Story of Hope & Perseverance

The crowd stood mesmerized as the ball soared through the night sky.  It arrived gently in the hands of a Newtown High School wide receiver who scored as time expired to deliver a stunning state football championship for a town still deeply wounded.

   

The holiday season remains a solemn time for the 28,000 residents of Newtown, Connecticut.  It has been seven years since the horrific and unimaginable shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.   

Many of the players on the Newtown High School football team attended Sandy Hook.  The brother of the team’s star linebacker was a victim.

This championship – the school’s first in more than 25 years – ignited a sense of pride and perseverance in the Newtown community.  Riley Ward, the player who caught the touchdown pass, told the Hartford Courant, “I couldn’t have asked for anything more.  I love this town.  I love everybody.  I’m at a loss for words.”

For me, the story of Newtown High School’s victory is a reminder of hope.  That even in such divisive times it is our ability to rise, to love everybody, that defines who we are.      

The Hausman family wishes you a wonderful holiday.

Deep Trance for a "Super Achiever"

I am often asked if everyone can be hypnotized.

Yes is the straightforward answer.  The practice of hypnosis simply requires an open mind, the ability to focus, and a bit of creativity and imagination.

Of course, there are varying levels of susceptibility to hypnosis, as well as different scales used by practitioners to measure it.

Recently, I met with a young woman who I suspect scores high in hypnotic susceptibility.  An induction using a basic eye fixation technique called magnetic hands with a few calming visualizations brought her to deep level of trance.

From there, she was incredibly open to the self-hypnosis process as she easily integrated her own voice and thoughts, returning seamlessly to the trance state.

Her desired outcomes from the use of self-hypnosis are to achieve a more consistent sleep pattern and maintain a high level of energy throughout the day.

That’s because she is one of those “super achievers,” who is a leader and actively engaged in school, work and a mix of altruistic endeavors.  I will be interested to hear how her practice of self-hypnosis facilitates success in these areas.

Of course, nearly every time I meet with a person to share self-hypnosis I come away learning something new as well.  That was certainly the case with her.

Interestingly, she failed to respond to a convincer I often use to measure the depth of trance.  In this case, the visual suggestion connected with an activity she had participated in when attending a talk by a prominent motivational speaker. 

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Please keep your browser pointed to this blog as I will soon announce a couple of new events in March and April that will focus on hypnosis as a tool for health and wellness.

Magnetic hands is a basic hypnotic induction technique that utilizes focus and visualization.  Photo source: Instructables.com

Confidence and Attitude: Winning Combination in Sports

Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal and John Wall.  (Photo Source: NikeTalk.com)

With the game tied and the clock counting down, the Washington Wizards’ Trevor Ariza grabbed an offensive rebound and passed the ball to John Wall who was more than 20 feet from the basket. 

Although not recognized as a great outside shooter and having an off game from the field, Wall calmly swished a three pointer that proved to be the game winner.

When interviewed by ESPN after the game, Wall shared some insightful thoughts, “I felt like I had some good looks, just like I did the other night and I just couldn't make them,” he said.  “But I stuck with it and kept playing defense, and didn't let it get me down."

Wall’s teammate, Bradley Beal, is known for his deft shooting stroke.  However, like all athletes, he goes through phases when he isn’t playing as well as he’d like.

Here is how he described his approach to the Washington Post, “Before, I would always get down on myself because all the shots I miss, I feel are easy shots for me to make. Shots I know I’m capable of making,” said Beal. “Whenever I have amnesia, it’s just forget about it. Just continue to shoot, continue to have fun and continue to play the right way.”

The confidence, focus and positive attitude demonstrated by Wall and Beal represents the mindset required by athletes at all levels (recreation, high school, college and pros) to achieve their potential.  It’s true in the classroom, on the job and in other endeavors.

When sharing the practice of self-hypnosis with athletes, the message I emphasize is that it’s a tool that can instill and reinforce confidence and a positive attitude.   Adversity is constant in sports.  How a person rises above it is something that can be learned.

Here are links to a few other articles I’ve written about hypnosis for athletic performance:

Whitman High School Athletes Give Hypnosis a Try

Hypnosis Sharpens an Athlete’s Mindset for Recovery

Hypnosis for Exceptional Athletic Performance