So this weekend I took an NLP course at SWIHA. NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming. "Simply put - we all make pictures in our minds. When we hold a picture for a period of time (even subconsciously) we feel the emotions that are attached to the picture; our behavior is influenced, even directed by these emotions.
Change the picture & change the emotions. The behavior shifts too.
NLP is the art and science of using language (other's and self-talk) to change the pictures in our mind so we can experience more productive behavior on a consistent basis.
Much of our behavior is driven by Subconscious Drivers. Subconscious Drivers are deep in your mind below your conscious awareness; they dictate where you focus your attention. They provide movement either towards the things you want (pleasure) or away from the things you don't want (pain). You have different Subconscious Drivers for all areas of your life: family, relationships, career, health, spirituality, etc.
If you are not getting the results you desire in one (or more) areas of your life, chances are you have Subconscious Drivers in that area which are focused more on avoiding pain than gaining pleasure" (George Gillas, www.januscenter.com).
So we were discussing how to use this technique that works with our Subconscious Drivers to change something we like with a picture of something we really dislike. This technique works best with foods and drinks. For example, in past classes, one girl loved dark soda, but for health reasons she wanted to quite drinking it, She hated dark beer, and that being a similar picture to dark soda she was guided through the technique to change her picture. That night she tried to drink dark soda and couldn't because all she could imagine was that it was dark beer. She quite drinking soda, and lost a lot of weight because of it.
So our teacher, George, was asking for someone to do a demo and wanted examples so he could choose. A few people went around the room. One loved beer and wanted to change it to urine. When he got to me I said, "French Fries!" He was like, "Huh. What would you change that to?" My answer? Shrimp. When he asked why, I told him it was the closest thing I could picture to a french fry and is something that totally disgusts me. The taste, texture, look, the idea of it, makes me want to gag. George decided that my example was really interesting and wanted to try it. I got up in front of the class and was the demo person.
Let me explain the french fry thing first. I have a love/hate relationship with french fries. I have loved them my whole life. I rarely go out to a fast food place at all, let alone to get FFs, however, I have worked in restaurants for 7 years. The restaurant I work at now has really good FFs, and they are so tempting. I never seem to have the will power to not eat one. Even if it's one from a co-workers plate. It normally turns into two or three, or I end up ordering a meal with FFs, just so I can have more FFs. Or I get them from the cooks. But FFs have to be one of the WORST foods out there! They are so unhealthy. I know this. I know they're not good for me. But that doesn't stop me. When I eat them, I experience pleasure from the taste, but guilt and degrading self-talk. Ok, back to the demo...
If you want more details about the technique, I can give them to you, but explaining it right now would take too much time. After the demo was over, we went on a lunch break. He wanted me to buy french fries and try them. Unfortunately I had brought my lunch and had a planned study group date with some Hypno students. But, clever as George is, he had someone later go get some McDonald FFs and bring them to class that evening. In front of everyone he presented them to me. He really wanted me to try as hard as I could to eat one. Maybe he assumed I wouldn't even get it in my mouth, however, I bit into it. Fortunately for me, the french fry was already disgusting, but as I chewed on it, I began to picture shrimp and what it would be like to eat one. I didn't want anymore!
So, long story short (ya, right), whenever I think of french fries, I will forever think of shrimp. Which I hate... and now connect to french fries.
