Stoptober Non-Smoking Support

For those of you who have chosen the Stoptober month of October 2014 as your time to Stop Smoking ~ then congratulations you are 1/4 of the way already there in readiness for National No Smoking Day!

 

Keep going!

 

Each and every smoke free day is a success . . . however big or small it might seem ~ remember that it is an achievement!

 

It is really positive reinforcement of being able to say "No" to each thought, craving or offering of a cigarette . . . and every time you do you should tell yourself "Well Done!" inside your head, to acknowledge it as a success.

We all need positive encouragement & reinforcement around change, to support more of it!

 Stopping smoking is a mindset, so create a strong supportive mindset that you can do it, you can keep going and become a non-smoker for yourself, for your family, for LIFE!

 

I encourage my client who come to see me for Hypnotherapy to Stop Smoking, to speak to as many ex-smokers that they know and discover how they did it . . . what was their biggest motivation . . . what helped them . . . what didn't help them . . . what advice and support can they give you . . . what benefits have they enjoyed since stopping smoking . . . all these thoughts and learnings may help you decide what it will be for you to mean that you can do it too!

 

* Have a clear strong motivation in your mind.

* Plan strategies of what you will do instead of smoking.

* Save up the money you would have spent, so you can see the result financially too.

* Have some sugar free mints to hand.

* Keep yourself busy.

* Notice the differences in health improvements to increase health motivation.

* Find other ways to relax ~ Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, Walking, Reading . . .

* Think of yourself as a non-smoker.

 

So with those in mind, may I wish every Stoptober participant every success and long may it continue throughout the rest of the year and beyond!

For Hypnotherapy support visit http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Stopping+Smoking-22.php 

 

Gardening for the Soul

Last year my husband Edd and I had the greatest pleasure of taking part in The Big Allotment Challenge ~ which is being screened on BBC2 8.00pm on Tuesday 15th April.

We had an amazing 4 months of tending a brand new allotment, creating, designing and growing in our own special style, amongst the other 8 wonderful teams taking part.

What a journey indeed . . . both of us being very keen gardeners with our home patch, growing and turning our produce into wonderful tasty meals, chutneys, jams, jellys, vinegars etc etc ~ we rose too the challenge of creating an allotment from nothing . . . to a tight time scale.

Gardening is truly good for your soul . . . it get's you in tune with nature, the seasons and brings a deep sense of grounding on all levels of beingness.
Edd and I have planted by the phases of the moon, following Biodynamic Gardening calendars for around 5 years now, which is such a beautiful way of planting organically.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master and Integral Yoga teacher I wholeheartedly encourage my clients and students to find their connection with nature to help them find a sense of balance in their lives. Gardening can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression ~ supporting a deeper sense of wellbeing on all levels of being ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
And what can be even nicer than nurturing plants, being outdoors and enjoying nature ~ but to then grow things you can eat and enjoy seasonally and organically, just as you'd like them to be.
You just can't beat the flavours and freshness of picking your own produce that you have tended throughout the year.

So enjoy the show and be inspired to grow something new yourselves too!
Whatever size garden, patio, allotment or even on a windowsill you can always grow something ~ whether flowers, herbs, fruits or veggies all can bring you such a deep sense of achievment having sown and grown it yourself.

Happy National Gardening Week . . .

Om Shanti

Harshani and Edd
x
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Does Change Have to be Scary?

What is it that causes us to fear things? 

Some people fear the unknown ~ which would also include 'Change' . . .

Others live in fear of the known. . .

Whilst some even, feel more comfortable with their present fears than the possibility of the fear of change . . . being different . . . thinking differently . . . feeling differently . . . and it can sometimes seem beyond belief that change can also be for the better!

So what makes us hang on tight to those old fears, beliefs & behaviours that are unhelpful and no longer support us (or even hold us back)?
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist I often come across some clients who think they want change, but are also resistant to change. There is a saying that goes like this . . .

"If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep ending up with what you've always had" 

So change is a huge part of the process, to embrace those changes however big or small they might be . . . and as I tell my clients ~ It's often the way that all those small differences add up to making an even bigger difference to you in your life and the changes you wish to make! 

Change happens everyday . . . it's part of nature . . . part of life . . . nothing stays the same.
So it's a good thing to learn about embracing change, and because nothing is permanent or forever it also means that problems & issues can change too. All it takes is an experienced guide and a willingness to step into the unknown . . . to venture forwards and start to imagine how you'd like to be . . . who you'd like to be . . . and take action around some of those changes that can begin to move you in the right direction.

So the only thing to fear really is yourself ~ and once you realise that it is only yourself holding you back, then change is in your hands and you can control it.

If you would like to know more about the change process, Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, then contact me today and start 2014 as you mean to go on! A New Year and a New You too!

Best wishes
Harshani

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Kettering, Northants

Why worry about all those worries?

This morning I read today's beautiful reading from Sri Swami Satchidananda's book "The Golden Present".
And I'd like to share it with you here: ~

Hundreds of Worries

How many wants do you have? How many things do you worry about?
"I don't have this."  "I didn't get that."  "I don't have a nice enough office." "I didn't get the car I wanted." "I don't have an air conditioner."  "I didn't get what I wanted to eat." . . . . 

There are all kinds of unnecessary worries. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of worries.

How can you even lift a small blade of grass with that kind of attitude?

The mind is the main source of health and happiness. 

The same mind can completely rob you of all your health and happiness, if you don't train it properly.

Heat, humidity, cold, hunger ~ all these conditions are nothing if your mind is calm and balanced.

