“People grow up in trance. We are conditioned from birth on. We are conditioned so well that most of us don’t realize the depth of trance we live in and from. We need to wake up and become aware. The question is how? How do we awaken from the trances we are in?

Most of our problems stem from our trances. They come from the conditioning. We have adopted limitations and limiting beliefs that we aren’t even aware are not our own. They were handed to us mostly from well intentioned others and some not well intentioned.

We wander through life not straying far from artificial boundaries that were introduced to us. We made these our own. We think it is who we are and what we are capable of. We clearly don’t know who we are or how much more capable we truly are. We just don’t know.

Wake Up Become Aware  – Live With Awareness

Because most of us live within a comfort zone we don’t venture further. Sometimes we are forced to wake up and for the first time we confront the limits of our thinking. Then we realize these limits aren’t us, they’re imposed on us. At this point we can become free.

If we choose to. If we become aware and work to override our previous conditioning we can awaken to who we are. We can begin to monitor our thoughts and self-talk for when it is supportive and when it is not. We can begin to live free, different and better lives.

To begin to live free of our previous conditioning we need to stop or drop the trance and wake up. We can do this by changing the self-talk from not supportive to supportive. We choose our thoughts and re-condition ourselves though affirmations and visualization.

Drop Old Conditioning – Become Aware And Live Life Differently

We can direct our mind with the artful use of questions. We change ourselves using the same methods we were originally conditioned with. Exposure and repetition. We repeat powerful new thoughts and ideas, declarations or affirmations with loads of good feelings.

It is the feelings combined with the powerful declarations that make it work. Feelings are the drivers. Mere repetition of phrases does little. Combined with enthusiasm and positive feelings the affirmations take hold and do their work. Repeat; repeat correctly!

You develop new habits doing the same positive behavior over and over again, correctly, for a long enough duration. It takes consistency and persistence. It takes time to condition ones body for health and beauty too. Everything takes some time. Be patient and optimistic.

When You Wake Up In The Morning You Simply Wake Up

Self-hypnosis can be helpful too.  Altering brain states is useful. Relaxing and listening to peaceful music while giving yourself positive suggestions is a worthwhile practice. Calm the mind and focus on your suggestions. Visualize and see yourself.

See yourself as you describe yourself in your affirmations. Imagine carrying out your tasks and living your life the way you want to be. Affirming while relaxing is the basis of self suggestion. A good time to do this is when going to bed, before sleep and upon waking up.

You can learn the art of self-suggestion or hypnosis from books and tapes. You want to relax but not fall asleep until you are finished with the process. Then sleep is fine. Meditation is a wonderful way to free yourself of old conditioning and awaken to who you are.

One Moment You Are Asleep Oblivious The Next Moment Awake

In meditation you learn to allow whatever is going on in the mind to go on without getting emotionally attached to it. You look at it as an impartial observer. You witness it without becoming involved in it. Typically, we follow wherever our thoughts take us. They lead.

The goal is to either be free of your thoughts as in meditation OR to choose you thoughts by managing them. In meditation you don’t choose you allow. However, it begins by learning the ability to focus. You might focus on your breath. Whenever distracted you return.

We can pay attention to the rise and fall of our belly. Simply place your awareness there. Whenever you become aware that you are no longer paying attention to your belly you return your attention to it. You will do that again and again. That is the process.

Don’t Wander Through Life Missing It – Wake Up To What Is

The process is learning to return your attention to what you are focused on. In managing your thoughts you do similarly. Whenever you notice you are not thinking positively you change your thoughts from negative to positive. You shift what you are doing. Get it?

In either practice you do it without blame or judgement. Just bring your attention back to the task at hand. Belly or positive thoughts. Eventually, in both you develop the ability to stay with it longer and longer. You condition yourself in positive and beneficial ways.

However, in mediation, you learn later to disengage and simply be the watcher of the thoughts. Imagine sitting near a stream and simply watching leaves float by on the water. Imagine clouds floating by in the sky. Our thoughts float by too. Instead of riding we watch.

You Didn’t Wake Up Today To Be Mediocre – Discover Yourself

Typically, whatever thought we think takes us into a series of other thoughts down the rabbit hole. Instead of traveling with the thoughts and getting emotional with them we watch without judgement. We are simply aware of them. Separate from them.

These methods are all quite simple to do. They each can help us wake up and go beyond what we have known previously. They help us experience other aspects of life we can’t know without having the experience. Give them the opportunity to work for you. Practice.

Affirmations and visualization, self hypnosis or mediation are wonderful processes. I’ll share another that is wonderful. Gratitude. Focus on being and feeling genuine gratitude for who you are. The simple practice of being appreciative is powerfully transformative.

If You Want To Be Happy You Have To Be Happy On Purpose

Be thankful for what you are, what you do, where you are, where you are on your journey and all that you have. Be thankful for what you don’t have yet. Be glad for all of it. Really feel it! Journal it. Celebrate and delight in it. When you do you change. You truly change. Give these methods a chance. You will be surprised. Most importantly, celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Do something positive and new today to enjoy!

If you like these posts – subscribe. If you think these posts would help others please share them. Help Spread the word.

Photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW BLOG SITE LAUNCHES SOON – Do you get this blog emailed to you? You will have  to again subscribe to this blog, newsletter. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches. Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!