Today I am thankful for the lessons taught to me by a stop smoking hypnosis client.
It's not uncommon for people to resist change.
Resistance is an important component of most psychotherapy.
We encounter resistance with drug and alcohol abusers,
people who are trying to leave crappy jobs,
leave unfulfilling relationships,
and/or
find who they are during a crisis.
Change is hard work.
It's easy to stay negative.
It's easy to stay stagnant.
This young woman came to me a couple of weeks ago....
she was upset that hypnosis "did not work."
She participated in a group setting to stop smoking.
It didn't work for her.
She came to see me.
We had spent hours together talking about what my brand of hypnosis is like.
She would have control.
A hypnotist is merely a backseat driver holding a map.
If you follow my directions, you'll get where you need to go.
She called me up the other day saying it didn't work.
She said that as she sat in the chair,
she kept telling herself that it would NOT work.
She said that she had fought every single suggestion that I made.
She'd hear it and say "nope."
That's sad.
She's not ready to try again.
We need to work with her resistance.
*******************
I've spent a lot of time in the past few weeks meditating.
I see things that are possible for me .
I find excuses not to pursue them.
I say "nope, I'm old."
-or-
"Nope, I'm ugly."
"Nope, I'm twenty pounds overweight."
"Nope, I don't have my P.hD."
"Nope, I can't.....I won't....."
I'm doing the same thing the young woman was doing, aren't I?
I won't meet my cute friend for drinks because I have a smirk wrinkle....
I won't date because I don't know if my parts work....
Or if I'll scare the guy off with my cellulite.
I won't reach out to the friends I miss because I'm afraid I'll cause trouble
or get them stalked.
I'm being impossible....
just like the woman who argued with me in her mind.
That was my fault.
Apparently, I didn't answer a question for her
or figure out that she was so analytical.
She seemed to be in trance.
Her skin color had faded.
She was very relaxed.
People in trance are hard to understand when they speak.
She seemed to be in trance.
Something she needed was missing.
I hope she doesn't give up.
I truly hope she listens to the recording I made for her.
She refuses.
Just as she shouldn't give up,
I shouldn't give up either.
I shouldn't fight the change I wish to see in my world.
We need to dance with the resistance and understand it so that we can move through it.
I fight everything, don't I?
I'll try not to fight so hard now.
Love ya lots,
S.