So many things we take for granted, so many things we worry about needlessly, taking up energy and making us unwell. Emotional stress can effect our daily lives. So try putting your worries into context. Try seeing them from a different perspective. Train the mind to see positives rather than negatives. Once you realize it's all in the mind, it's easier to re-frame it towards something that supports you, instead of weighing you down.
I teach my yoga students and therapy clients how to train their minds in a positive way, so daily stresses and concerns can be let go of far more easily and the mind can become more peaceful, easeful and useful.
You can find out more here www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Remember that golden song . . .  "Don't worry . . . be Happy!"
Wishing you a peaceful week ahead.
Harshani
Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Integral Yoga Teacher
Mind Body Wellbeing
Islip, Kettering, Northants.,

Hypnosis for Fear of Flying

This time of year is an exciting time for many, as we come into the holiday season.
Maybe you have already been away . . . maybe your booked holiday is coming soon . . . or maybe you are yet to book a last minute deal or go later in the year.

The big question really is . . . "Do you feel free to holiday where you like, or does the Fear of Flying stop you?"

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I know only too well the debilitating experiences that have clouded many clients lives before coming to see me to overcome their phobias and fears around flying.
The fear of flying has many different aspects ~ for some it's the fear of being out of control, for others it's around the fear of heights, for others it's the fear of death or dying often linked to the "What if . . ." question, for example ~ what if something happened, the plane was hijacked, or exploded or crashed . . . etc etc.

As with all phobias, there will be specific triggers which start the thoughts, fears and phobic responses into play. These triggers will have often been sparked from an unconscious thought process from our childhood, whether connected to planes or flying or something else. It simply becomes a habitual behaviour and emotional response towards the source of your fear/phobia.

As with all phobias, phobic responses to flying are unique to each individual, and through the Cognitive Hypnotherapy approach the patterns can be changed, reframed and resolved in the ways that are right for you personally. Cognitive Hypnotherapy tailors hypnosis and positive psychology methods to each client, helping them move through their fears and phobias in a way that's just right for them.
Hypnosis techniques connected to overcoming phobias are powerful and supportive ways, which not only help you feel 'back in control', but also much more confident in yourself in many different situations. Fears simply hold us back and stop us from living our lives to the full. Resolving these fears, frees you up to enjoy being you and feel comfortable in yourself and your surroundings, wherever you are, whom ever you are with. . .
You can fly and feel free to enjoy flying too!
Contact Harshani at Mind Body Wellbeing in Islip, Kettering, Northamptonshire, for a confidential consultation, and start looking forward to that sense of freedom being yours, sooner than you once thought possible.

Hypnotherapy can help free you to be you!

Have you ever felt like you're weighed down with life, stuff, people, places, events that go on around you? I'm sure we all have from time to time. Sometimes it's easy to let go, to free yourself and move on. Other times we feel stuck, almost unable to move on . . . we can't see the wood for the trees. . . we feel stuck in a rut . . . life gets on top of us . . . feel trapped.
Life has it's ups and downs . . . so it is so important to take a step back from time to time to see things from a different perspective, one where we can be an observer of the mind and thoughts (which often cloud our mind) . . . less emotionally involved, so we can find the answers which are right for us, to help us move on and let go of those things that weigh us down.

When you learn how to take a step outside of any situation, the answers are there, things appear more clearly, the things you need to do or not do (as is sometimes the case). It is so much easier to see patterns, habits and behaviours in others, because of this reason . . . you are less emotionally involved, you are slightly away from the situation and things seem clearer ~ in fact sometimes things seem so clear they are just simply so obvious to you, when you can see things from a distance.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist in the Kettering area, I guide my clients through being able to take that step outside of the 'Stuff' that they are in, so they can discover the changes which are right for them, to be able to move through the 'Stuff' and move on to brighter things . . . freeing them up to be themselves . . . discovering new ways of being.
Just like a bird that is trapped in a cage, wants to spread it's wings and be free . . . free to fly . . . free to be . . . free to explore new experiences in it's life. So as we release the thoughts, feelings and habits that hold us back . . . we too can enjoy that same kind of freedom too.
Hypnotherapy can help build new resources and strengths within you, such as Confidence . . . Self-Belief . . . Motivation . . . Courage . . . Positivity . . . Purpose . . . etc etc. We are all different and need different things in our lives, and at different times of our lives . . . and we all have the capacity to develop these resources through support and guidance.

So if you were totally free . . . who would you be? . . . what would you do? . . . how high would you fly?  
Realizing what holds you back is the first step to change . . . the second is doing something about it!

helping you find freedom
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

The Therapeutic Effects of Gardening

With such glorious weather over the last few days, it has been such a joy to be out in the garden, starting to plan, plant, sow, weed and tend all the various plants which we have in mind to grow, eat and enjoy this coming summer and autumn.
Gardening is good for you and if you haven't tried it for yourself yet, then I'd highly recommend you giving it a go! It's so easy to sow a few seeds and things do grow, even in the smallest of spaces.

In my spare time, I just love being outside, being in tune with nature and in our garden.
It lifts your spirit and keeps you grounded and balanced.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I often see clients who are going through difficult stages in their lives, and encourage them to find an outdoor hobby like gardening, as it can really help them feel more positive and inspired. Even colleges, schools, universities and some business companies, are recognising the positive influences of growing your own produce, tending a small garden plot of flowers, herbs & veggies for staff, students and employees alike. It's great to see these 'Wellbeing' projects on the go ~ and the great thing is, that we all benefit!
It's good for the environment too, all those bees and butterflies help support plant pollination and need to be encouraged into our gardens more and more.

