The Empowered Life® Blog

To thrive in business, you need to perform at your best, and have the edge over your competition. 

Hypnosis gives you the tools to do just that and it's the reason why more and more high performers and leaders in business are learning hypnosis. 

Here are 3 ways hypnosis will help you to reach peak performance levels:

1. Improved concentration and focus. You get what you focus on and if you want to perform at your best, you need to have laser sharp focus. Hypnosis induces a state of deep relaxation. In this state, you can train your mind to focus and to stay focused so that distractions are no longer an issue. You'll get more done in less time. 

2. Better, faster decision making skills. In the trance state of hypnosis, you can overcome limiting beliefs, and negative emotions so that decisions become very clear. Making decisions based on limiting beliefs and negative emotions are seldom the right decisions. Free your mind from that mental clutter so that...

Time Line Therapy® is the most advanced techniques of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) developed in the 1980's by Dr. Tad James.

By utilizing a persons individual time line, we can let go of past negative emotions, limiting decisions (or limiting beliefs) and creating a compelling future. 

What surprises clients the most is how quick and easy Time Line Therapy® is. It doesn't take months or years but only minutes to let go of a negative emotion and unwanted past programming. 

What is your time line?

 Your time line is simply how you represent the past, present and future in your mind. It's how you know the difference between a memory and a thought for the future. Time Line Therapy® gives us a set of techniques to utilize this time line to disconnect past negative emotions; anger, sadenss, fear, hurt, guilt etc. overcome limiting beliefs, such as "I'm not good enough" or "I can't have what I want" and create a compelling future. 

Why learn...

What is the difference between NLP and Hypnosis?

Hypnosis has roots that stretch as far back as ancient history. As far back as we go, we will find some form of hypnosis used in healing. The term Hypnosis was coined in 1842 by James Braid. Prior to Braid, it was widely known as Mesmerism. 

NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)  was founded in the 1970's by John Grinder and Richard Bandler. The foundations of NLP stem from behavioural psychology, Linguistics, Neuroscience and Hypnosis.

Hypnosis uses a formal induction to induce a trance state. In this state the hypnotherapist works directly with the clients unconscious mind to produce change. 

NLP does not use a formal trance induction and much of the work is done conversationally often involving both the conscious and unconscious mind. 

The techniques of NLP can be used inside of Hypnosis. 

Having a deep understanding of both NLP and Hypnosis allows for greater flexibility in the practitioner to assist their...

Exceptional leaders have these traits in common:

1. Communication
2. Influence
3. Self mastery
4. Focus
5. Empathy

In our increasingly complex world, it is becoming more important to not only learn, but master these skills to excel in business. 

Here's the thing, people talk about these skills in leadership and business all the time...  but how do you learn them? I can guarantee you weren't taught these skills in school.

What does this have to do with NLP? Everything. 

The first question I'm always asked is what is NLP? Neuro Linguistic Programming. It is a model of interpersonal communication. Simply put, NLP is the study of excellence. 

At its core, NLP teaches us the difference between success and failure.

Have you ever found yourself envious of others wondering "why isn't that me?" NLP answers this question and more importantly "How can that be me?". It teaches us how to understand belief systems, how people organize their thoughts,...

You swore it would never happen again.And there you are repeating the same thing that happened before in the past.

Have you ever found yourself in that situation where you you tell yourself
"I'm never going to do that again", or "I'm not going to let that happen to me again".
And then you find yourself repeating the same behaviour over and over and over again.

How do you stop those repeated patterns of behaviour?

You see a few years ago, we went to walk our dog snowy winter day, and I was holding the leash and Rufus was very excited about the snow and he ran down the stairs.

We have a wooden flight of stairs in front of our house six stairs down
and Rufus went to go and I went with him. Poof! I wiped out down the stairs. I hit my tailbone hard on the wood, banged my wrist, my elbow and the middle of my back on the way down.

I froze at the bottom.

