State drives behaviour

A person’s state is one of the greatest resources available because it has the most significant influence on how we perceive and respond to opportunities and challenges. 

Just imagine the advantage you’d have if when faced with a challenge you could actually choose and create the ideal state in which to respond!

For most people, the changing of states happens to us automatically and is considered to be beyond our control. When unpleasant states occur, like self-doubt or fear, it is easier to feel like the victim rather than the master. When pleasant states occur, like optimism and confidence, it is not obvious how they were triggered or how we sustain them.

Our state is influenced by past memories, present beliefs, future expectations and our physiology, and there are ways we can consciously replace unhelpful states with more resourceful states!

Try this quick technique for changing states…

• Think of something that is not the way you want it to be.

• Consider how this situation makes you feel.

• Describe that feeling in as few words as possible (ideally one).

• Imagine that feeling manifest as a cloud surrounding your head, shoulders and chest.

• Focus on that feeling until you create a strong sense of its cloud engulfing you.

• Notice the cloud’s size, weight, colour, shape, texture, sound, vibration, temperature and smell.

• Now move out of the cloud and somewhere else, leaving the cloud where you were before.

• Quickly ask yourself the following questions…

  • Given the big picture, is this feeling serving me well?

  • How is this feeling affecting how I communicate?

  • What is embarrassing about having my head in this cloud?

• Now move to a new location and imagine walking into a framework of thin lasers.

• The lasers will create any type of feeling you choose to create.

• Choose a feeling that you want to have.

  • What are the benefits of having this new feeling?

  • How will this feeling help you to achieve your goals?

• Notice the laser framework create the new feeling as a cloud in front of you.

• When you’re ready, step into the new cloud.

• Notice its size, weight, colour, shape, texture, sound, vibration, temperature and smell.

• Step out of the laser framework with the new cloud surrounding you.

• Notice your change in state and enjoy the feeling. This feels better right?

• When ready, feel free to go about your day in your new state.

 I hope this helps highlight the importance of our state and given you an insight into how NLP can trigger happier and productive people. I’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this topic and feel free to get in contact if I can help in future.