Standing in my front garden earlier on today, it just makes me smile every time I step outside! My beautiful spring flowers are blossoming and appearing everywhere.

So next time you feel a little down or disheartened, take yourself off to a beautiful garden somewhere, or maybe simply go for a walk around your local neighbourhood and look out for all the hidden gems of flowers and plants which we walk past without sometimes even noticing. . . it may surprise you, that there is more than you thought! And if there aren't that many, then maybe you could start your own garden revolution, whether it's a couple of pots, a hanging basket, a window sill of herbs or anything else that you can enjoy.

What I'm looking forward to more, is the impact of the Olympics from last year and hoping to see lots of glorious wild flower meadows popping up around the country. Please share yours if you do one!
Best wishes and Happy Gardening,
Harshani
Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Integral Yoga Teacher
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate!!!

Chocoholics everywhere love Easter time . . . all that chocolate everywhere . . . total indulgence . . . white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate . . . Easter eggs in an array of shapes, colours, sizes and temptations.
And I must admit, that I too have times when I can easily allow myself to get hooked on chocolate if I let myself . . . because chocolate has that feel good quality . . . it makes you smile . . . it can lift any dull moment and make you feel better . . . instantly!

So what is it about chocolate that drew Charlie into the Chocolate factory . . . was it the smell of chocolate (you know that smell, you can think of it now . . . if you wanted too!) was it the taste (that melt in the mouth sensation) . . . or is it all about the happy hormones that release from chocolate which make it addictive and desireable.

Now, if you don't like chocolate and are really not bothered by the stuff, then great, you have no need to read any further . . . However for most others (and especially it seems to be more of a female thing) chocolate can have such a hold over you that you secretly eat it, or over-indulge, feel guilty about it, and have a weight problem because of it. Not the best outcomes for something as innocent as a little peice of chocolate. And there lies the problem, if only you could just have a little bit! It can be for some people that once the taste buds for chocolate have lit up, then it all has to be eaten . . . something inside saying . . . oh, just one more peice . . . only a little more . . . oh, there's only one left now, I shall have to eat it anyway ~ shame to waste it!
Does any of that resonate with you???

So my way of breaking those addictions is that every year, for the past 5 years I have given up chocolate for lent. None has passed my lips since Shrove Tuesday and I will re-convene if I choose to on Easter Sunday, along with the rest of the population. I don't stop eating chocolate for any specific religious reasons, I do it to make sure that I can! It's good to check that self discipline from time to time, and I fully endorse that you try it too ~ okay so you may have missed starting for lent this year, however you could start today and go up until Easter . . . or choose one month a year (say May or June ~ so you can focus on reducing those excess pounds for Summer)
Any craving or addiction really means that 'IT' (whether that's chocolate/alcohol/wine/cheese) is in control of you . . . and it's important that YOU can gain control of 'it' back.

You are in control if you can feel indifferent about something, something you can take or leave . . . content either way.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I'm all too aware of how the mind plays tricks on us, can torment us, says "Oh, go on . . . have it, no one will know unless you tell them . . . it's our secret!"
So I'm always amused when my mind starts doing that too, and the first non-chocolate week was probably the hardest. Everytime I opened the fridge, I would be drawn unconsciously to where I normally have chocolate and then notice that slight sinking feeling that came up inside me which said "There's none there!". Gradually those moments get less and less, as you re-affirm "No, I'm allowing myself to have a break right now." Friends round for dinner and my husband suggesting "Let's make a nice chocolate cake?"  . . . my reply being "Remember I'm doing lent, how do you fancy a lemon drizzle cake instead?" . . . because I know that once you get the taste again the spell breaks and it's chocolate time again, so if you're going to put yourself in control, you have to prove to your mind that you really mean it. What you find then, is after those first few tests, it gives up and let's you get on with your determination to prove you can do it. . . letting you be in control once more.

There are some great helpful techniques which I teach my weight loss clients to put them in control of their cravings. My last HypnoSlim weight loss group had a chocoholic turn away from it completely and has not bothered with it since! So to discover more about how it might be supportive for you too see ~ http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Weight+Loss-26.php

Put yourself in control and have a healthy relationship with those Easter Eggs!
Happy Chocolate Free Easter!

     

Smoking ~ Do you think you choose to smoke or what?

Today is National No Smoking Day! 

I'm sure for many smokers, they think . . . here we go again!
Everyone telling us about the harm smoking causes & why we should stop smoking.
Probably for some it's a day they forget to remember, as they are happy to continue enjoying those cigarettes and perhaps even think that it's their choice . . .
they choose to smoke . . .
or do they actually choose at all?

You see the thing about choice means YOU are in control, which also means you can take it or leave it. And if you can do that with your cigarettes, then yes you are in control of the choices you make ~ but for nearly all smokers, they are far from being IN control, in fact the habit, addiction and cigarettes control them. So what might start as a choice thing, something which you choose to do, then gradually as the addictive and habitual aspects of the cigarette and nicotine kick in, what actually happens is that you no longer choose to smoke . . . the cigarettes and nicotine are now controlling you . . . and your freedom of choice as to whether you can take it or leave it . . . has gone!
Because if you were totally in control, then if you wanted to stop, or choose to go without smoking for as long as YOU wanted to, then you would have that sense of indifference about your cigarette, something you could take or leave. . . maybe forget even, if you chose to.
But what most smokers find is the minute they think they can't have a cigarette or may have a time without them, those mind games start . . . they may have extra cigarettes (to top up) beforehand, so they don't miss out . . . or they may smoke like a chimney afterwards to make up for it . . . but what all will find is that they keep thinking about them . . . craving them . . . planning when or where the next one will be . . . etc etc and that cigarette has got control of you.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I'm fully aware of the struggles that smokers go through to stop smoking, the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the previous failures, the mental torture . . . and this is why actually having hypnosis can really support a smoker through the process of getting back into control, being more able to forget about cigarettes more and more, to overcome cravings, and learn others ways to relax and de-stress. Which helps to make the process of stopping smoking much more accessible and dare I say more comfortable (especially by helping to reduce the mood swings).

