There Had to Be More
Miserable, confused, stuck, and feeling like there had to be more to life. That was me several years ago. I was feeling like I had accomplished everything I could or wanted to in my chosen career and I had the nagging feeling that I was meant for more. I felt like I had a purpose that wasn’t being fulfilled and I didn’t know how to do that. In fact, I wasn’t even clear on what my purpose was.
As fate would have it... wait, I really don’t believe in fate. I believe that we are the designers of our life. But at that point in life, I thought everything was fate. I didn’t know that I could create exactly what I wanted.
UNTIL.
Until I hired a coach who was trained in neurolinguistic programming (NLP). Now, when I tell people I’m an NLP trainer/coach I either get this blank nod or the person actually asks me what NLP is. And I try to figure out an explanation that is user-friendly.
Let me give it a go and see if it makes sense to you. Neurolinguistic programming empowers someone by assisting them in changing their thoughts and behaviors to help achieve their desired outcomes. It is a powerful, life-changing tool that has helped many.
Neurolinguistic programming has gained popularity since it started in the 1970’s One of the most well-known to use aspects of NLP is Tony Robbins. If you want a taste of NLP, check out one of his videos or podcasts. Listen to how he asks a question and works to help others understand how their language can change outcomes. NLP has been used to treat phobias and anxiety disorders and is an excellent strategy for improvement of workplace performance or personal happiness.
Are you confused yet? Read on…
NLP uses perceptual, behavioral, and communication techniques which make it easier for people to change their thoughts and actions.
Richard Bandler and John Grinder developed NLP. They believed it was possible to identify the thoughts and behavior patterns of successful individuals and to teach those to others.
Wait, there’s more…
NLP is based on the idea that people operate by internal “maps” of the world that they learn through sensory experiences. NLP detects and modifies unconscious biases or limitations of an individual’s map of the world, in order to effect change.
NLP is not hypnotherapy, although hypnosis does play well with NLP. Instead, it operates through the conscious use of language to bring about changes in someone’s thoughts and behavior.
A key feature of NLP is the idea that a person is biased towards one sensory system, known as the preferred representational system. An NLP coach or practitioner can detect this preference through language. Phrases such as “I see your point” may signal a visual preferred representational system. Or “I hear your point” may signal an auditory preference.
All of this is done through a number of sessions in order for the coach to understand how a person uses language and gets to know some of the person’s history in order to design successful coaching sessions.
This is what my coach did for me. While working with him, my curiosity peaked and I kept asking him questions. “Why this”, “why that”. Just like a curious two-year-old. And my life has never been the same. I’ve opened up a side of me I never knew existed. It’s been an exciting journey!