The Power of Suggestion
Words have power! The messages transmitted from a parent or teacher to a child become deeply embedded in the child’s beliefs. Essentially, words are hypnotic.
Words are hypnotic.
Hypnosis has a mysterious reputation, and one popular belief about it is entirely false: that it involves someone taking control over another’s mind. The reality is that hypnosis works only by the power of suggestion, and at no time does a hypnotized individual lose their free will. During hypnosis, an individual is eased into a state of mental receptiveness or suggestibility, and then a transformative verbal message is repeated. The goal is to program new ideas into the subconsciousness to change behavior.
The words we tell our children are hypnotic. Given their early development and the great trust they place in us as parents and teachers, children are already in a highly suggestive state. Therefore, we must be intentional with our messages. Do our words convey belief that they are good, smart, loving and capable? Or do we feed their subconscious minds with notions of naughtiness, laziness, and incompetence?
For example, halfway to school in the morning, a child says, “Oh no, I forgot my book!” As parents, we may reply: “Why are you always forgetting things? You don’t remember anything.” Or we can reply, “Well done, you remembered your book. You always remember.” Both are transformative messages conveyed in a vulnerable (suggestive) mental state. Which message would we like our children to encode?
The point to be made is simply the power of our words… As parents and teachers, we are like hypnotists, and with every statement to our children we are feeding their self-images and molding their subconscious. So be intentional with your message. Suggest only what you want the child to believe!
-Dr. Katen
©2023 Individual Matters. All rights reserved. Feel free to republish so long as credit is given.
- Published in Behavior Management, Development, Dr. Katen's Blog, Healthy Living, Parenting, Relationships, Successful Living, Teaching
Three Things You “Own”
Lessons from “The Ownership Yard”
This post is taken from my book “The Ownership Yard.” http://www.amazon.com/The-Ownership-Y…Read an excerpt from Chapter 1
There are three things in your life that you have total control over and, thus, “own.”
You own your:
1. Thoughts
2. Feelings
3. Actions
You do not (and cannot) own others’:
1. Thoughts
2. Feelings
3. Actions
Makes sense, right? Easy enough.
At the beginning of this chapter is a drawing of a house. Imagine you are the house.
Only what you can control is in your yard. In your yard are your thoughts, feelings, and actions. These are the three things in life that you truly own. No one can steal them. No one can use them. No one can borrow, destroy, or control them. Because you own your thoughts, feelings, and actions, you also own the consequences – both good and bad.
Outside your yard are other people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Who owns other people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions? You got it! They do.
Everyone owns their thoughts, feelings, and actions, as well as the consequences – both good and bad. You cannot own other people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. You cannot steal them. You cannot borrow them. You cannot destroy them. And, you cannot control them.”
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Check out Amazon to see more of the book!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ownership-Y…
Thanks for reading and let your garden grow!
–Dr. Katen
©2014 Katrina Katen. All rights reserved. Feel free to republish so long as credit is given.
- Published in Dr. Katen's Blog, Successful Living