So to read more about it then see my link here on the benefits of hypnosis to stop smoking today ~

http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Stopping+Smoking-22.php

Because ultimately we all want to feel like WE are in CONTROL of our lives and the choices we choose to make. . . don't we?

Increase Your Confidence

Confidence ~ What is it & how do we make More?

What is it that makes us all so different?
Some people seem to exude confidence. . . confidence in how they walk . . . confidence in how they talk . . . confidence in how they look . . . confidence in how they act. But they may not be confident in all areas of their lives?
Because sometimes even confidence has differences . . . often our lives get framed into different aspects . . . which I like to think of as our 'wheel of life':~
* Business/Career
* Relationships/Family
* Education/Personal Development
* Health/Fitness
* Finances/Wealth
* Spirituality
So you might be surprised to discover that even the most successfully confident person at work, may be lacking in confidence in their relationships or other areas in their 'wheel of life'. Sometimes people appear outwardly confident, but inside may have low self-esteem and don't feel good enough, or worthy enough.

Try this Confidence Building exercise :~

    Think of a role model . . . someone who oozes the right type of Confidence for you . . . whether it’s someone you know personally or someone famous who represents how you’d most like to be.

    Next write down all of their qualities that make them appear Confident to you ~ what is it about them that you like?

     Then close your eyes and imagine them in front of you and observe those qualities.

     Then imagine you could super-impose your head on their shoulders and see yourself taking on those qualities too

     Then see the whole of you as them and draw those positive qualities back inside yourself

     Take a few deep breaths embedding these qualities within yourself and imagine how you can use these more and more each and every day.

   Practise this daily to focus your unconscious mind on how you want to be ~ until it becomes just the way you are!

     For more practical ways to understand your inner confidence and how to strengthen it even more, then join me on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March in Kettering, Northamptonshire, for a personal development course based around confidence and becoming the best you can be in your life. 

Let your imagination flow and be curious at where this weekend might take you . . . to what new possibilities and opportunities may lie ahead.

Go to my webpage about the course here to discover more ~

http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Personal+Development+Courses-46.php 

Early bird booking discount for all bookings made before 22nd February!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

 

Harshani Curbishley-Brown, Cognitive Hypnotherapist & Life Coach www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

 

There's no such thing as a Failure!

Today's daily inspirational reading by Sri Swami Satchidananda in his book called "The Golden Present" :~

You Learn Even Faster

If you make mistakes it doesn't matter. Make mistakes and learn.
The best teachers are your own mistakes. You learn even faster by your mistakes.

Once I was at a conference with the great modern scientist Buckminster Fuller. He stood up and said, "Friends, forget about all the 'Do this.  Don't do that' business. Commit as many mistakes as possible, as soon as possible. You'll become great!"

It's true! Every failure is a stepping stone. Remember, though, that you can't use the same stone for each step. Every step should be on a new stone. That means you shouldn't keep on making the same mistakes. Learn well from each one. The problem with many people is that they commit the same mistake over and over. Even so, they will eventually learn from that mistake and move on.

Experience is the best teacher.

There is no such thing as a failure . . . everything comes to teach us something . . . to help us learn . . . progress . . . evolve . . . understand . . . and once you do, then you are moving into success.
Everything can ultimately lead us towards success, however big or small those steps might be.
Each new step on a new stone takes us forwards.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist and Yoga Teacher, my role is to be a guide and help shine the light of realisation for my clients and students, so they may find the right learning's for themselves to enable them to move on and be more in tune with themselves and find harmony with the world around them.
The stepping stones of change are there for us all, when we are ready to take those steps and learn from our experiences so we can become who we were born to be.

May today teach you what you need to learn and show you your next stepping stone to take you forwards. 

Kindest Wishes

Harshani
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

5:2 Diet, Fasting Craze, Yoga & Healthy Eating

Wow, you might even think that there's been a diet and slimming break through, from all the news, articles and focus on the I.F. Diet, the 5:2 Fasting programme, the Alkaline Diet, etc etc etc. The next latest 'diet' craze setting in . . .

Well as many others already know too . . . it's nothing new, it's been around for years ~ in different forms, under different guises. In the Times yesterday the article read about how certain religions & cultures naturally encourage their followers to have a fast day once a week, or at the least drop down to simply prepared light meal ~ thereby resting the body, cleansing the soul, keeping us healthy.

So, if you're wondering what all this has to do with Yoga (and maybe you go along to a regular weekly class already) . . . Yoga is not simply a weekly stretch of the body alongside maybe a clear of the mind if you practice meditation and pranayama in your classes too ~ but it is all about a healthy lifestyle.
Everything in balance.
Everything in moderation.
Healthy Mind. Healthy Body. Healthy Soul . . . and that also includes what you EAT!

* A classical Yogic diet is Vegetarian (mainly Alkaline forming foods, so light on your stomach, healthy for your bones, heart, digestive system and peace of mind . . . non-harm to animals). It's good for you in many ways.

