Tman

 Ted A. Moreno 
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
Specializing in Your Success
www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       
 (626) 826-0612

Do You Have Anxiety About Money?

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(If you are a single professional woman with anxiety about money, click here.)

 
Do you have anxiety about money or the lack thereof? If you don’t, you are in the minority. According to a recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 80% of Americans find the current financial crisis is a significant source of stress. We know that stress and axiety can have adverse effects on health, as people under stress turn to unhealthy coping behaviors such as drinking, smoking,  and overeating. Fretting about finances can create sleep disturbances, digestive imbalances and exacerbate any health conditions you may already be dealing with. So how do we deal with that feeling of free floating anxiety  about not having enough money? Some suggestions:
Get hypnotized. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports that more folks are turning to hypnosis to  ease money worries. Hypnosis is a relaxed state of focused concentration in which new ideas or suggestions are given to the subject that can help a person take a more relaxed attitude towards money challenges. As a hypnotherapist, I highly recommend that you try this if you are feeling fearful or anxious about money.
Become intimate with your finances. It’s helpful to know exactly what is going on in your financial house. Do you have a budget? Do you know how/where your money is being spent? What do you need every month/week to meet your obligations? This sounds pretty basic, but if you can’t answer these questions, then you are not in control of your money.
Keep your perspective. I read an article not too long about  a wealthy man (thanks to my bro Ed for the link) who killed himself because he had lost a great deal of  money due to the economic downturn. He was still worth well over a  billion dollars when he died. Definite lack of perspective. Instead of scaring yourself with worst case scenarios, focus on your skills and rescources. What can you count on, inside of you?
Avoid the bad news. TV is the great hypnotizer. The purpose of newscasts is to sell advertising. They keep you watching by giving you the bad news. These are tough economic times, no doubt about it. However, it does not serve you to hear about all the terrible stories out there. Not a good way to keep a positive attitude.
Keep a positive attitude. It’s true that tough times don’t last but tough people do. You may not have control over financial or job markets, but you can control how you respond by getting in touch with your inner entrepreneur, realizing that your personal value as a person is not tied to your net worth, and looking for opportunities that are waiting to be found with the right mindset.
Stay focused on what you want. Are you doing everything you can to move yourself towards your goals? Remember, you are not defeated until you say you are. Believe in prosperity and abundance as your birthright.  Maintain an attitude of gratitude by focusing on where you do have abundance and prosperity in your life. If you believe in the Law of Attraction, and I do, then what you focus on will expand in your life.
Learn about how money works. Money is energy. Learn how to develop Money Consciousness. Read books or listen to audio programs regarding creating and attracting money and weatlth.  Some suggestions:

There’s a lot that can be said about the subject of making money, attracting wealth, etc. Many people have very disempowering associations with money. You can be concerned about money, but worry is unecessary as well as counterproductive. (Worry is the misuse of your imagination.) Just remember that you can change your beliefs about money, as well as any negative associations.

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.

Tman

 Ted A. Moreno
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
Specializing in Your Success
www.TedMoreno.com                                                                       
 (626) 826-0612

One Way to Handle Unwanted Emotions

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I have two small children, little girls, ages 2 and 3 1/2. (For the purposes of this blog, they shall be referred to as Fingers and Matrix Chick.) Anyway, as many a parent can relate to, sometimes the whining, fits, insubordination, chant-like requests for “binky” and power struggles between the two can raise the blood pressure of any Zen Master ( which I am certainly not).

Sometimes, in fact, after a full day with them, vainly trying to accomplish something or at the very least, peace and quiet, I find myself in a state which, shall we say, is almost the opposite of loving, gentle and patient. Not wanting to be the subject of some future “Daddy Dearest” tome, I use one technique to cope that always releases me my from my anger and frustation, and that is EFT.

EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique, is something that I teach to almost all of my clients at some point or another. EFT is one of many therapies under the umbrella of Energy Psychology. It’s easy to learn, simple to perform, and in my experience, very effective. There is some controversy surrounding the efficacy of EFT as there has not been much research conducted that has been accepted by the established medical/psychological community. However, there is enough anecdotal evidence (along with  my own experience using it on myself and my clients) to suggest that it’s worth the time to learn it and see if it works for you.

The philosophy behind EFT states that  negative emotions are a result of a disruption in the the body’s energy system. EFT involves tapping on various parts of the body that correspond to acupuncture points. The tapping is said to balance and neutralize these disruptions.  The first time I saw EFT demonstrated I had no interest whatsoever. It seemed too simple and frankly, looked a little silly when you did it. However, EFT started popping up everywhere in my experience, from seminars teaching it to Dr. Mercola’s site, to books by Kevin Trudeau, the “……they don’t want you to know about”  infomercial guy.

I figured Somebody was trying to tell me something so I learned EFT and taught it to one client, who came back the next week and said “Wow, that really works.” I started showing clients how to do EFT in session and started sending them home with a guide I downloaded from the EFT website. Now I teach this to all my clients at about the 2nd or 3rd session usually.  Not all clients are inclined to use this tool, but the ones that do tell me they get results.

Some would suggest that EFT is a panacea for whatever ails you. (http://www.tryitoneverything.com/) I use EFT with my clients mainly for intense emotions such as anxiety, anger, depression, fear and sometimes with pain. If you are interested in learning EFT, you can go to www.emofree.com and read more about it as well as download a free, detailed how-to-do-it manual.

Just a disclaimer here, I’m not suggesting you use EFT if a doctor would be more appropriate. EFT can be an helpful adjunct to medical and/or psychological intervention.

I hope this tool is a handy addition to your coping skills toolbox.

Stay cool and be calm,

Ted