Retrain the Brain

For ALL "emotional" problems, including unhappiness, patterns of thought, beliefs, and behaviors have to change. 

Master the principles of success, and you will be successful at everything you want or need to accomplish. 

BOOKS:

Reading motivational, spiritual, educational and positive books about how to live in a healthy manner with successful values and morals is critically important.  At minimum 5-15 minutes daily.  Books such as "Your Erroneous Zones" by Wayne Dyer, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie, "Embraced By the Light" by Betty Eadie, and "Happiness is a Choice" by Barry Neil Kaufman are very helpful.

TAPES:

Must overwhelm your mind to new information, and program your "automatic" brain to think successfully.  Listen to tapes whenever you can - driving, getting dressed, cleaning, etc.  Zig Ziglar's "How to Stay Motivated" series is the best to get started (1-800-527-0306).  Nightingale-Conant has a catalog with an excellent collection of tapes (1-800-323-5552). 

SELF TALK:

We are what we think about all day long.  Must learn to control our self-talk.  The first step is awareness (mood checks), the second "affirmations" - saying what we want to be in advance.  It takes 21 days to develop a new habit. 

COUNSELING:

Counseling is extremely important and can be remarkably effective.  It needs to emphasize where you go from here, and learning the necessary skills to be happy and healthy.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Reduce negative influences: acquaintances (and sometimes family members), negative self-talk, media, co-dependent and stress provoking music.  Reduce stress: exercise, meditation, better career choices, lifestyle changes, learn better communication skills, choice of friends. 

SELF-ESTEEM ENHANCING ACTIVITIES:

volunteering to help others, public speaking (support groups & Toastmasters), learning a new hobby, improving skills at something important to you. 

AFFIRMATIONS:

These affirmations are mostly from Zig Ziglar, who has given me permission to use them for my patients.  Saying them out loud uses the entire brain and tells your brain what you want.  Here is an example for a person named Benjamin:

I, Benjamin,

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