* Yogis avoid alcohol and toxins so they can be clear in body, mind and spirit for meditation, asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques).

* Yogis are recommended to avoid over-eating and Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh suggested that the stomach be only half full of food, leaving space for a quarter for water and a quarter for air (prana or breath). 

* For enhancing heath, wellbeing and for deepening their spiritual practice, it is suggested to have a fast day one day a week. Giving your body time to absorb what is needed to maintain optimum health and optimum energy. And you can have a day off, from planning, cooking or thinking about what you are going to be eating ~ giving your mind a rest too. It's actually proven to be good for your brain to have a rest day or low food intake day, helping to keep the brain energised, focused, gaining more clarity of thoughtfulness, mindfulness, peacefulness. 

There are so many reason's why I chose to become a Vegetarian nearly two years ago ~ mostly because of my Yogic values and choosing to deepen my spiritual practice, but along the way I feel healthier, happier in myself, more energised, physically fitter (alongside my Yoga practice), calmer more peaceful, and can honestly say have never missed meat since! And my added bonus was that I lost any excess weight and find it easy to maintain it too. So a great win win for me personally. 
I have in the past dabbled with 'trying' to be a vegetarian, which I have to admit had been challenging 10 - 15 years ago due to lack of options, lack of knowledge and lack of restaurants/friends/family being able to cater for the 'veggie' . . . "Oh, what shall we cook???? How does Beans on Toast sound or a Mushroom/Cheese Omelette!"
But thankfully the culinary world has changed and there is an abundance of choice nowadays to make it easy for all to embrace a few meat free days.
Meat traditionally was for special feasts, festival days, celebrations . . . it wasn't a daily meal. Meat is the hardest protein to to able to absorb, digest and assimilate into our bodies. Can you imagine how long it can take to leave your stomach from the moment you ate it? It can be anything from 10 hours to a couple of days . . . so if you think about that and you have meat more than one meal a day, you could potentially be loading chewed up meat on top of chewed up meat on top of chewed up meat in your gut and that makes your energy sluggish, leaving you feeling tired, bloated and for some even constipated.
So if you have been intrigued by the benefits of fasting days where you reduce your calories down to 500 calories for a woman and 600 calories for a man on the 5:2 fast plan, then give it a go.
If you fancy having a few veggie days in your week . . . then give it a go (your body and gut will thank you ~ and so will your energy too!)
. . . you never know you may even like it and wonder why you've not done it sooner . . . Oh and benefit from losing weight too!

When I work with my Cognitive Hypnotherapy clients who come to see me for weight loss, I explain that it is a life-style change, a new way of being. Because we all know, that if you keep doing what you've always done  . . . then you'll keep ending up with what you've always had . . . so it's important to change . . . it's good to change . . . change is the one thing that will get you to your goals and maintain being slimmer, healthier and fitter.
Diets don't work if they are just for a short term quick fix, because the moment you go back to eating "normally" (i.e. what you used to eat ~ chocolate, pasta, bread, beer, sweets, crisps etc) the old weight creeps back on . . . plus a little bit more for good measure ~ so you just get on a cycle of yo-yo dieting, which is damaging for your internal organs, your scales and ultimately your self-esteem!
So being successful in losing weight healthily and maintaining that way of being . . . is exactly that, you discover the healthy lifestyle, foods and exercise which suits you best, which you can embrace as a new way of being. Putting you in the driving seat and in control of who, how & where you want to be. 
Even though I made a life choice 2 years ago to stop eating meat, I was already well on my way there, as I have my own veggie plot in our garden and have been an avid veggie grower for many years. That being the case, at home we would often make veggie based meals 3 - 4 times a week as the norm ~ finding ways to be creative with excess courgettes, runner beans, broad beans, tomatoes and so on . . . so out would come the recipes books and it was amazing what we found.
My favorite veggie recipe books at the moment are still ~

• Leith's Vegetarian Bible ~ see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leiths-Vegetarian-Bible-Polly-Tyrer/dp/0747557160
• Plenty by Yotom Ottolenghi  ~ see http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

Brilliant, inspiring, modern, easy, tasty . . . you can forget the meat altogether . . . even share them with friends and family meals ~ they are that good!  So no need to have to have something different, as everyone will love the look and smell of your food from these two books.

If anyone would like to share their favorite Veggie cook book's at the moment then please do here . . .

For more info on Cognitive Hypnotherapy and weight loss please visit my website at http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Fertility Success with Hypnotherapy

There's a great article in today's Daily Mail about a fertility success story, where a lady contacted Paul McKenna after hearing him talking about Hypnotherapy and the mind on a radio interview.
Read more here :~

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-149826/Hypnotism-gave-baby-I-longed-for.html

Great work Paul and thank you for spreading the positive message about Hypnotherapy.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist myself, I fully appreciate the journey my clients are going on, whether they are seeing me for weight issues, fertility, confident childbirth, phobias, self-esteem or other concerns, I help them to un-lock the blocks in their minds which get in the way of them progressing themselves and help them move forwards towards the successes they are looking for.
It always amazes me how much can shift and how quickly clients can move on, once these stumbling blocks have gone.

As explained in the article, fertility is about helping reduce fears, worries and stress, enabling the positive flow of energy to be conceived. As with most things in life, the more you worry about something, then the worse it often gets. So changing this starts that shift, so that positive visualizations of you holding your baby can feel more real and achievable.
Some of my fertility clients who are on an IVF program come and see me to help them overcome a phobia of needles, or anxiety around the birth. In helping them through these, they feel more prepared and excited about the process.

