Typical Mistakes Made in Formulating Suggestion for Self Hypnosis
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Self hypnosis is a powerful technique that can be used to bring about change in one's health and the attainment of goals. It is best done with a suggestion that is repeated for approximately three to five minutes while in somewhat of a meditative state. It can be used during self hypnosis or meditation.

However, how your suggestion is formulated is important. There are seven basic rules of thumb to follow:

1. It is important to never use a negative--a "not"--in your suggestion such as I am not going to eat so much. The reason being is that the brain skips over "nots". For instance, if you are in a situation where you can stand, please do so and follow my next instruction. Ok, standing? Now please do not stand! Did you sit right away or were you a bit confused thinking something like, "He just asked me to stand and now I'm supposed to??"

The reality is that the brain skips over "not," and unless I put you in a situation for you to question it, you'd continue standing. Thus when you say, "I am not going to eat such and such," the brain interprets it as I am eating such and such. 

2. Avoid using the word "not" in the past tense. For instance, you'll find that with self hypnotic suggestion you'll stop a habit such as procrastinating. Avoid then thinking, I don't procrastinate any more. either in your conscious thinking or as a self hypnotic suggestion. Even though at that moment you feel accomplished, it becomes like boomerang and for a while you'll be free of the habit and then it will return just as a boomerang returns.

3. Likewise avoid using words or phrases in your suggestions such as try. Avoid saying, I'm trying to (whatever)." Trying indicates that you didn't succeed--you tried but just didn't make it.

4. "Giving up" and "Doing Without"--avoid both like the plague. Giving up is synonymous with not being able to cut the mustard, or make the grade. Doing without, is synonymous with being punished and made to go to bed without desert.

5. Avoid the phrase, going to as in I'm going to gain confidence. If someone tells you that he/she is going to come visit you, what is the first thing you want to know? When, right? The word "going" causes anxiety which stands in the way of success. I'm going when? next week, next month, next year?

6. Avoid suggestions such as I am less shy or I am more relaxed around strangers. These suggestions have you perceive others as "strangers" or you as being "shy" and keep you in that frame of mind.

7. Also avoid suggestions with I have to or I must or "I got to." Psychologist find that when their patients think in those terms, they become more anxious and irritable which actually reduces their IQ making it more difficult to achieve their goals.

If you are shedding weight, in addition to many of the above problem suggestions, there are several others:

1. "I'll start my diet tomorrow." The word diet is "die" with a "t" on the end of it. It means starvation.

2. "I'm so hungry I could eat a house or horse." First, hungry is a powerful word that only results in empty feelings. Secondly a house or horse is a pretty big item.

3. "I'll eat today and starve tomorrow." If you knew that you were going to starve tomorrow, what would you do today? Eat, right?

4. "I'm losing weight." No one wants to be a loser. This is ingrained in each of us since elementary or preschool. So why use it in your thinking.

5. "I quit eating so much." The word quit is again a problem since elementary school. Afterall, do you want to be a quitter? Even though you consciously know how you are applying the word such as in "quit smoking," too, unconsciously it's connected to being a quitter. So why use the word--especially when so many other far more powerful words and phrases that can be used?

These are all the no-no's. The best selling Self Hypnosis cd leave no stone unturned in the effective use of self hypnosis.