stress

When do you say no, I do enough?

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A conversation that I have had many a time  “ What is enough?” 

Can you define it? 

I know I have struggled with this. The issue we have is with all the things we do already it becomes the norm and so we forget how much is already getting done. Our work or day to day system is then being busy and productive but because there is so much of it we don’t register any reward because we are actually creating stress. 

Now don’t get me wrong we all need some stress to keep us motivated and ready to go so we are feeling challenged but we can manage it. The change is when we tip into threat stress. A constant state of stress where the cortisol doesn’t switch off and we feel like we are up against a deadline everyday… even an imagined one. 

Many people also have a great ability to ignore or not recognise the amount of work and effort that they already put into things and so take on even more looking for the fix or the next best thing. (Yup, done this!) Usually because we just do not give ourselves any credit for what we already do and so our primitive response is to do more!  

This can then lead to overwhelm, exhaustion, anxiety, burn out, sleep issues and more.  

Once we begin to notice this pattern we can intervene and get honest with it! 

The thing with being honest with ourselves is that we have made the choice to change instead of just accepting things won’t change. There is an incredible amount of power in that. Stress and anxiety stops us from accessing solutions to problems and so when we get a glimmer of something not working for us and choosing to change it, we know at that point our brain is working more efficiently for us. 

 If you need some support to reassess where you are, create a more supportive routine and reduce stress and anxiety get in touch and book an initial consultation. 

 

 

Resolutions versus reality

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Happy New Year… 2023 is slowly rolling itself in and it’s that time of year again where our socials are bombarded with ‘New year, new you!’ headlines, diets, goals and plans.  

In the new year we should be supporting ourselves to slowly step into a new year and take our time to support where we are right now. 

We have just stepped through one of the busiest months in our calendar and celebrated the festive season and then expected to flip life on its head, get healthy, move more, stop drinking, quit smoking and all the other resolutions you just gave yourself. 

 We all know that within a few days of this ‘new me’ energy something will trigger the old pattern of behaviour and all of a sudden a take away looks like a great idea and a bad day of work is now an excuse for a glass of wine. 

Habits don’t change themselves overnight.  

Our ability to change something also depends on how much stress we are under. If we lead a relaxed and predominately stress free lifestyle we are more resilient and able to change those habits quite easily. 

Whereas if we’re feeling quite stressed and putting additional pressure on ourselves to reach a certain goal then we are more likely to fail and not achieve it. 

 You see, our brain is wired for threat and change, if we have formed a negative habit, once we try and change it, our brain sends an alert that tells us not too. ‘This is different’ and so stays where it is. 

 The trick is to change one small thing at a time. Particularly if you know your stressed and struggle to adapt to new things. 

Write a list of everything you would like to improve on over this year. Put everything down no matter how silly it may be. Then find the one that you know right now you can change. 

You may start with eating a healthy breakfast. Just one healthy meal at a time. You could start taking regular walks and then build up to running or going to the gym. Meditating for 2 minutes and building it up weekly. Drop one glass of wine and then decrease it. Reduce caffeine one cup a week. 

 Making those small changes will support your brain to adapt more easily but it also takes away the pressure. A goal is a goal if it’s important you will always reach it. 

 If you are struggling with your mental health, support and habit change then book an initial consultation. Available face to face and online. 

Lets talk about Fears and Phobias

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Fears and Phobias at Hummingbird Hypnotherapy. With busy life styles including positives and negative events is it any wonder at times we become uncomfortable with certain things and situations. 1 in 10 people struggle with a phobia and manage their day to day life efficiently enough to be able to ensure that it does not appear in front of them.

Sometimes even relying on others to support you with making sure a spider or bird are not around. Taking the stairs instead of the lift. Cancelling medical appointments continually for fear of seeing the GP or going into hospital. Our brain is very clever, if we are really stressed and anxious our fears and phobias can be exacerbated because our brain thinks it is keeping us safe. So keeping us on high alert, looking out for those things that scare us so that we can be ready and prepared to deal with it.

Just imagine a meerkat popping its head out of the sand continually looking out for predators. Over the years the clients I have seen with phobias have varied from a young person who could not wear clothing with buttons on or even look at is mums top if it had buttons on it without getting over anxious and fearful. To clients scared of flying and fearful of feathers and birds and anything that flaps. That last client as you can see has extended her phobia of feathers which she was originally scared of to now being fearful of all birds and anything that flaps. Our brain is very clever because it can associate things to that flight/fight state and then our phobia can become a lot bigger. This then begins to affect us more within our life.

Specific phobias can be treated with three sessions of Clinical Hypnotherapy once the Initial consultation has been completed. So three weeks from now you can be enjoying all of those things that you have stopped doing and start living. For daily insights and positivity head over to www.facebook.com/hummingbirdhypnot