If you'd like more information on how I work with fertility using Cognitive Hypnotherapy, then please contact me via my website www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

I see clients in Harley Street and Northamptonshire.

   

New Year Qualities ~ What would you choose?

I'll start this Blog, by wishing all of my readers a very Happy New Year in 2013 and invite you to reflect upon this year ahead. . .
There's so much interest in New Year's Resolutions (often not kept for long!) that I like to change the focus towards something that you can nuture and create throughout the year, in a mindful way.
Every New Year, I invite my Yoga students at their first class back to reflect upon a quality or qualities that they would like to invite into their lives that year ahead. It maybe something that their Yoga practice may bring them or something that they want to work on developing more of.

Some of the beautiful examples given along the way are :~

• To Feel more Contented
• Inner Peace
• Strength and Motivation
• Fun and Laughter
• Flexibility and Balance
• Patience
• Gratitude for all that I have
• Positivity

How wonderful are those!

So what qualities would you choose for yourself in 2013?
What would you like to nuture, develop and have more of?
What would change in your life this year by allowing those qualities to become part of your life?

So once they've chosen the quality they'd like to invite into their lives, I then ask them to close their eyes and imagine that if their quality had a colour, what would it be?
So as they imagine that colour, they then imagine they can breathe it in, with every in-breath and let every out-breath release what they no longer need from the previous year.

So try that for yourself too now . . .  by closing your eyes, tuning into your breath and allowing yourself to be open to receive this quality that you'd like. And, if that quality had a colour for you, what would it be? Then connecting to your colour and being open to it's flow, imagine you can breath it into your being with every inhalation and with every exhalation imagine you are letting go of the things you no longer need from 2012. Do that for a couple of minutes every day and then be mindful of this quality and practice using it more and more.

You just might find it becoming more and more part of your life.
Remember what you think, so you become. What you focus on you attract.

So enjoy and be open to receive it's flow.

If you'd like to share some of your qualities and colours here, then please do . . .

For guidance on how to change your life visit www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Reiki ~ energy, flow, harmony, healing . . .

Reiki is a Japanese natural energy healing technique, now taught and practiced worldwide.
It was founded by Mikao Usui around the early 1920's, a leading inspirational light in the powers of natural healing. 'Rei' means universal and 'Ki' means life force or energy.
Ki energy is within us and around us, creating Reiki a universal energy that is all encompassing.

Our life force energy is respected and understood widely in Eastern cultures, however in our Western lives we have often lost this knowledge, wisdom and connection with this energy which is unseen yet can be felt.  

'Ki' is a subtle force within us, moving through an invisible network called our Meridians. These meridian lines are recognised in many therapies including :~ Reflexology, Kinesiology, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Emotional Freedom Technique, Thought Field Therapy . . . to name but a few . . . as well as Reiki.
This subtle energy is also respected in Feng Shui, Ki Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga, and so many more areas of flow which you might not have thought about until now.

When I first experienced a Reiki treatment myself, it was the most deeply relaxing, yet re-energising therapeutic treatment I'd ever had. I was so amazed at the connection with an inner flow or energy, and the level of healing possible, that I knew I'd found something which I knew was right for me ~ on many different levels ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It was a huge turning point for me in my life, and even though I was told that at the time, it wasn't until later looking back when I realised how much it helped me turn my life around.    
14 years on and I've never looked back.
I feel very humbled and honored to have been taught Reiki, to give treatments on clients and to teach and train others in Reiki too. It can open up your mind and world to our deepest layers of existence.
As a treatment, Reiki to me, is quite unique. Each treatment is different because the client draws upon whatever 'Ki' energy they need at that moment in time ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Every day is different and so are we. So Reiki tunes into our current needs to help return our balance, sense of equilibrium and inner flow. A client may feel warmth or coolness, tingling sensations flowing through the body, they may become aware of colours or images, feelings of floating, or just drift into a deep feeling of sleep ~ like the one when you feel you are still there, but somehow at the same time you're not there too. (it almost reminds me of hypnosis and different layers of trance states). For more information on the Reiki Healing Treatments and the Reiki training courses I teach visit  http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive%20Hypnotherapy-Kettering-reiki-33.php  or What's On Page

Reiki is taught at 4 different levels ~ Reiki level One is known as Sho-den and is all about self-healing and connecting with 'Ki' your life force energy. Everyone has the capacity and ability to learn Reiki and connect with flow, it is a gift we all possess . . . not just a few.
It may be the start of something special for you too. . .

My next Reiki Sho-den course in 2013 is 16th and 17th March.

May 2013 light your path . . .

Hypnotherapy Hypnosis Self-Hypnosis ~ it's all in the mind.

All Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis.
Well, if you think about that, it means we are all 100% responsible for our thoughts, our behaviours, our interpretations of the world around us. Ultimately it's all in the mind. And what is great to know, is that we can change our minds. Thoughts are just thoughts, they can be shaped, molded, changed, guided towards whatever direction we choose to take them into. . . ( . . . if we really want to!)
So if all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, then how come we're not all channeling our thoughts and lives to how we want them to be?
Well all hypnosis IS self-hypnosis, but sometimes we live our lives in a trance of ignorance, only seeing what we want to see, not imagining that things could change and be different. 
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, part of my job is to guide clients towards realising that change is possible, that things can be totally different from how they've always been. The answers are always within, but sometimes we need to be shown the way, the journey into understanding, discovery and realisation of many different things, that mean we can be different.

