This is the time of year when, traditionally, we spring clean our homes, but if you are feeling stuck in a rut, tired, stressed or anxious, it can be a great idea to spring clean your life!
Here are a few ideas of how to  freshen up your living space AND your head :-).

​How many clothes have you got in there that you don’t wear? Be honest! Take a deep breath and let them go. You’ll feel better for it. And while you’re at it, if you have a home office, have a go through all the paperwork that’s lying around in piles everywhere (we all do it!), keep only what you need, shred the rest and bask in the clean, tidy space that emerges!  You'll then be able to find what you want when you're looking and only have things around you that make you feel good or that serve a purpose, and this will really life your mental energy.

​We all need some time just for us.  Maybe just a bubble bath or an exercise class will be enough to perk you up. If you feel in need of something more, yoga, meditation and mindfulness are all great ways to relax. Meditation can help you focus on positivity and calmness, yoga keeps you flexible in body and mind, and relieves stress and anxiety. Find something that works for you and build time into your week for it.

We all spend too much time plugged in to social media, computer games, internet browsing, and so on. It's easy and right there at our fingertips.  But it can also make us lazy and have us stuck to the couch! Try taking some time out from all that and get outside, meet up with friends in the real world, or just take a walk in the fresh air.  All these things can really lift your mood and improve your health. ​

The modern world is full of noise. With iPods, laptops, smart phones, TVs, we can always be plugged in and listening to something. And this can be worthwhile, educational and fun. But sometimes it’s good to just switch it all off and enjoy the silence.  You’ll probably surprise yourself with how much you like it.   ​

Try these ideas out and see how much better you feel! And if you are still feeling stressed or anxious, consider trying hypnotherapy to help you relax, unwind and let go of that clutter in your head.

​Take care.

If you’re anything like me, and a lot of the people I know, you probably like to be helpful and willing, and to say ‘Yes’ when you are asked to do something, either at home or at work.  And this is generally a good trait, and helps to make the world go round.
 
But…
 
Sometimes this habit of always saying ‘Yes’ can do more harm than good.  You can end up over-committed, working late, running around trying to squeeze in everything you said you would do and not let anyone down.  Ending up stressed, tired out, frustrated and neglecting the things that you want, in an effort to do what everyone else wants.

So maybe it’s time to learn how to say ‘No’…?

I’m learning to say ‘No’ when I think that I really can’t fit in that extra thing; when I feel maybe someone is expecting too much of me or taking me for granted; or when I feel that something just wouldn’t be a good idea for me.  It’s not easy at first.  It’s a hard habit to break and I have sometimes felt guilty, or worried that someone will be offended or upset, particularly when it comes to family.
​
But it gets easier and it is so liberating.  Time and energy are limited and precious resources.  There is only so much to go around and you can make yourself ill trying to stretch things too far. Choosing what’s best for you, choosing what you can cope with and saying ‘No’ to anything beyond that will ease your stress, free up your time and ultimately be a much healthier choice for you.

​Saying ‘No’ to every request, and putting limits on your availability, can also bring dividends in the workplace.  Focusing on a few key tasks and prioritizing these will make you more productive and effective.  If you are prone to answering work emails late at night and at weekends, try setting yourself a cut-off point each day, after which you don’t look at your emails until the next day. This can be difficult to do, as you may feel that you will be thought less of at work, but in fact if you asked you would probably find that your employer is not actually expecting you to reply at 10.00 pm!

Talk to your boss and get clarification on what hours you are expected to work and whether there is an expectation that you make yourself available in the evening and at weekends.  Being too available and passive could lead to you being viewed as a doormat.  But be careful not to be overly aggressive in your response.  Assert yourself in a positive, open and helpful way, and offer clarity over when you will have a task completed.  If you are faced with conflicting priorities, offer up your ideas for which tasks are more important and which can be delegated or done later.
 
Read on for a few tips on how to approach saying ‘No’ more often:

​Be direct, brief and clear.  Look them in the eye, say your ‘no’ in a clear and unwavering way, then break off eye contact so they know that’s it. There is no need to justify yourself or over-explain, just keep it simple. Too much explaining will make you look defensive or open to persuasion. 

