“31 is the new 365”. Or let’s precisely say “31 is the new 366.” What actions or habits are you implementing in December 2023 to make 2024 your most awesome year yet!!! We will be delving into a simple secret of habit formation in today’s episode of NLP Around You.

Thoughtful Thought

“The span of light doesn’t define its power.”- Dr Mehernosh J Randeria

NLP Quote Corner

“All we are ever doing is putting things together or taking things apart.”- Richard Bandler

One Minute NLP – The Secret of Habit Formation

“Habit planning happens on a conscious level, and habit formation happens on a subconscious level.”

When you plan a habit and touch upon all the relevant aspects like what to do, when to do, how much to do, and how to track and measure, all of that is the task of conscious mind where logic and calculations take the front seat. Once the habit is planned and mapped out, the ball goes into the court of the subconscious mind. 

Let us take an example of forming a habit of exercising daily. What is the purpose of this habit? Your conscious mind is very clear that you want to lose weight. Now the subconscious mind is like a parrot, which not just repeats but also follows the instructions as it is. For it, “losing” presupposes an existence of something that needs to be lost. This something in this case is Weight. So what happens is a cycle of losing and then again gaining so that it can be lost. Can you relate to a gain-loss cycle like this in your own weight management goals?

So then, how can you form your habit for your weight-loss goal without focusing on losing weight? The difference that makes the difference lies in training your subconscious mind in a way that is focused on what you want rather than what you don’t want. In this case, instead of focusing on losing X kgs of weight, design your habits focusing on the goal of achieving Y kgs of a target weight.

What is the principle that makes this work so magically? Keep the curiosity alive till the next weekend, when the next episode of NLP Around You arrives in your inbox. 

Meta-Magic – Are You in Your Own Prison?

This week’s story was shared by my book coach Heena M Shrivastava in one of her sessions in the Writernaama Book Club.

At his swearing-in ceremony as the President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela invited all the jailers of that very prison in which he was tortured and humiliated during his 27 years of rigorous imprisonment.

His well-wishers were perplexed as to why he would want to invite those people who gave him uncountable moments of unreasonable shame, insult and torture. “If I did not invite them, I would still be in prison,” Mandela said with a conviction in his smile.

He is often quoted to say – “As I walked out to the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I did not leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I would still be in prison.”

My question to you is – Which prison do you need to get out from?

Hook From The Book

“Don’t lament so much about how your career is going to turn out. You don’t have a career. You have a life. Do the work. Keep the faith. Be true blue. You are a writer because you write. Keep writing and quit your bitching. Your book has a birthday. You don’t know what it is yet.” – Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

Movie Motivation

“Bhagwaan ke bharose mat baithiye – kya pata bhagwan humare bharose baitha ho.” (translated to: “Don’t sit idle putting all your plans to God. Maybe He is also waiting for you to have a plan.”) This powerful quote from the movie Manjhi The Mountain Man reminds us that you can wait for “one day” for things to happen to you, or you can choose to make today “day one” and make things happen. What are you choosing now?

This Week’s Winning Post

What are Meta programs in NLP?

See you next week!

Thoughtfully Yours,

Mehernosh Randeria