The light needs to be switched on, so clarity can be found. . .




Through clarity, we can learn from the past, accept, forgive, heal, in whatever way is right for us personally, to be able to let go and move on in a positive and empowering way.

To me, Hypnotherapy is like a torch being gently shone into the darker shadow aspects of the mind, so that these shadows can become lighter and lighter until that clarity and understanding are there, the shadows and confusion have gone, leaving you with a much more positive outlook towards yourself and your life . . . change happens, freeing you up to be who you want to be.

So the only person ever holding you back in your life . . . is YOU.

Only you can take yourself to where you need to be for change to take place. Which means that you are always in control of how light or deep you go into hypnosis. You have total control of your mind. Nobody can make you do what you don't want to do. So the most important thing to think about is do you really want to create change and are you truly ready?
The saying goes "You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"

So, if you're reading this and thinking about some of the aspects of your life that weighs you down, or you wish were different and could change . . . then you are in the perfect place to actually DO something about it. Because to actually change . . . you have to take action, to do something that starts those wheels of motion turning.
Take responsibility.
Be back in control of your life and outcomes.
You will feel so much better when you do, which is a good thing to know that the professional guidance of an experienced Cognitive Hypnotherapist is a positive one. You can have fun feeling better as you change those shadows into lighter brighter places!

We are all different, unique in many ways of how we think and perceive the world through our own eyes. Cognitive Hypnotherapy flows beautifully with uniqueness, being a flexible therapy model tailored to suit our thoughts and perceptions. This personal approach means you can move through those shadows at the right pace and speed for you to get to where you need to be, in the way that is right for you.
You can discover more about my Hypnotherapy practice in Harley Street, London and Northamptonshire by visiting www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk 

Or you may know of someone who is searching for answers, looking for change, or stuck in their own shadows and share this knowledge with them . . . it could be the start of a very positive New Year in 2013. 

Every Pregnant Mum-to-Be can feel like Royalty

Congratulations to Prince William and Kate on the announcement of Kate Middleton's pregnancy ~ what wonderful news and such a special time for them over the coming months that lie ahead.

No doubt, Kate and William will have the ultimate care and attention paid to them, to ensure the wellbeing of Kate and their baby-to-be. The national papers have already been speculating about the in's and out's of what they may or may not consider ~ will they do ante-natal classes together? will she do Pregnancy Yoga? will they opt for the HypnoBirthing route?

What I'd like to float out to all expectant parents and mums-to-be is another approach, which you may or may not have heard about as yet (although it has been around for approx 8 years) ~ and that is the Confident Childbirth programme which is a very personalised approach to hypnosis during Pregnancy and labour. Confident Childbirth practitioners are based in several counties across the country, and as one of them myself I see Confident Childbirth clients in Northamptonshire and in Harley Street, London.
Confident Childbirth is Hypnotherapy for birth ~ tailoring positive Hypnosis techniques to suit the individual needs of each Mum-to-Be, through a caring Cognitive Hypnotherapy approach to Hypnobirthing.

Research shows Hypnosis can help to :~

• Reduce Fear, Tension and Pain
• Increase ability to Relax both Mentally and Physically
• Reduce need for Pain Medication
• Help Shorten Labour
• Reduce incidence of Surgical Interventions
• Promotes higher Apgar 'Baby Wellbeing' score
• Shortens Hospital Stay
• Reduced Post-Natal Depression
• Promotes Lactation

Who is it For?
The Confident Childbirth courses are for those who have already attended an NCT course or other antenatal education class. Partners are most welcome to join you too.

What will I Learn?
During your Confident Childbirth sessions, which are personal and individual to you and your needs, you will be taught a range of very effective tools which include :~

• Self Hypnosis
• Relaxation Techniques
• Pain Management Techniques

Alongside this my clients also receive Free Personalised Hypnosis downloads for them to enjoy listening to and benefitting from throughout their pregnancy, guiding them towards a calmer more confident labour experience. All of which can really help support expectant mums and their partners, to having the best possible birthing experience . . . preparing them well to meet their new born baby.

How Long is the Course?
The Confident Childbirth course is generally over four 1 hour sessions, which can be at whatever stage of your pregnancy suits you best ~ whether taken altogether over a shorter period of time or spread out at different stages of your pregnancy, the choice is always yours. To find out more about how to book these then please contact me via my website www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

So whether you are a first time mum (like Kate Middleton) or a mum to many, the Confident Childbirth approach of hypnobirthing is a wonderful way to embrace this special time in your life, and begin to feel positively different. Those special connections made with your baby will help to reassure them too!
We can all feel like we're being treated like 'royalty', with this very personalised and supportive care . . . . because naturally we all think of our babies as being precious ~ just like a prince or princess . . . so why would we not want to give them the best possible entrance into this world?

Harshani Curbishley-Brown
Cognitive Hypnotherapist and Confident Childbirth Practitioner
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Looking after You Just Like Royalty!

The Beauty of Friendship

How very special to know you have friends ~ whether you can count them all on one hand or many, it really doesn't matter ~ but what if we could think wider . . . or even wider than that?

What if everyone could become an image of friendship . . . and creating that all started within ourselves?

Today, I'd like to share the beautiful inspirational teachings of Sri Swami Satchidananda from his book of daily readings called "The Golden Present": ~

Become a Friend

           You don't make a friend. You become a friend. Then you automatically will have friends.

If you relate to people in a very friendly, affectionate way, by loving and caring, sharing and helping, then naturally they will see you as a good friend. When they see you as a good friend, then they become your friends. It begins with you. You should always try to do something nice for people. 

