This question fascinates me and the reason why I have gone back to school for my degree in Psychology and my degrees in Philosophy. It is also why I am passionate about working with people. I also know that everyone at some point wonders why they do what they do. Some may fixate on that question while others simply pass by it from time to time to contemplate the answer. Early Greek philosophers, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, also theorized the answer to that question. So, it is safe to say, this question has been a part of our human psyche for a very long time and we are in powerful-minded company when we also wonder about the possibilities of why we do what we do.

     When clients come in to see me it is usually because they want to change an undesirable behavior in some way. I believe that knowing more about oneself is important and the foundation to help bring about change. But, how does that help someone when they are doing something that they no longer wish to do? If a mechanic is working on a car engine they are researching the cause of the problem in order to bring about a solution to the problem and fix it. They don’t tell you to just keep putting in high quality gas and hope that will make the problem simply disappear. 

     Many common approaches to changing behavior include recognizing what you want to change and then learning to do some other behavior in its place. This then in turn creates the new result the client wishes to achieve.  But in my experience, changing the behavior and result does not always stick. In fact, it very seldom does. It is a temporary Band-Aid on the situation and we just tend to go back to the original behavior because it’s what we are use to. We are in autopilot. Does that mean we are stuck forever in this pattern? What created the original pattern of behavior?

     We are all products of our genetics and our environments. We are not usually taught “how to think” but are taught how we are supposed to react or behave in certain circumstances. This happens throughout our entire lives from infancy to adulthood. I believe our environment plays a huge part in how we develop our perceptions of ourselves, our lives, and our world. Our perceptions, or our self-concepts, are what we use to measure up how we are doing and how we should react to any life situation that comes our way. Just look at how the media, magazines, TV, advertisements, internet, etc. try to influence how we look at ourselves and others. But, is it really the external sources of information that influence how we think or is it how we choose to take in that information based upon our own perceptions?

     Ten different people can go to the same movie and walk out afterwards with ten completely different viewpoints of that movie. What was so different? It was the exact same movie, actors, music, special effects, and storyline experienced by all ten viewers. How many times have the movie critics been negative about a movie, yet, you loved every minute of it? The differences come from our personal perceptions. Our perceptions and autopilot-controls come from our environmental conditioning. It is what we “think” about a particular experience. It is our thought (which we create) that leads us to feel good or bad about a particular life situation. Those feelings then lead to some form of action, or behavior, and then ultimately on to the results of that action.

     This brings us to how we can change the behaviors we wish to change in order to get different results. In my opinion, we need to go to the source of our discomfort and that is our thought. A thought is the sentence we create in our mind about our life situation. Thoughts create feelings, and the feelings are a direct effect of thought.  Some will disagree with me and say it is the life situation or circumstance that is creating the discomfort or emotional pain. “It is my work situation or my boss that is causing my anxiety and depression.” For example, “I know my boss is out to get me! That is why I am so stressed at work and I am smoking more than I ever have! My work is going to kill me!” Is it the boss or the thoughts that are creating the stress and emotional pain? You may say, “Well my boss went out of his way to embarrass me in front of everyone in staff meeting today and that is real, not something I made up in my mind.” This is where learning HOW to look at the facts of a life situation, which is something we do not have any control over can open our eyes as to what we can control; our thoughts.

     It used to be a common belief that once our brains are fully developed, that is it. Now, and most recently, neuroscience has discovered through the ability of brain mapping, that our brains have the ability to rewire and heal. As we change our thinking patterns we can actually rewire our circuits. In order for us to change our thinking patterns, we actually have to pay attention to what we are thinking. If you are feeling miserable, you are thinking miserable thoughts. If you are feeling happy, you are thinking happy thoughts.

     Socrates said that our greatest knowledge comes from understanding oneself. I agree! This means we have to be present and aware, not lost in unintentional mind streams that automatically cause emotional reactions and undesirable results.  I believe that this powerful information is the key to living a happy, healthy and productive life free from needless emotional pain and suffering.

     My passion is being a Life Coach and I draw on my personal life experience, education, client interaction, hypnosis, meditation, relaxation techniques, changing of thinking patterns, and spirituality to help give each client additional tools to pull from their tool belts when needed. The beauty is, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE ANYTHING THAT IS CAUSING EMOTIONAL PAIN AND SUFFERING BY CHANGING YOUR THOUGHTS!  I am here to help with this process and help you achieve the new results you desire.

     Let's get started! Today is a new day!