​Ask questions to be sure you understand what is being asked of you, before you give your response.  This will show that you are not being arbitrary in your decision, or unwilling to help, but just that you cannot always drop everything you have already agreed to do for a new request.  

​Giving a reason increases the chances of someone accepting your ‘No’.  However, giving a whole list of reasons begins to look like excuses and undermines your stance.

You will probably have to say ‘No’ more than once before it is accepted.  Don’t get drawn into complicated explanations or discussions, though. Stick to your original, concise reason and refusal and it will be accepted.  It might take up to three times, but by then it will be clear you mean what you say.
 
So there you have it.  Whether you are talking about family, social obligations, work demands, or whatever, you won’t do yourself any favours by being too willing and too available all the time, but are more likely to be taken for granted and simply increase expectations that you will fall into line.  So, gently but firmly, follow the advice above to show that you have boundaries and will stick to them.  Say ‘No’ when you feel it is in your own best interests and you are happy with your decision, and people will respect you more for it.

Take care of yourself.

TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?
TRADITIONAL DIETING DOESN'T WORK FOR MOST OF US!
If your New Year's Resolution was to diet to lose weight, you may already have found that it is just not working for you.
Figures suggest that one in four UK adults are trying to lose weight at any given time, and British women go on diets an average of 2.7 times a year. Surely, if it worked, you would only need to do it once?

SO, WHY DOESN'T IT WORK?
For most of us, dieting is pointless, until we actually tackle the root cause of our problematic relationship with food.

When it comes to conquering bad habits like over-eating, it really is mind over matter and what we actually need is a mental "reboot". We need to figure out WHY we eat the wrong things, or eat too much, and often it goes back to our childhood. Maybe we were told to clear our plates at every meal, or not to waste food, or rewarded with sweets when we were good. These habits stick with us into adulthood, when they are not appropriate anymore, and are very hard to change.

A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
The Virtual Gastric Band programme is different. Helping you to discover why you are overweight, and to adjust your thinking and the way you approach food, it can help you to lose weight and keep it off, without traditional dieting. Proven to work in clinical trials, the Virtual Gastric Band is a breath of fresh air in the world of weight loss.

This programme was created by renowned Lifestyle Engineer, Sheila Granger, and I have been trained by  Sheila to offer this to people who want to shift that weight without traditional dieting.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
First and foremost, you have to be absolutely certain and clear in your own mind that you want to lose that weight and you are ready to make the necessary changes to do so.  Make sure you are  doing this for yourself, not to please anyone else. This is a partnership, and we can do this if we work together, but you need to be committed to making that change.

OK, are you ready?

Then at your first session, I will help you get into a really pleasant, relaxed state, and just in your mind, in a fairly general way,  help you visualise your stomach with  a gastric band  in place, so that you will feel fuller quicker and eat less food.

Then, we will concentrate on finding out WHY you  over eat, or eat the wrong things, and will work together to change those bad habits and change your relationship with food to a healthy one, where you can make the right choices.  You can learn again how to stop eating when you have had enough and not to be drawn to unhealthy options.

A COMPLETE PROGRAMME OF HELP AND SUPPORT
Subsequent sessions will build on this and tackle any specific issues you may have with food, encourage you to exercise and so on, reprogramming those old, unhelpful habits into new, positive ones that you can take with you for the rest of your life. You will also get audio recordings to listen to between sessions and helpful hints and tips to support your weight loss.

Sounds good, doesn't it? This method has been proven to work through clinical trials  and has produced great results for people just like you.  If this seems like something you want in your life, then get in touch through my Contact Form or give me a call and we can get started!

What have you got to lose (except those extra pounds)?

Take care of yourself.

Tina
​07943 151793

Do you sometimes feel as though you are juggling too many different things? Are you trying to hold everything together, but it feels like the plates you are spinning are all about to crash to the ground? Does it feel as if the only one keeping things going is you and if you take your eye off the ball it will all go badly wrong?