Never hurt anyone's feelings. The secret is to always look for opportunities to help others; look for ways to be nice to them. Sometimes they might even be nasty to you; if so, ignore it, forget it. Maybe that is the way they are; but we should be nice to them. Even if someone says, "Oh, you're a fool," you should say "Thank you." Don't retaliate with the same kind of words. Soon they will get tired of all that. Afterwards, they will even feel ashamed.

         The great sage, Thiruvalluvar said that if people do something wrong to you or hurt you, do something really good for them in return. That is the best punishment. Why? Because they will be so embarrassed to have done that to you. It is in our hands. We can always make friends with anyone and everyone if we have the right attitude. If we have the patience and understanding.

So as your day today comes towards a close, try to see how many friendships you can create around you and the next day and the next and the next. . .

Peace of mind, starts within.
Healing starts within.
Wellbeing starts within.

It's all in your hands to create change and others are there to help, guide and support you along the way too.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Be Kind to Each Other Today!

National Kindness Day ~ Tuesday 13^th November 

A Nation spreading kindness! Tuesday November 13^th is not just a National Day of Kindness but a World Kindness Day, so let us all embrace it across our Nation, Counties, into all of our towns & villages, it’s a wonderful thing which everyone can do . . . to be mindful of showing some extra kindness towards others & it doesn’t cost a penny! The many benefits of the effects of being kind have been extensively researched at how kindness can increase our personal happiness. One of my favorite writers on the benefits of kindness is Dr David Hamilton PhD “Why Kindness is Good for You”, so as well as it making us feel happier inside, the increased emotional warmth releases the positive ‘cardioprotective’ hormone Oxytocin which can help our hearts by reducing blood pressure, it can slow down the aging process as there is a strong link between showing compassion & activity in the Vagus Nerve, which also helps to regulate the heart rate & controls inflammation in the body, it improves our relationships & it becomes contagious like a ripple effect acting kinder towards others inspires them to feel much kinder too!

In my Cognitive Hypnotherapy practice I often explore many ways to help clients explore this feel good factor, so they can increase their personal wellbeing & happiness. So I suggest doing some ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ ~ everyday to look for 3 different ways to do a random act of kindness towards some one else, so here are some of them which I challenge us all to do:~

·      Hold a door open for someone

·      Pay someone a nice compliment

·      Surprise someone with a cup of tea

·      Make a lovely meal for a loved one or friend ~ especially if this is not the norm!

·      Smile as you pass people in the street

·      Clean someone’s car for them

·      Give up your seat to another on the bus/train/tube

·      Offer to help someone who might be struggling ~ either crossing the road or carrying heavy bags

·      See what you could do to help a neighbour

·      Be kind to yourself too

Remember that being kind is in thought, spoken word & deed, so everything counts in the happiness factor. Enjoy the kindness of each other today, it may start a ripple effect across the world for weeks to come!

http://www.national-awareness-days.com/national-kindness-day.html

 Please feel free to share some kindness stories here today . . .

Have a beautiful day today!

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk 

Trick or Treat . . . it's Halloween!!!

As you walk through the crispy rustle of Autumn leaves, that sharp breeze goes through you . . . maybe you can even sense there's someone behind you . . . and when you turn around there's no-one really there . . . or is there!!! The tiny hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand up . . . sending a shiver down your spine . . . you start to walk faster . . . your heart beating like mad . . . your imagination soars . . . you must get back home . . . forgetting yourself you start running . . . you ask yourself "Why is it I get spooked like this?" . . . the answers all lie within.

So, what is it about Halloween that makes it okay for us to scare the life out of each other . . . or even worse out of little children.
Why is that type of FEAR acceptable and okay, when other fears are not?
Why would you even want to put yourself through yet another viewing of Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween?
Do they still give you nightmares now?
For some people the scarier the movie the better!

For me, I quite like my heart beating naturally, just as it should be . . . maybe because I can jump at the slightest thing . . . my best example of that is watching Jaws the movie (any of them) ~ my rational logical adult mind knows that it is a plastic/rubber shark and that when the spooky music comes on it builds up the anticipation that Jaws is about to appear ~ never-the-less I could still jump out of my skin every single time! So I made a decision, because I like my heart and mind to feel more peaceful that I have no need or desire to watch spooky/scary/jumpy things anymore (where at all possible). Am I hiding away from my fears or am I understanding that there is enough 'real' life fears in the world that I don't need to create any more than needed.

Enjoy Halloween, but keep it lighthearted . . . after all it is supposed to be simple childish fun.

My recommendation today is that if it really scares you then STOP! Do something different, something positive and lighthearted instead. You will feel much safer, much more secure in yourself. Your unconscious mind will always step in when you are scared, whether it's Halloween fear or other fear ~ your sympathetic nervous system will kick into play, stimulating our natural fight or flight instincts, causing the heart to race, the breathing to become quicker, all that adrenaline firing up so we can get as much oxygen and blood flow to our muscles to run away form the fear as quick as it can.
So if you really want to run away from your sofa during a movie tonight, now you know why. Your body and mind are trying to protect you as it can't work out whether that fear is real or just on T.V. ~ all it knows is what it sees it thinks is real . . . what it hears it thinks is real . . . what it feels (scared) it thinks is real ~ so do yourself a favour and consider letting your body and mind have a peaceful calm night tonight instead!

To find out more how Cognitive Hypnotherapy can help overcome fear in your life (whether real or imaginary) then visit www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk