(This blog was originally posted on March 21, 2014)
Have
you ever noticed the way one event or thought can attract other, similar events
or thoughts? Right after I posted my blog on March 19, 2019 about the
importance of maintaining separate interests in a relationship, someone on Facebook
posted a related quote from lessonslearnedinlife.com: “When you are truly
comfortable with who you are not everybody will like you. But you won’t care
about it one bit.” One of my friends wondered if I had a theme going with those
posts. No. Not consciously, anyway.
I would not
claim that this quote resonates with me all of the time. Of course, I do care
if people like me. I love my family and friends. I enjoy working with and
exchanging ideas with my colleagues and advisors. I feel uncomfortable if there
is tension about something, and I will do my best to resolve the issue when I
can. However, I am no longer willing to give up on my ideas, ideals or
interests because someone disagrees with me or doesn’t like the same thing(s) I
do.
In the last
ten years or so since I trained in hypnotherapy and became a certified
hypnotherapist, I have learned how to express how I feel in an assertive
way, not an aggressive one. I have learned it is okay to explore my emotions and
I listen to my instincts about something before I make a decision. I have
learned how to actively listen to someone else’s point of view and re-frame or
ask questions about what the other person said to make sure I really
understand. I have learned that every new experience may be an “unknown” to my
subconscious mind the first time I do it but, over time and practice, it will become
familiar and easier to do. I have learned how to stay calm and focused in
situations where, in the past, I might have had a panic attack. I have learned
to be comfortable with myself, in my own skin, to accept an invitation or to
say “no” if I don’t want to do something.
And while I have
learned to be (and am) perfectly content to pursue my own interests, it is nice to hang out with people I like
and who like me. I have learned a lot. So, “learning” is a familiar theme in
this blog and hypnotherapy, too.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the
Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about
Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2014
