How a rock can change your mindset

Looking into a basket of rocks at a recent health and well-being conference I was asked to pick one that ‘called out to me’. I picked up a small round sandy coloured one that was just a little bit different to the other rocks in the pile. “This is a gratitude rock” I was told. Looking at the rock I’ll admit, I felt a little skeptical.

I’m a strong believer in the power of gratitude and journaling regularly to prompt a more grateful mindset, but wasn’t sure how this rock would fit into the equation.

The idea, I was told, is to put the rock somewhere you’ll either see or feel it regularly. Then, every time you see or feel it, think about one thing you are grateful for in that moment. And with that I smiled, thought ‘nice idea’ and popped the rock in my coat pocket, not giving it much more thought.

It wasn’t until the following day when I was back home and walking to the shops that I felt the rock in my pocket. It was cold, so I put my hands in my pockets to warm up a little and my fingers found the small, smooth rock. I instantly smiled as I remembered what it was and had a think about what I was grateful for while eyeing up the lunch options in the supermarket.

Since then there have been several moments like this. The most interesting was probably a Friday night when I was in a miserable mood, incredibly tired and generally feeling quite frustrated. I shoved my hands in my pockets while waiting for a train and felt the rock once again. I was forced to step out of my bad mood and think of something I was grateful for. And this, honestly, helped to lift my mood.

I’ve only had the rock for a week, but the way it prompts me to be grateful is definitely changing something within me. Human brains are designed to focus on the negative, it’s a survival thing. This focus can contribute to stress, anxiety and even depression over time.

So if we want to change this mindset and encourage more positivity, cultivating gratitude is an excellent way to go. And, as it turns out, this very small action of putting a rock in your pocket may be just the ticket.

10 things you didn’t know about smoking

Written by Elizabeth Newton Thousands of people are stopping smoking every month and the good news is, you can too. Here are 10 things you perhaps didn’t know about smoking. All the more reason to make today the day YOU decide to quit for life. We smoke as a result of both brainwashing and chemical ... Read more10 things you didn’t know about smoking

Are these five common phobias affecting your relationships?

Phobias can cause a range of issues for those who experience them.

According to Harley Street hypnotherapist, Adam Cox, phobias can affect our relationships all year-round.

“Phobias are an unconscious reaction to a stimulus, not a choice. People don’t choose to be frightened of love, intimacy, rejection or germs. The impact of these fears and phobias can mean people avoid flirting, dating, kissing and even sex and relationships.

The good news is that no matter how severe the phobia is, psychological tools such as hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) can reverse a phobia in just one or two sessions.”

We asked Adam which relationship-related phobias he most commonly encounters.

• Aphenphosmphobia – The fear of intimacy. Fear of being touched and love.
• Mysophobia – The fear of germs. It is also rightly termed as Germophobia or Bacteriophobia.
• Androphobia & Gynophobia – The fear of men and women. Usually seen in younger females, but it can also affect adults. This may occur if you have unresolved mother issues.
• Philophobia – The fear of love, which causes sufferers to be frightened of falling in love or developing emotional attachments.
• Monophobia– The fear of being alone

There are many different phobias, some you may know, others may be more obscure. Regardless, phobias exist and can affect a person’s life massively. As Adam says, the good news is that a phobia doesn’t need to control your life. Hypnotherapy aims to identify the root cause of the phobia, help you understand potential triggers, and know how to control the anxiety and fear often associated with the phobia.

Learn more about the different types of phobias.

For more information on hypnotherapy for anxiety, fear of flying or other phobias, visit our fact-sheets or contact a hypnotherapist near you, using our search tool.

New Year’s resolutions

Too many people decide that they want to make a change in their lifestyle and use the New Year as a way of making the required change. Or that’s what they plan to do. And sometime in January, too many people find that they haven’t succeeded in giving up alcohol, losing weight, stopping smoking, going ... Read moreNew Year’s resolutions

Anxiety cells discovered in mice

Researchers from Columbia University and the University of California placed mice in mazes with open spaces (something mice are afraid of) and found certain cells at the bottom of the hippocampus became more active.

The team then tried to alter the activity of these ‘anxiety cells’ in the brain using optogenetics, which involves using light to control cells in living tissue. Reducing the activity in these cells made the mice less anxious and more willing to explore the open spaces.

Read more about the study on the Independent.

This discovery could have huge implications for people living with anxiety. Understanding the biology behind it and potentially being able to reduce activity in these ‘anxiety cells’ could make a significant difference for those suffering.

Kat Nicholls, content writer for Hypnotherapy Directory speaks on the discovery:

“As someone who has experienced high levels of anxiety and knows how much it can affect daily life, this is very welcome news. Mental health is just as important as physical health and as a nation we seem to be struggling more than ever with anxiety. The number of visitors to Hypnotherapy Directory’s anxiety page has risen 140% in the last two years.

While there are certainly ways we can reduce anxiety, including hypnotherapy, self-care and a change in lifestyle, the more tools we have in our arsenal, the better.”

It is estimated that 7.8% of people in Britain suffer from anxiety and depression.

Sad news – Dr Assen Alladin and Prof Tom Dowd

17th January 2018 Dear Friends It is with great sadness that I am letting you know of the passing of two great figures in the field of hypnotherapy who were both personal friends and professional colleagues. Dr Assen Alladin On … Continue reading →

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Video interviews with Life Coaches & Executive Business Coaches – about our hypnotherapy training

Video interviews with Life Coaches, Management Consultants & Executive Business Coaches – about our hypnotherapy training, the Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy … Continue reading →

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