All of us want to lead a happy and as much as possible anxiety free life. Yet, anxiety is a natural and necessary part of our life and in some ways can be a positive element of healthy living.

Anxiety tells us that something is wrong. It starts a physical reaction of pumping adrenalin around the body. It gets the body ready for action. In primitive times it was a defence signal that we either needed to fight or run.

In today's society although there will be times when we still need to fight or run, anxiety can be experienced for other reasons.

Our perceptions of how the world is and how we think it should be can give use anxiety. What for one person is an anxiety provoking thought or perception, for another person the same stimulus will cause the same reaction at all.

If you accept that our perceptions, the way we think about matters, can cause us anxiety, then you might also agree that we do not necessarily have to become anxious particularly when we know another person would not have the anxiety.

So our perceptions and way of thinking about a situation can help or hinder us. If we freeze through anxiety, then it certainly will be a hindrance. If we lose sleep because of anxiety again it is not helping.

The great news is that we can change our thinking and in doing so change our perceptions. Actually that might even be the other way round. That is, in changing how we perceive matters, we think about them differently and then experience a completely different reaction to them.

How many times have you heard someone say, "oh, I didn't think of it like that" or "I got hold of the wrong end of the stick". Those phases are saying that now that the person has had some more information that has enabled them to change how they thought about the original situation, that they are now viewing or perceiving that same situation differently too.

So it is often our perceptions that can enable us to live happy or sad lives and the whole gamut in between.

Now our perceptions of life have developed over time and been influenced by parents, teachers, siblings, friends, colleagues and others. They are not fixed in tablets of stone and over time can change. We can also help that change too.

Hypnosis, in communicating with the subconscious mind can aid that change of perception through relaxation and positive suggestion. A good self Hypnosis Cd such as the double Lifelines recording can help perceptions and life understanding evne while you sleep at night

Steven Harold
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Hypnosis Cd