The picture above is just a bit of fun to represent what happened when Mum went away for a couple of days and left Dad in charge :-). As you can see, it didn't turn out too well...!  It also shows what can happen if you try to concentrate on too many things at once.

Are you having trouble focusing on your goals? On the things that are really important to you?  Have your plans for the year already drifted off track?  Well don't despair, you can get back control, you can achieve  your goals. You just need a bit of help on how to focus... 

Concentrate on your most important goals
It may be that you are trying to do too much at once. Pick your top 3 goals and stick to them. Don't worry about other goals until you’ve got these done.
Create a vision board
A vision board is a collage of images that represent your goals and dreams. This visual representation of your goals will help you to see them more clearly, and keep them in the forefront of your mind.. Put it somewhere you will see it every day.
Create milestones
If your goals are too big, it can be daunting and you are more likely to slip off track. Try breaking them down into more manageable pieces.  So if you want to lose weight, for example, aim for that first half stone, don’t worry about the final target yet.  
Create an action plan
The best time to work out your plan is when you set the goal, because that's when your motivation is at its highest. Work out small steps to do towards your goal each day and each week and tick them off when you have achieved them.
Be clear on why these goals are important to you
Make sure your goals are something you really want to achieve, otherwise you will just find reasons not to pursue them after a while. Write down your reasons for wanting to achieve your goals and read them frequently, to remind you why you are doing it, when things get tough
Learn to say no
You may find that you are putting your own wants and needs to the back of the queue and helping others with what they want instead.  That’s OK to do occasionally, but if you continue to do it you will never get where you want to be.  Learn to put yourself first some of the time. 
Delegate
You may feel that no-one else will do things right, but it's only by letting go a little and letting them try that they will learn and flourish.  Or maybe they are reluctant to help, but you could be more assertive in making sure the workload is shared. Maybe they don't realise they are expecting too much from you, or how much you have on your plate, so make them aware.

Help is at hand!  This is where I come in.  Hypnotherapy is a great tool to help you to find and keep your focus. My four session Mindset programme will teach you how to take back control, gain confidence, focus on your goals and move forward in your life. Have a look at the Services section of this website to learn more.

You CAN achieve your goals.  You've got this!

Tina
​x

Well here we are in a whole new year.  Welcome, 2018!  I hope you had a break over Christmas and the New Year and are up back and at ‘em!
 
Maybe you are already planning how to make 2018 a great year for you.  Maybe you are planning to lose weight, stop smoking, tackle your self-confidence issues, or something else entirely.
 
Whatever you are thinking about, one thing is for sure.  It’s that time of the year when your inbox, Facebook, etc, etc will be filled with messages about how you can make 2018 your best year yet; how whatever they are selling will guarantee you success at whatever you want to achieve; and how only they hold the secret to that success. Which is all very well, and may even be true, but can certainly feel annoying, exhausting or completely overwhelming.
 
So here are two words of sound advice from that incredible author, Douglas Adams:

DON’T PANIC!

Don’t feel pressured into making any snap decisions. Don’t  rush into anything just to be doing something.
 
Of course it’s true this is a whole new year, full of exciting and rewarding possibilities.  But it’s not a magical date, with a ‘use by’ expiry coming up any time soon.  The possibilities to make changes to your life exist today, tomorrow, next week or next month.  They are there now and they will still be there whenever YOU are ready.  Again, I say:
 
DON’T PANIC!
 
The New Year is a great time to sit back, reflect on the past and plan for the future.  To think about what went well last year and what might need to change this year.  But tomorrow is also a great time to do that, and next week, and next month, and whenever YOU are ready to commit to that change, any day over the coming year.  The important thing is that you are willing to make changes and to work towards what you want, maybe in partnership with a professional who can help you. 

The important thing is to remember that life doesn’t get better by CHANCE, it gets better by CHANGE.

So if you are thinking of making a change this year and you would like some help and advice on how to go about it, please do feel free to get in touch:
 
Give me a call on 07943 151793
Or email me at lifehypnotherapy121@gmail.com
Or message me through this website Contact page:
https://www.lifehypnotherapy121.co.uk/contactform.html
Or through my Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/lifehypnotherapy121/
 
 Check out the rest of this website for more information about how I can help and for testimonials from happy clients.
 
