All-Encompassing Change with NLP

After many professional development trainings and workshops, I have left feeling inspired, motivated and ready to change things with the best of intentions. Sadly, these desires often became faint, or have left me a few days after the event. I did leave my NLP training feeling much the same way, yet very different. I left not only with excitement about the future, but also with a new sense of confidence and solidity within myself. This grounded, integrated feeling within me hasn't left yet, nor will it. It is the foundation that I lean on everyday as I do daily visualizations, put ideas into action and continue to take steps forward to creating the reality that I desire. The fear and doubt that had so encompassed me before the training, is faint and often non-existent. A change really does take place on a neurological level. It is up to me to reinforce what I have learned.

Not only has the NLP strengthened me and given me new energy for myself and my own life, the knowledge and faith I have in the method is present in conversations that I have with other people. Through the process of sharing my experience and understanding of the material and the NLP model, others, too, have become intrigued and want to know more for themselves. Opportunities have arisen purely out of my own excitement and evidence of changed behaviour since taking this training.

I am a better coach, business partner and friend in general because of my ability to listen to myself and to others with a different sense of acuity and sensitivity. The heat and the triggers in conversation feel like bygones, and I am free to really be available and present to those involved. It has become clear to me that facilitating conversations is a strength of mine and this NLP training has definitely taken it up a notch or two.

During the training one of the trainers said, "The barriers disappear when the outcome is truly important to us." This has stuck with me as I re-evaluate what it is I want to do with my life and realize that the motivation comes when there is passion and then the barriers do disappear. I feel freed from limiting beliefs and empowered to really design what outcome I want for my life.

Thank you for the opportunity and the gift of each of the trainers!

Author: Anna Lisa Bond is a Coach, Facilitator, Wellness Practitioner and the founder of LEAP Professional Coaching and Wellness. After 25 years working in education, she felt the desire to take a LEAP. A LEAP into something that was creative, empowering, flexible and transformational. The journey alone has been all of those things for her. Along the way she created LEAP - Leadership, Excellence, Awareness and Possibilities - a place where conversations and experience facilitate change at a transformational level. Where will your next LEAP be to?

Practical Communication Magic

Transformational, practical, content rich, and MAGICAL is how I would describe the basic NLP Practitioner training offered by NLP Partners/Renewal Technologies Inc., Ottawa. Having taken many training courses over the years across Canada and the USA, this training was top notch giving me cool tools and processes to move my life and business in new directions.

If you have ever lost your motivation, as I had by the time I arrived, this program will get your juice back! I was given the opportunity to rediscover my passion, understand how the way I interpret the world impacts those I engage with, and spring clean the inner closets of my mind, setting a platform for success. Under the expert tutelage of John Sweetnam, Dr. Roger Ellerton, and Su Thomas, the senior trainers, and the excellent support of several other coaches, I learned the art and science of communication, and language use, in a new and exciting way.

Landing back in the reality of my professional and personal life, after completing the seven day intensive, I am focused and moving forward with intention, extremely happy to have once and for all dumped my inner critic in a virtual garbage can, along with other limiting beliefs that were keeping me stuck! I am now engaging with clients and colleagues in a whole new way, and in my first week back have shared the gifts of NLP with diverse workshop audiences, as well as attracted three new clients! I reckon that's a pretty good return on investment! I'm not saying it was easy, and who knows what'll happen from now on! One thing I do know is that we are only limited by our imagination! So what can you re-imagine......are you ready for the NLP challenge?

Author: Rachel Foster MN CMC CEC
www.rachelfoster.com
Rachel is an enthusiastic and seasoned professional with diverse experience in both the public and private health and human service sector in Canada and the UK. As a Certified Executive Coach and Certified Management Consultant, Rachel offers results-oriented leadership coaching, team learning, and conflict transformation, and loves to work with the toxic waste polluting our workplaces! Rachel is passionate about supporting you to discover your brilliance, achieve success, and be the very best you can be in everything you do!

NLP as a Life Changer

The room was filled with a charged atmosphere in anticipation of what was to come while people introduced themselves over morning coffee. What was this excited and eclectic group of people; coaches, an engineer, a retail manager, high school students and others gathering for? NLP training. What is NLP training you ask? It is an acronym for neuro-linguistic programming, a set of techniques allowing you to reprogram your mind and body. Or as Roger Ellerton, one of the trainers and author of the book Live Your Dreams: Let Reality Catch Up, says it is a program for making a better life for yourself and others. Roger's description certainly describes my personal experience well.

