Do You Know How To Focus?
Author: Jan Tincher

Do you know how to focus?

No?

Well, if you did know how, would it help you remember people's names? Would it stop you from being nervous, or at least help you control your thoughts so your thoughts don't make you nervous?

You Bet!

How about if you talk too much or too loud? Would focusing help you?

You Bet!

Would it help you remember where you left something? Or why you even walked into that room in the first place?

You Bet!

Well, if focusing is such a benefit, why haven't you learned how? Too many reasons to go into, right?

Well, you've got time to read this now, you might as well learn while you're here. What do you say? Shall we do it?

OK! Here goes!

Step one: *Don't you just love it? I am so methodical.* Stand up straight. Take a deep breath and close your eyes.

*** Sidebar Now, some of us aren't in shape, so maybe we'll have to sit down for this. The rest of you, STAND. *** End of sidebar

Step two: Think of all the wonderful things that have happened in your life.

*** Sidebar Remember, your mind does not know the difference between real and vividly imagined. If you don't have any wonderful things that have happened to you, imagine the wonderful things happening to you. *** End of sidebar

Step three: Imagine what it feels like to experience something you don't think you can handle.

Step four: Now, imagine yourself succeeding. Succeeding, regardless!

How do you stand when you're feeling that way? How do you look? How do you FEEL?

Step five: Now, on that feeling of exhilaration, feel the calm that is also there. Stand or sit straighter and imagine a golden glow of light in the shape of a funnel on the top of your head. Feel that light as it courses through your body.

Step six: Take another deep breath. Now, hold that breath in. As you hold your breath in, feel your heart beat.

Step seven: In your mind, feel your heart beat in your left little finger.

*Or if you can't feel it there, feel it in your right elbow, or wherever. Anywhere besides your heart. Remember, whatever works, works.*

Step eight: Wait a couple heartbeats or so, then mentally move your heartbeat from your left little finger *or wherever you had it* to another place on your body. Isn't this fun? It's always nice to stretch your mind, isn't it? *** Is this the time to remind you that your mind is like a muscle? USE IT OR LOSE IT? Hm? ***

*** Sidebar Release the breath whenever you feel the need, then take another deep breath and hold it while we work some more. Do this throughout. *** End of sidebar

Step nine: Now, as you take control of your heartbeat, moving it at will, pick the place you want to be your power place. Let's say it's your right thumb. That golden glow of light on your head is continuous and is flowing down, down through your arm into that thumb. Feel the power!

*** Sidebar Now, if you are at the age where you tend to feel arthritis in a joint, this may feel like that. If you don't want to encourage that, pick a different place. Or, hey, maybe you want the energy to settle in where the arthritis is and have it scatter the arthritis. What a concept! *** End of sidebar

Do this daily. Do it often during the first few days until you feel your power just by thinking of your power place. While your mind is concentrating on your power place, it isn't concentrating on anything else, and that's one of the purposes of this exercise. To calm your mind.

Now, you have just learned how to center yourself. After using this technique for several days (usually 21) it will become a habit. Toward the last few days you will feel a shift in your thinking,
and you will be able to feel the confidence that this invokes in your mind. Answers will come to you *out of the blue.*

Just think, no one else knows how to do this.

*Hm. Well, no one you know, evidently?*

You can startle your friends with your knowledge, you can impress your spouse, and best of all *you can teach your kids!* And, of course, anyone else if they're really, really nice to you.

If you find yourself getting nervous or forgetting things in the future, check it out. Were you centered? No? Why not?

Thanks for reading.
Jan

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Copyright 2003, Jan Tincher, All Rights Reserved Worldwide
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Jan Tincher, nationally recognized expert in Hypnotherapy & Neuro-Linguistic Programming, teaches strategies and techniques to help you live a better, happier life! She studied under Richard Bandler and Anthony Robbins, and has a successful practice in Forest City, Iowa. She is an award winning author, and you can read many of her articles at http://www.tameyourbrain.com/articles.htm . You can read what people say about her at http://www.tameyourbrain.com/testimonials.htm

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