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“At The End Of Your Tether?”

Hi there everyone,

I wrote this article for my newsletter recently and I thought I’d share it with you here.  It’s a great way of changing the way you think and getting some really good results. The subconscious mind gets its information in the form of pictures and that’s why metaphors are soooo powerful.

Metaphors paint vivid pictures in the mind using only a few words so beware of using negative ones as your deeper mind is very literal and takes everything you say as true.

Here’s the article – hope it helps!!!!

Are You, “At The End Of Your Tether?”  Break Loose With A New Metaphor.

  • “I’m up against a wall.”
  • “I’m drowning in work.”
  • “I’ll have to wade through it all.”
  • “I’m happy as a sand boy.”
  • “I’m floating on air.”
  • “I’ll skip through this.”
  • “I’ve reached a dead end.”
  • “I feel as if I’m on a roller coaster.”

What do all these statements have in common?  They’re metaphors. Just what is a metaphor?  Whenever you describe something as being like something else you’re creating a metaphor.  Metaphors are like symbols: a quick way of saying a lot.  People use metaphors all the time to describe how they feel about all kinds of things.

“Life is a battle” and “Life is a beach” are two metaphors and two very different ways of looking at the world.  If you were the sort of person who describes life as a battle you probably experience life in that way.  How about if you describe something you are doing as an “Uphill struggle,” how would that make you feel as you tackled the task?  Do you think it would make a difference if you decided instead to make it “An easy ride?”

Behind every metaphor is a system of beliefs.  When you choose a metaphor to describe your life or your situation you choose the beliefs it supports too.  This is why it’s wise to be careful about the way you describe your world, to yourself or to anyone else.

The words you use affect your emotions too making you feel either good or bad.  You’re hardly likely to feel good if you are describing yourself as being up to your neck in sh-t are you?

Metaphors are very descriptive and in common with stories they bypass the conscious mind and go straight to the subconscious.  If you’ve been, “Carrying the world around on your shoulders” or you’ve been “Feeling fenced in” stop now and find some new supportive metaphors that have the ability to change the way you feel and the way you operate.

How do you describe your world?  Is it a test or a struggle?”  What if it were a dance or a game?  Do you think you would feel differently about your work if you decided to skip through it as opposed to wading through it?  If you feel as if you’ve reached a dead end you could choose instead to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Instead of feeling bogged down or as weak as a kitten you could choose to feel as free as a bird or as strong as an ox.

Why not take a few moments right now to write down some of the metaphors you’ve been using and change them into ones that will support you.  Copy and paste the part below and get started on changing your negative metaphors today.

Becoming Aware Of Negative Metaphors

Become aware of the metaphors you use to describe your life.  You may have been using some of the following.  I’m going round in circles, I’m banging my head against a brick wall, I’ve hit a brick wall,  I’m on a roller coaster, I’m down in the dumps, I’m up in the air, I’m up the creek without a paddle.  Your subconscious mind is working from the pictures you give it and all of the above metaphors paint pretty grim pictures in the mind.

Negative metaphor………………………………………………………………………………………..

The picture (brief description)…………………………………………………………………………

I am willing to drop this metaphor from my vocabulary and replace it with………….

Positive metaphor………………………………………………………………………………………….

The picture (brief description)…………………………………………………………………………

Some suggestions:  Life is just a bowl of cherries, I’m riding along on the crest of a wave, Life’s a breeze, I’m climbing the ladder of success, Life is an adventure, Life is for living, I’m skipping through every day, I’m happy as a lark, I’m flying through this, I’m on the home run.

Start thinking of your own, be inventive, have fun.

When you’ve thought of half a dozen new ways of describing your life write out the new metaphors on post it notes and stick them around the house, in your office or in the car. Say them with meaning for a day or two and see how much different you feel, how much more work you are getting done and how much easier everything becomes.

Yes, choosing new metaphors can really change your life so give it a try.

To Your Success In Life Christine

Tel: 01243 841498 /  07747 865982

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Website: https://www.makingpositivechanges.co.uk