My conscious mind brought me to the course to learn new tools to help me in my life coaching practice to give my clients a faster and better experience in their quest for a better life. While I did not realize at the time, I believe it was my subconscious mind that drove me to take this training. It knew I badly need life changes; I just simply had not yet learned to communicate effectively with my subconscious mind. The NLP training allowed me to connect with my subconscious which had reams to tell me once I became receptive.

Did NLP help make my life better? Absolutely! Early on in the program my wife said to thank the trainers for "giving back her husband of many years ago" and my kids chimed in with "can you take this course everyday as you are so calm and understanding." When one of my daughter's friends remarked, "wow I wish my dad was so cool and calm and so much fun" I knew something was happening; this was on day three of a seven day program. Contrast this to only a short time before when family, friends and colleagues were constantly urging me to relax and start enjoying life. How did these changes occur so quickly and completely?

The primary difference between NLP and other forms of wellness development methods is that it is not nearly as focused on the past but primarily on creating a now and a future that you desire. It is also based on the premise that people are not broken, that they have arrived where they are on their journey by the choices they have made. This becomes very powerful when coupled with the principle that people have the resources within themselves to alter their lives to the point of creating the life of their dreams.

Over the years I had become overwhelmed by my work, my play, and my relationships or just about anything I did. Overwhelmed was my normal state in life. While usually performing competently and taking leadership in all I did, I just kept adding more and more to my responsibilities. President of this, vice-chair of that and so on. I was running totally on an urgency mentality and nervous energy to get more done with no time to notice the present. No matter what I did I felt the need to do more. An apparent upward spiral was, in reality, a downward spiral; a crash course. Does this sound familiar? Odds are that it does in this world of "more with less" and our need "to be productive". NLP can help with both of these maladies, while at the same time vastly improving our lives.

One of the techniques we learned early on was called anchoring. This is a technique based on classic conditioned response; a trigger brings on an outcome. A positive example of this would be that each time you smell pumpkin pie you have fond memories Thanksgivings past with family and friends. Another example might be "Every time she looks at me that way I get angry." We used NLP methods to create a positive response to a trigger. We established a trigger point, such as a knuckle, to invoke a calm and happy response; simply by touching that knuckle the state occurred. This is a technique I still employ with great success as I prepare to deliver a speech from a place of calmness.

The anchor became an important tool in our learning as calmness is a precursor to good learning. Another technique that worked particularly well for me was one called "swish pattern". I used this one, taking less than five minutes, to stop drinking Sprite light containing aspartame to having a glass of cold water each time I see a can of Sprite or even an ad for one. This was an established habit replace by a beneficial one in less than five minutes; I did this in early July and have not had a sprite since. Imagine how many habits you could change in a short time, such as replacing smoking with good health perhaps?

About day five of the seven day program I developed a mild dis-ease. As the day progressed the mild dis-ease gave way to extreme physiological and psychological stress. The experienced trainers and their aides recognized the signs and assured me that this was a very positive sign and that a major breakthrough that would change my life forever was about to occur. As we went through more exercises the tension continued to build until I reached a point where I said "I don't want to play anymore." I was assured that I was the one guiding the process and I would move forward as and when I was ready; to rest and observe if I wanted. I continued although only participating halfheartedly. When practicing a technique called "time line therapy" my partner Pete made me feel very safe and comfortable. During this exercise I realized my driven, compulsive and overachieving tendencies that lead to my feeling of being chronically overwhelmed were formed during childhood. People I held in esteem often told me that I was inadequate or to lower my expectations. I responding by making sure I accomplished more than any of them and at a higher level than those who told me I couldn't. Armed with this knowledge I am now free to choose what I do. I now choose what I devote my time to based on value to myself and others; I no longer need to prove myself to anyone. I am who I am and that's OK. This has given me an incredible power in creating the life of my dreams. I am no longer overwhelmed. I am "here in the now" with anyone I am interacting rather than planning what I do next. Not only did I get what I wanted for myself, but I got a gift I can share with my family and friends. Am I perfect yet? Not by a long shot, but that is OK too, I am who I am. I do not need to prove anything to anyone nor do I need the approval of others or to prove anything to them. That is my definition of personal freedom. The first line of the Introduction in Roger's book is "How many of us live our lives according to other's expectations?" I am afraid far too many do; I am very happy to be one who no longer does. What's next?

You recall my feeling of dis-ease that I mentioned having on day five. The more I think about this the more I realize that dis-ease is only a hyphen away from disease. My next challenge is to use NLP to achieve levels of health that are even greater than those I enjoyed as a youth.