Just get in touch when YOU are ready, when YOU are committed to making that change happen.
 
Take care of yourself.
 
Tina
x

​
Merry Christmas to you all!

I hope you all have a great Christmas lined up, with friends or family, or on your own if that is your choice. 

It's worth remembering though that  this time of year can be difficult for some.  If Christmas isn’t a good time for you, for whatever reason, why not think about doing something different?  You could help out at a Food Bank – such as this one in Hull: 

https://hull.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/

Or with a community project to bring people together at Christmas, like this one:

https://communitychristmas.org.uk/

Or if you just feel the need of a bit of company online over the holiday, why not join in with Sarah Millican’s excellent Twitter group at Christmas, bringing people together for a chat:
#joinin
(See her page for details   https://twitter.com/sarahmillican75/status/929758245132099584)

Maybe you will be with family, but it’s all a bit of a strain, giving too much of yourself, and then who looks after you?  Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.  Take a bit of time to think about the changes you would like to make and how you want to achieve them in the coming year.  Then perhaps give me a call and we can work together to make 2018 the year you want it to be.

FREE WINTER CALMER AUDIO RECORDING
If all the Christmas preparations and pressures are proving a bit much, why not try my    Winter Calmer    audio recording?  This short taste of the benefits of hypnotherapy will leave you feeling calmer and better able to cope this season. 
If you would like a copy, just  use the   Contact form on my website  and I’ll send it out completely free of charge.

Whatever you do this Christmas, I hope you are happy, safe and warm.
Take care, and be good to yourself.

Tina
​x

We all have fears in our lives and these are usually perfectly rational.  Fear is an inbuilt response to protect us from danger. However, when it becomes irrational, it is classed as a phobia.  An irrational fear is characterised by an extreme reaction to something which actually does not pose a threat.   The sufferer usually realises it is irrational and may say things like "I know it's silly, but..." when explaining their behaviour.

Phobias are linked to our subconscious and the very fact that they are irrational means they can be treated effectively.  Phobias usually cause the sufferer to go to great lengths to avoid any situation where their phobia might arise and their response can be extreme.

Signs you may have a phobia
The thought of it makes you tremble
You may break out in a sweat and feel nauseous
You will want to literally run away from the cause of your phobia
Your heart races and your face goes red

​Causes of phobia
Phobia often goes back to an event in early life and may be the result of a trauma or learned behaviour from a family member.

Don't worry - help is at hand!
Hypnotherapy can be very effective in dealing with phobias, as they exist in the subconscious and this is  the part of you that hypnotherapy connects with. Treatment may include finding the root cause of the phobia and helping the sufferer to learn a new, positive response to replace their phobic reaction.
Hypnotherapy can also help you to relax and  desensitise to the cause of the phobia.

Success Story
The picture above is of a client who has recently had her nose pierced.  Not a major event to most of us, but for her it was a huge move forward.  She had come to see me a few months earlier suffering from an extreme phobia of needles.  She could not even be in the same room as a needle, or  watch anyone having an injection. After a course of hypnotherapy, she was a changed person and was perfectly comfortable around needles.  But the major step forward came when she went to have her nose pierced.  She was perfectly calm and relaxed about the whole thing and felt no anxiety at all.  You can see more about her on the Testimonials page.  For her, this was a major  event and a cause for celebration.   Her lifelong phobia had been conquered!

Don't let a phobia stand in your way or stop you from doing the things you want.  Find out about how hypnotherapy can help, and make that change.

Remember: Life doesn't get better by chance, it gets better by change.

Take care of yourself.

​Tina

Like it or not, Christmas will be here before we know it.  I actually love Christmas.  Getting together with  friends and family,  relaxing, unwinding after a busy year.  But it can also bring pressures of its own, including wanting to look your best for a special event or party.

