How “Swish” and “Squash” Can Help You Change Unwanted Habits
Neuro-linguistic programming provides us the power to swap out bad habits with good habits. Here’s two NLP techniques anybody can use to remove bad habits.
In my primer post on NLP – Neuro-Linguistic Programming – I promised I would teach you a few NLP techniques you can try out for yourself in the privacy of your own room.
I’m going to assume you’re read the primer for NLP so I can get straight into the techniques. If you haven’t read the primer or need a refresher then you can find my post on “What’s this NLP Thing I’ve Heard Hypnotists Talk About?” here.
The two techniques I’ll teach you today are called the “Swish Pattern” and “Visual Squash.” You’ll find the names given to NLP techniques are many times fun and playful.
How to Swish Out Your Unwanted Habits:
The Swish is a versatile NLP technique. It switches (swish) your mind from supporting an unwanted habit – such as smoking – to the desired outcome – being a non-smoker.
You do this by creating two images; the first is an image that reminds you of the habit you want to stop, called the cure image – for smoking this can be a pack of cigarettes or you standing out in the freezing or miserable weather smoking.
The second image represents the desired outcome – outcome image – such as you doing an activity you struggle to do at present because of your habit.
Here’s how to do it…
Start by visualizing the cure image as big, bright, and colorful. Now add in the desired outcome image as small and dark in black and white.
Now shrink the cure image to black and white, and expand the outcome image to a large and colorful picture. It’s very important you do this swap very quickly – like in one or two seconds!
This is repeated until you have trouble picturing the cure image as the outcome image will automatically appear.
A method to Squash those inner conflicts:
The second technique I want to cover is the Visual Squash.
In essence it has you associate the unwanted habit with one hand, and the desired outcome on the other hand.
Standing up and with arms outstretched directly in front of you, with palms facing each other and apart, you concentrate on your hands and gently ask your mind to bring your hand’s together once it’s resolved the inner conflict of supporting the unwanted habit, and changing to the desired outcome you want.
Many times we don’t really know what the inner conflict is and for this technique to work you don’t need to know.
The speed with which your hands come together will vary and there is no right or wrong speed.
Now you may wonder if you’ll know how your mind resolved the issue. Well, it really doesn’t matter, as all you need to know is that it’s been resolved. The “how” is not important. Trust in the process.
If you tend to dwell on your smoking habit or weight and how bad it makes you feel, and how it limits you, then the “Swish” and “Squash” NLP techniques will flip your focus to your desired outcomes.
Practice makes perfect with these techniques.
Don’t expect it all to come together first try, and you should prepare your state before the exercises by performing some relaxing techniques you know work for you.
I’ll be offering up some additional NLP techniques in subsequent posts but if you’d like to learn more now then you can get a copy of my free eBook “How to Tap into the Power of Hypnosis and NLP” here.
Erika Slater, CH
Director
Free At Last Hypnosis
http://www.freeatlasthypnosis.com
http://www.smoke-free-at-last.com