Our subconscious minds are more powerful than we think. Most people have an impression of hypnotism that comes from watching stage shows or how it is portrayed on television and in movies. In fact, we can’t be hypnotized against our will, nor can we do anything we don’t wish to do while hypnotized. That being said, our subconscious mind is more powerful than most people realize. When we are seeking change in our lives, hypnotism can sometimes be an ideal modality to help us facilitate that change.

We have all heard the phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but the medical and scientific community has begun to change this long-standing belief about the ability of the brain as we get older. Until a few decades ago, it was believed that our brains did not change after childhood, that it was hardwired and fixed by the time we were adults. Recent research has shown that, in fact, our brains do have the capacity to change, and we also have the ability to continue to learn until the end of our lives. This ability of our brains to change and adapt is called neuroplasticity.

What can this mean for those of us trying to create positive change in our lives? It can mean a lot. Take, for instance, weight loss. Losing weight has become a national pastime. It seems there is a new book about the latest diet published each week. Despite all this, many of us have a hard time changing the way we eat and adopting different patterns of eating. The conventional belief is that all we need is more willpower. We start the new diet with enthusiasm and hope, but soon find ourselves back to our old habits and more discouraged than ever.

What if willpower is not actually the key to creating positive change in our lives? What if we could harness the power of our subconscious mind to help facilitate the creation of different eating habits? It is possible through hypnosis. 

All habits were once new behavior, but it was the repetition of that thought and the behavior connected to it that formed a habit. When a thought and action are repeated, a neural pathway is created in our brain. The more that behavior is repeated, the stronger that neural pathway becomes; the habit is formed until it becomes, “just who we are and what we do.” 

Using hypnotism to help create new habits is not a quick fix. It took some time and repetition to create the habit in the first place so it will take some time to replace it. Just knowing that change is possible if we use the potential of our own mind is empowering. Changing for the better is no longer just about more “willpower”; it is about tapping into the brain’s own ability to change through the subconscious mind and the power of repetition. 

Knowing that habits long ingrained in our brains can be changed opens up a world of new possibilities. This is not just with weight loss but with smoking cessation, overcoming a fear of public speaking, and improving sports performance, just to name a few. Tapping into the power of our subconscious minds and creating new habits can allow us to recreate our lives the way we want them to be. 

Thea Litsios is a certified consulting hypnotist, teacher of Active Dreaming and founder of Healing Tree Wisdom, LLC. Connect at 203-693-1493 and HealingTreeWisdom.com. See ad, page 15.