Neuro-linguistic Programming Techniques to Change Thoughts and Behaviors

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In the last blog post, I wrote about the thoughts we feed ourselves about ourselves and the impact this has on our feelings, emotions, and behaviors. I shared tips on what you can feed your mind with and how our minds can unlearn “junk narratives” and limiting beliefs. Negative thoughts cannot just be eliminated. They must be replaced with better thoughts and positive affirmations.Neuro – thinking process. The way you use senses to understand the world.

• Linguistic – the words. The way you use language and how it influences you.
• Programming – your behavior. The way you organize ideas and actions produces expected and unexpected results.

NLP is a behavioral change solution that works with the subconscious mind. The method is known as “modeling” as it creates solutions that model and mirror exceptional behavior as a reference for the desired outcome. It teaches individuals to reach their goals by reverse-engineering the success of someone to create a roadmap to their own success.

Therapists, life coaches, and other professionals have used this technique for years to help people improve their communication skills, change negative behavior patterns, and overcome limiting beliefs.

NLP can be a very effective tool to access our subconscious mind and potentially harness its power to facilitate personal growth and positive change. By changing the way we think and communicate, we can change the way we feel and behave, ultimately leading to more positive outcomes in our lives.

I described how Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) is a psychological approach based on the idea that our thoughts, language, feelings, and behaviors are all interconnected and that by changing one of these elements, we can change the others. 

Let’s break NLP down:

• Neuro –  thinking process; the way you use senses to understand the world.
• Linguistic – the words; the way you use language and and how it influences you.
• Programming – your behavior; the way you organize ideas and actions produces expected and unexpected results.

NLP is a behavioral change solution that works with the subconscious mind. The method is known as “modeling” as it creates solutions that model and mirror exceptional behavior as a reference for the desired outcome. It teaches individuals to reach their goals by reverse-engineering the success of someone to create a roadmap to their own success.

Therapists, life coaches, and other professionals have used this technique for years to help people improve their communication skills, change negative behavior patterns, and overcome limiting beliefs.

NLP can be a very effective tool to access our subconscious mind and potentially harness its power to facilitate personal growth and positive change. By changing the way we think and communicate, we can change the way we feel and behave, ultimately leading to more positive outcomes in our lives.

Our subconscious mind is a powerful operating system that accounts for 95 percent of our brains. We are consciously aware of only 5% of all the “stuff” going on in our minds.

The subconscious mind is responsible for each and every automatic physical movement and action our body needs to function correctly, from eating and breathing to digesting, keeping our heartbeat going, and making memories. It also holds all the “apps and software” that control the way we think, what we believe, the way we feel, act, react, and all else that shapes our experiences and responses to the world around us. The subconscious mind also plays a significant role in decision-making, problem-solving, and creative thinking. 

One of the best ways to feed our subconscious mind with behavioral change prompts is while we sleep. 

When we are asleep, our conscious mind is turned off, which allows our subconscious mind to be more receptive to new suggestions. These include habits and patterns, personality, beliefs and values, cognitive biases, and long-term memory.

Therefore, the five minutes before going to sleep may be the most important five minutes in all our day to prepare our minds for subconscious neuro-linguistic programming. We want to develop a healthy and consistent bedtime routine to enter into a state of deep relaxation, find a quiet place without distractions, and get enough sleep. 

While there are many effective neuro-linguistic programming techniques, the following have proven effective before and during sleep to reset, reprogram, and replace negative thoughts and limiting beliefs:

1. Reframing: Before sleep, reflect on any negative thoughts or beliefs that are bothering you. Challenge them by considering alternative perspectives or reframing them in a more positive light. Write down empowering statements or affirmations related to these new perspectives and read them before sleep.
2. Visualization: Engage in guided imagery or visualization exercises. Imagine yourself accomplishing your goals, surrounded by positive emotions and outcomes. Create vivid mental images and focus on the details to program your subconscious mind with positive thoughts and beliefs.
3. Hypnosis: Before sleep, listen to hypnosis recordings that target specific negative thoughts or limiting beliefs. These recordings use soothing language and suggestions to help reprogram your subconscious mind while you are in a relaxed state.
4. Affirmations: Repeat positive affirmations silently or through recordings as you drift off to sleep. Affirmations should be in the present tense, positive, and focused on the desired outcome. For example, “I am confident and capable of achieving my goals.”

Reprogramming our minds takes discipline, patience, and a lot of repetition. With consistency, we can feed our subconscious mind with positive suggestions to replace our thoughts, and become anything we desire.

I once read that the conscious mind sets the goals, and the subconscious mind gets us there.

Remember, your subconscious mind contains a vast reservoir of thoughts, memories, beliefs, and emotions that influence our thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. The more often you feed your subconscious mind with positive suggestions, the more likely it is to accept them as truth.

You are so much more powerful than you think. The way you perceive yourself is the way the world perceives you. If you want to show up in the world as the best version of yourself, you must change the thoughts you feed yourself. You can make everything possible if you set your mind to it and do the work.

Note: Seek professional guidance or support if you are dealing with deep-seated negative thoughts or are struggling with limiting beliefs.

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