A good corporate wellness program will include some training on behavior modification. When constructive habits multiply, you will notice very high productivity. When destructive habits multiply, you will find your life and business rolling rapidly downhill.
Positive habits may include being polite, saving money, eating right, meditating, being loyal, performing high quality work, time management and the like. Negative habits may include smoking, overeating, procrastination, drug abuse, gambling, alcohol abuse, cursing or nail biting. While some negative habits require professional therapy, others may be controlled by using your mind more effectively.
While teaching an advanced wellness program in New Jersey, I asked a volunteer from the audience to participate in a hypnosis demonstration. A student in the class named Bill quickly came forward. I asked Bill to have a seat, close his eyes and relax deeply. After a series of deepening techniques, Bill was very relaxed and in deep hypnosis. While in hypnosis, I instructed Bill to loosen and tighten his belt buckle every time I pointed my finger at him. Bill opened his eyes. Then the fun began. While still standing in the front of the room, I began to ask Bill a series of unimportant, unrelated questions. Several times during this question and answer session I pointed my finger at Bill. Each time I pointed at him, he loosened or tightened his belt. Soon the class was laughing so loud that Bill wanted to know what was so funny. I then let him in on the little secret. "Bill, while you were in hypnosis I programmed you to loosen and tighten your belt every time I pointed my finger at you." At this time, I pointed my finger at Bill again, he began to reach for his belt, and suddenly he stopped halfway. Laughing hysterically he said, "Aha, I caught myself. Now that I know what you're doing, I choose not to cooperate." The class and Bill truly enjoyed this demonstration; it also taught them the first step in habit control.
"You must first know that you have the habit and you must identify it."
The second step is to have a strong desire to eliminate the habit. The truth is, people throughout the world eliminate destructive habits every day without any outside help. They do it without wellness programs, hypnosis, behavior modification, therapy, self-help CDs or the like. The motivating force that enables them to succeed is a strong, powerful desire. If you really wanted to stop smoking, you would have stopped. If you truly wanted to reduce weight, you would have already reduced it. If you truly wanted to stop spending money foolishly, you would stop. If you really wanted to improve your work performance you would have. If you really wanted to improve a relationship you would have.
"Desire is the ultimate motivational force behind all human behavior."
The moment that we understand the power of desire, we can begin to use its power to help us in the elimination or adaptation of certain habits for personal and professional success. We can use our new habits to improve every area of our lives. Here are some tips:
1) Identify the habit you wish to eliminate. Recognize that this habit is a crutch in your life that no longer needs to be there.
2) Strengthen your desire to eliminate the habit. The stronger your desire, the faster the results. It is much easier to conquer a habit today than it will be tomorrow, so take action now. In my employee wellness seminars I teach the participants to make a list of 10 reasons to eliminate a habit. Then I ask them to find 10 more compelling reasons for each of the original 10. This is a great way to build your desire.
3) Practice "Positive Habit Replacement." This means that anytime you are about to engage in the negative habit, immediately stop what you are doing and perform a more positive activity. For example, if you have the desire to smoke or over eat, stop what you are doing and instead take a walk, write a letter, brush your teeth, gargle, call a friend, read a book or drink a glass of water. These simple activities will begin to break the pattern - the habit usually follows. As you continue to break the pattern in this manner, the negative habit will weaken and will eventually be replaced by the positive pattern.
4) Visualize and imagine yourself totally free from the habit. In your mind use all of your inner senses to assist in programming these new images into your nervous system. See yourself habit free. Hear others complimenting your new lifestyle. Feel the excitement rush through your body as you release the habit from your life. If applicable, smell and taste your success. Use your inner voice to describe how successful you are now that the habit has been eliminated. Imagine a new and empowering habit replacing the old one. Most of all, project yourself mentally several years into the future. From this future perspective, imagine yourself living free from the habit. Sense with all of your sincerity and emotion, all of the benefits you are enjoying with the new habit firmly in place. In your mind create a very strong feeling of accomplishment and achievement.
5) If you feel that your habit requires professional therapy, take action immediately. When you use the techniques in conjunction with a licensed professional, you will obtain faster results.
6) As you successfully eliminate each habit, it's important to give yourself a reward. Perhaps you may buy yourself a small gift, have your nails done, treat yourself to a movie or the like.
Remember every time you reward yourself for a specific success, you will dramatically build your desire to reach for higher ground with even greater success and productivity. These rewards serve as a reminder that we have accomplished something worthwhile and that we deserve the best that life has to offer.
I wish you luck & success!