I discovered things about my life that I had not known at the conscious level. Discovery is interesting, but the real value is that NLP allowed me to quickly learn how to change my life so that I no longer run on auto-pilot. I am the pilot of my life. The subconscious mind that brought me to the course for healing was successful. The conscious mind that brought me to get a tool set to help my clients is also well satisfied. The course was an incredible life changing experience for me and those I come in contact with. Thank you NLP Partners Su Thomas, Roger Ellerton and John Sweetnam; I will be back.

Author: Bill Wright is a life and career coach and certified NLP Practitioner specializing in helping educational and training professionals develop life balance leading to increased satisfaction and reduced burnout. He is a member in good standing of the International Coaching Federation. His book from Burnout to Balance to Brilliance™ for Educators is due out in May 2011. He can be contacted at bill@mycoachbill.com or www.mycoachbill.com.

My Latest e-book" "NLP Techniques Anyone Can Use".

My purpose in writing this book is to briefly illustrate the power of NLP and to encourage you to explore how NLP concepts can make a difference in your life. I begin by showing that NLP is based on solid theoretical footings from respected disciplines such as: psychology, physiology, systems theory and communication. This is followed by six typical NLP processes that anyone – parents, coaches, those in the helping professions, etc. – can use to help themselves or their children/clients to be more resourceful in certain situations, be more aware of their actions on others or to undertake interesting and challenging opportunities without being sidetracked by anxiety.

Click here for your copy of NLP Techniques Anyone Can Use.

Advice for Men - Nine Words Women Use That You Should Be Aware Of.

I recently came across the following that I think you will find entertaining and useful!

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying F-- YOU!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

* Send this to the men you know, to warn them about arguments they can avoid if they remember the terminology.

* Send this to all the women you know. They’ll laugh, ‘cause they know it's true!!!

Parents’ Day – Fourth Sunday of July

May has Mother’s Day, June Father’s Day and did you know there is a Parents’ Day in July – well at least in the United States there is.

In 1994, US President Bill Clinton established the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents’ Day when he signed into law a resolution unanimously adopted by the US Congress. Parents’ Day was created for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children."

Unlike Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, the National Parents’ Day Council (US) doesn’t see this day as a time to honor parents, rather “a day when parents honor their children and the God-centered family ideal by rededicating themselves to manifest the highest standard of unconditional true love.” Thus they see it as an opportunity to honor excellent parents, particularly outstanding couples as parental role models.

And perhaps Parents’ Day can and should be much broader than this. First, it’s not just about couples as parents. It’s about anyone who steps in to serve in some capacity as a parent – single parents, grandparents, caregivers or teachers. Second, it’s more than just honoring your children. It’s about assessing your skills and abilities as a parent, noticing opportunities for improvement and taking appropriate action. “Simply put, when you become a parent you are not handed a manual that will answer all your questions or cover all situations. For many, the ‘manual’ you bring to parenting is the one you learned from observing your parents.” (Parents’ Handbook: NLP and Common Sense Guide for Family Well-Being, Roger Ellerton, PhD, ISBN 978-1-4251-4790-7)

A Book to Definitely Share with Parents

Review of Parents' Handbook: NLP and Common Sense Guide for Family Well-Being by Joyce M. Gilmour, Editor & Book Reviewer, www.editingtlc.com.

Roger Ellerton's Parents' Handbook is based on the concepts of NLP which is neuro-linguistic programming. "NLP is about how you communicate with yourself, and based on the results of this, how you engage in conversation with others." I appreciated a quote from Mr. Ellerton, since it is something that I share with parents at all of my parenting classes that I facilitate: "Simply put, when you become a parent you are not handed a manual that will answer all your questions or cover all situations. For many, the 'manual' you bring to parenting is the one you learned from observing your parents."

Mr. Ellerton has put together an excellent resource for parents/families to put tools in parent's "toolkits" which are strategies to help all members of the family learn how to get to know themselves and others. With these "tools" people will improve their communication skills and be able to achieve their dreams. I particularly appreciated the chapter about the six primary parenting roles. I feel the strategies shared here help to show parents the many roles and ways to help their children through life: caretaker and guide, coach, teacher, mentor, sponsor, and awakener. I think it is very important to see our roles as parents from different perspectives. I feel it is essential for parents to learn and understand the many different ways their children need guidance throughout life.

Reading this book and practicing the strategies and learning all there is to know about NLP will take time and effort. Parenting, especially GOOD parenting, needs both our time and our effort. It is THE most important job in the whole world, the ONLY one that doesn’t come with any training. This book will definitely be one that I share with parents in the parenting classes that I facilitate. Buying this book and spending the time to work through it is a small investment for a lifetime of better relationships in our families.