You know, if you have ever had a fall like that, and if you have, then you know,
you hit the bottom and you freeze before the pain...

We hear the same messages every year… 

“Resolutions don’t work”

“__% of resolutions fail”

“Don’t set resolutions”

I have a theory. My theory is that resolutions fail because every year we’re told they fail. Let’s change that story. 

First of all, what is a resolution? The dictionary tells us that a resolution is firm decision to not do something. 

When we resolve to do (or not do) something, it is like carving your intention in stone. A resolution means that you are changing your standards. Drawing the line in the sand and you won’t accept anything else. 

But that’s not how we, as a society, set resolutions. 

Resolutions today have become nothing more than a wish with about as much staying power as blowing out the candles on your birthday cake. It’s like blowing out the candles on the worlds birthday cake and then a week later forgetting you had ever wished for that...

The year is winding down and it's time for goal setting and looking ahead at what you would like to achieve in your business next year. This is the time to assess what is working, and what isn't working and decide what you need to change. 

If you want better results in your business this year... read on. 

In order for something to change, something has to change. 

Have you ever tried to change a behaviour consciously? How did that go for you? If you're like most people, it didn't go very well. 

All learning, behaviour, and change is unconscious. 

It's like learning how to drive a car. Do you remember the first time you drove a car? You had these two pedals, and they lever things sticking out of the wheel, and which one is which again? And then you had these mirrors to pay attention to, and how do you steer this thing?

Do you remember the last time you drove a car? Did you still think of all the things you had to do, or did you just get behind the...

I am asked this question often, "is NLP manipulation?"

And the answer is no. NLP is not manipulation. 

However, NLP can be used in manipulation, but NLP itself is not manipulation. 

NLP is no more manipulation than a hammer is manipulation. Can a hammer be used as a weapon? Absolutely. Can a hammer be used to build things? Absolutely. The difference is in who is holding that hammer and their intention for using it. 

NLP is the same. It can be used in manipulation and it can be used to create deep and profound change in people allowing them to achieve excellence in all areas of their lives and it depends on who is using it and what is their intention. 

In our school of NLP, we believe in ecology which is the study of consequences on 4 levels: the individual, their inner circle, the larger community and the environment. This adds an element of responsibility and care when using NLP. 

In a win/win scenario there is no manipulation. How could there be when each...

Hollywood has not done any favours for the field of hypnosis. 

In fact, most people, when they think of hypnosis, think of a creepy old man swinging a pendulum or of people clucking like chickens in a stage show. 

Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation and a heightened awareness of the mind. In this state, a hypnotherapist can make suggestions to the subjects unconscious mind to make positive and lasting change. 

Common Myths of Hypnosis:

1. Myth: Hypnosis is mind control. 
2. Myth: Hypnosis only works on weak minded people.
3. Myth: Hypnosis causes amnesia and people don’t remember what happens under hypnosis. 

The Truth About Hypnosis:

1. Hypnosis is not mind control. In hypnosis the subject is always in control and will only accept suggestions which are supported by their own values. Hypnosis is not something imposed on people. In fact, all hypnosis is self hypnosis and will only work to the extent that the subject is willing to be hypnotized. 
2. Hypnosis...

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina.

The problem was that my parents didn’t have enough money at the time for me to take lessons. So I went to the library and took out every book I could find on ballet. I studied the history, the stories, the lives of famous ballet dancers... I even found books on the techniques and practiced daily.

But it wasn’t until I stepped foot into a real class that I actually learned ballet.

NLP is the same.

There are many books on NLP and some are even worth reading. However, until you step foot into an NLP class, you’ll never really know NLP.

A book can teach you theory, jargon, and concepts, but NLP is a “do with” process. You can only really learn NLP by doing it with other people. You need people to practice and experiment with in real time while you learn the concepts so that you get immediate feedback. You also need a trainer because you will  have questions about what you’re doing, how it...