LOOKING YOUR BEST
What would you like for Christmas this year? The year has certainly gone by quickly and maybe you intended to give yourself the gift of getting into shape before now, but time has run away with you? Maybe you  have an invitation to a really special Christmas event and want to look your very best in your new dress?

GET HELP NOW
Well, it's not too late!  Hypnotherapy is a great way to slim in time for your big event. Using tried and tested methods, you can increase your motivation, resist temptation and feel eager to exercise more.

WEBSITE
Check out the Services page on my website for information on my weight loss suite of programmes.  There is sure to be one there that will suit you. Or if you are not sure which to go for, just give me a call and we can discuss your specific needs. All programmes are individually  adapted to suit you personally.

MOST POPULAR
The most popular weight loss programme I offer is the Virtual Gastric Band, which has been proven to work in clinical trials.  This simply takes you into a deep relaxation and lets you visualise, safely and securely, going through the  process of a gastric band operation - but of course without any actual operation or discomfort! The process lets you feel as though your stomach is smaller than before and you are full after eating less food.  It's as simple as that! 

FULL SUPPORT
With a support recording to listen to between sessions, and four 1-hour hypnotherapy sessions, backed up by my personal help through text and email,  you will be surprised how easy it is to change your eating habits. You could soon be slipping into that little black dress!

Get back your sparkle this party season! Give me a call or message me via the contact page on this site and I can answer any questions you might have.

What have you got to lose?

Tina
07943 151793

I find that a lot of people don't really understand much about hypnotherapy and giving talks in the local community is a great way to widen understanding. It's also a good way for me to give something back to my community - and it's fun too!

I had a really great evening last week, when I gave a talk to members of Bridlington Round Table at the lovely Expanse Hotel.

The guys were really welcoming and entered totally into the spirit of the event, asking lots of questions and taking part in a group hypnosis session.

I am very grateful to Martin Helbrow for inviting me and to all the group for giving me such a warm welcome. I think they would all agree that they learnt a lot about hypnotherapy and how it can help with a wide range of issues.
If you are a member of a local group or club and would like a talk about hypnotherapy, drop me a message or give me a call.

Each talk is individually tailored to suit the  needs and interests of your group.  Maybe you just want a general talk on  what hypnotherapy is and how it works, or maybe your group has specific issues, such as health concerns or professional performance and would like to know more about what hypnotherapy can offer you.

Tina
Life Hypnotherapy 1-2-1
07943 151793

How has your weekend been?  Good, I hope?  Maybe you've been out and about enjoying the last of the summer, or maybe you've been busy at home getting ready for the week ahead?  Does the thought of the coming week fill  you with anticipation and pleasure? Or are you feeling stressed out and anxious about everything you need to do, or people you need to deal with?

CLOUDS
Unfortunately, life can't be all sunshine and relaxation.  We all have commitments and obligations, some of which might be  causing us stress and worry.  Every life has its clouds.  But if yours are leaking into your free time and spoiling that, worrying about how you'll cope, don't be afraid to reach out for a little help.

RAINBOWS
Although it might not feel like it at the time, some of those clouds have a meaning and a use that can help us to become better people or understand others more. Managing our own difficulties helps us to see what other people are going through and be kinder, hopefully, as a result.

​But if your clouds are really getting too heavy to bear, hynotherapy can help.  Have a look at the  Services page on my website:
http://www.lifehypnotherapy121.co.uk/services.html

My  programmes for stress and anxiety relief can really help you to break old patterns of thoughts and behaviour that are holding you back.  Without even realising it, we can repeat outmoded behaviours automatically, but hypnotherapy can help you to replace these with new, positive behaviours  and let you move on with your life.

SUNSHINE
And after the rain comes the sunshine, lighting up  our days and warming our hearts. Feeling better, stronger, more able to cope and with strategies and  tools to  handle whatever life throws at us.
​
You can get there, you can do this, you are strong. You might just need a helping hand to realise it and that's where I come in.  Giving you the tools you  need to help yourself and to enjoy the sunshine again without worrying about the next storm.

And without the odd rain cloud, we would never have a rainbow :-).

Take care of yourself.

​Tina