What Is NLP: A Powerful Mental Discipline to Change Your Life
By Nicole Carter | September 22, 2021 |
Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) is a powerful mental discipline which teaches people effective strategies to change their lives. It’s based on the idea that your unconscious mind can be changed and, with some simple learning techniques, it’s possible to reprogram your brain for success! What exactly is NLP? What are its benefits? What should you do if you want to learn more about NLP coaching? Keep reading this article for all of the answers.
What is NLP?
Neuro linguistic programming, or NLP, is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy. It is based on the idea that what people think, what they feel and what they do are linked in a manner that allows change in one area to affect the other.
Imagine for example you feel stressed when someone speaks loudly to you. In traditional therapy, a therapist might ask what does it mean when somebody speaks loudly to you, what did you experience, and what’s in your past that would trigger this stress. In NLP it’s all about the signals that go from your brain when someone talks loudly to you and how they make you feel. A NLP coach teaches you how to reframe those signals so that they don’t continue to cause tension.
NLP takes what used to be a difficult and hard-to-learn process and turns it into a much simpler and easier to learn process. NLP works by breaking particular negative thought patterns and replacing them with more constructive thought patterns.
Benefits of NLP
Neuro linguistic programming can also be advantageous to individuals who feel like life is passing them by. They often don’t know what to do about it or what direction to take. It can help someone who thinks they are failing or stuck in some area of their life to make quick changes. The NLP coach will determine what your blocking point is and select the best techniques, specifically for you, to help you over come it.
NLP doesn’t just focus on what’s not working in our lives, but what we want more of instead. This is what is known as a “positive” approach to life. However to have a positive approach you must first know how to identify what that is. The NLP coach will provide you the necessary tools to become aware of what your strengths and weaknesses are, identify what you need to more of and modify what holds you back from achieving it. Identifying these things will help you view life through a positive lens.
What Are NLP Techniques
So what are some NLP techniques? The NLP technique of “reframing” can help you change your perspective is on things. When you change what you focus is on, or how the way that you see it, you can produce different feelings or outcomes. For example, a bad experience may be comical when viewed in the context of time.
Another NLP technique is ‘mapping submodalities’. Submodalities can be helpful when trying to break bad habits or stop something from happening again. This technique allows you to examine the qualities of what you are experiencing whether it be an emotion or thought pattern. You can choose to modify the experience until it is something that feels good for you.
Finally, the NLP technique of “anchoring” can help you change what your response is in any given situation. Installing and firing positive “anchors” can have an immediate change on your mood and outlook on any given situation.
Depending on what you’re experiencing the NLP coach will determine which techniques will work best for you.
Differences Between NLP and Traditional Therapy
The main difference between NLP and conventional therapy is the use of NLP techniques, which shift what you are focusing on. With traditional therapy, what you focus on has an impact on what you feel.
- Traditional therapy works with 10% of the conscious mind – where analysis, understanding and interpretation reside. NLP works with 90% of the unconscious mind – where behaviour, emotion, responses and beliefs reside.
- Traditional therapy generally works with a person’s past and the traumatic events therein to seek healing. NLP is interested in a person’s present and works to help them in creating a compelling future.
- Traditional therapy, through conversation, encourages the patient to talk about and resolve old pain. NLP helps client discover the process by which they prevent the achievement of goals and objectives and learn new ways of thinking and new ways of looking at things.
- In traditional therapy the therapist will not talk much about themselves. In NLP the coach, when appropriate, will share about their experience which is vital to learning.
How Can I Use This In My Life or Business
Neuro linguistic programming is a highly effective mental technique for improving your life. It can be used to train emotional control, performance of skills, understanding language patterns, and much more. It’s possible to use NLP therapy to work on what you’re feeling and what you want to create.
Tips For Learning How To Be Successful With NLP
- Be curious and open to what the NLP coach says. You’ll learn more and it will be easier if you don’t resist what’s being shared.
- Practice what you learn. The more you practice what you learn the faster you’ll see results.
- Be patient with yourself and ask questions. Your coach is there to help you throughout your entire journey so use them as a resource.
- Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because that’s where all of the best things happen.
Neuro linguistic programming is a powerful tool for self-improvement and change. It can be used in many different ways, including to improve your life or career. It has been shown to make significant changes in people who are experiencing depression, anger management issues, phobias, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), anxiety disorders like OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and more. With what you learned here about how it works – the only thing holding you back from making positive life changes may be what’s going on inside of your own head!
So take some time to evaluate what you want out of life and what’s blocking your way forward.
