Anxious Decision-Making is a "No-No"

In mid-September I shared an article on this blog about how business leaders use meditation to improve decision-making on the job.  I received a number of appreciative notes from readers with a request for more insight on this topic:  hypnosis and visualization for career success.

So...here is an interesting read from the Harvard Business Review about the adverse consequences that result from making professional and career decisions while anxious and under stress.

How Anxiety Can Lead Your Decisions Astray
Harvard Business Review (October 29, 2013)

The author's advice is something I absolutely subscribe to:  "Refrain from making major decisions until you are in a relaxed state and can clearly reflect on the matter at hand."

This is true on the job, in class, on the field of competition and in life.

Decision-making is compromised when under stress.  Photo source:  Planetbeach.com

Photos and Perspectives from Operation Renewed Hope Foundation Fundraiser

Last night I had the privilege, pleasure and honor to perform my “Hypnotic Experience” show at a fundraiser for the Operation Renewed Hope Foundation, a non-profit that provides financial and support services to homeless veterans.

A group of exceptional people gathered at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA for a bit of entertainment and (more important) to learn how positive visualization can lead to meaningful life outcomes.  Each of the attendees actively supports the Foundation and, in most instances, is either a veteran or active military.

I have the highest level of respect and appreciation for people who assume personal responsibility to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this country.  I’ve written about one of the Foundation’s founders Lt. Colonel Deborah Snyder on this blog and last night I had the opportunity to meet the group’s other founder, Kimberly Young.

Take a moment to read Kimberly’s bio at this link.  She is a special, compassionate and caring person.

Here are a few observations from the show:

--Due to traffic in the Washington, DC area, we started the performance about 45 minutes late.  This gave me an opportunity to chat with the attendees about their thoughts about hypnosis.  It was the typical stream of misconceptions, from silly Las Vegas-style comedy antics to loss of control.

--As such, I invested a significant amount of time in the pre-talk to establish a level of comfort, interest and anticipation.  I was rewarded with a wonderful group of volunteers, each of whom achieved a level of hypnosis during the induction.

--Perhaps the highlight of the show was the instant induction I performed on one of the volunteers who was a bit skeptical at the start of the evening.  Her ability to instantly drift back into a hypnotic state generated quite a positive reaction from the crowd.

--During the post-hypnotic suggestion part of the show I focused on visualizations that create feelings of health, wellness and self-confidence.  The volunteers emerged feeling refreshed, energized and positive about the experience.

The hypnotist with one of Operation Renewed Hope's Co-Founders.

Operation Renewed Hope Foundation's Events Coordinator. 

During the pre-talk I use an entertaining style to set expectations about hypnosis.

Volunteers achieve a relaxed state while in hypnosis.  It's a tool for stress management.

Two helicopter pilots find the focus they use on the job allows them to quickly reach a hypnotic state.

A great night with a wonderful group of people.

"I Can't Be Hypnotized", She Thought. Or Could She?

In mid-January, I partnered with a social group called DC Global Adventurers to host an event entitled “New Year, New You: How Self-Hypnosis Can Help You Say True to Your Resolutions.”

Nearly 20 professionals attended the event to learn about the power of positive visualization, and experience a hypnotic induction.  You can read my recap of the event here.

One of the participants was enthusiastic about the soothing and relaxing comfort of hypnosis, yet she had trouble maintaining a trance in a group setting.  She bobbed in and out of the hypnotic state, and at times opened her eyes to compare how she was feeling with the others in the room.

I was pleasantly surprised when she reached out to me a few days later to arrange a one-on-one session.  We agreed to meet-up this past Saturday for what turned out to be an exceptional experience.

Here are a few of my impressions:

--Like most people who are attracted to hypnosis, she is intelligent, career oriented, active and athletic, and confident in her physical appearance.  She radiates energy, strength and comfort.

--Yet, I’ve also found these highly charged and successful professionals find any weakness (real or perceived) to be unacceptable.  For her, the flaw is an inability to maintain a high level of focus and attention on a particular task.

--Ironically, I have struggled with a comparable issue in my persona and professional lives.  Although never formally diagnosed, I consider it a slight case of ADHD; not severe enough to medicate, yet still limiting.

--As we began the induction she wasn’t convinced she could actually be hypnotized.  Admittedly, it did take some time to get her focused on concentration and visualization.  After the initial induction and a deepening process that lasted about 30 minutes, she began to immediately respond to my suggestions.  There was no doubt about whether she was hypnotizable.

--In my post hypnotic suggestions I focused on two guiding principles: 1) a positive feeling about hypnosis and a realization that she could easily return to this state during future sessions; and 2) a strong sense of clarity and focus on work-related tasks.

What was the outcome for her?  It may be too early to tell as the meaningful change through hypnosis can take time.  I’ll keep you updated when I receive feedback.

UPDATE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013

In an Email exchange with this woman, she shared the following about the positive outcome from this one-on-one hypnosis session:

"I feel good focus on my job ..positive and for sure feel more productive.  Thank you so much once again!"

Hypnosis can help a person maintain a high level of focus on the job.  Image:  Scoremoresales.com

 

Prison Yoga Proves Its Value

Here is an exceptional article and set of photographs published by the New York Times about the practice of yoga in correctional facilities.

Finding a Center in Prison


My initial reaction was so anti-Zen.  Why is the city of Richmond spending tax payer money to teach prisoners yoga?

After reading the article and a bit of reflection, the answer to that question is clear.