Turn off that internal chatter with the NLP Learning State….
After a couple of attempts, I found it quite easy to get into this state, which slightly surprised me as I am quite a noisy person!
Initially I did not see what was in my peripheral vision, but once instructed to do so, really did notice walls, ceiling, window, floor, other patterns on the wall. I was quite aware of what I could take in through my others senses too – today is a windy, rainy day, and I could feel the air blowing through a slightly open window, and I could hear the rain on the window pane. I found myself in quite a relaxed state, where I could hear my breathing being slow and gentle. In terms of getting into a relaxed and more open (therefore learning) state, it certainly was successful, and I can see that practising it more will enable me to be fully present.
I can see that it might be useful for creating more awareness, both in myself and in clients, about feelings, thoughts, behaviours and reactions.
I am aware that I have a lot of internal dialogue, both at work and outside work. Getting into the Learning State could help me to focus more. I can see how this could be useful in 121 work with clients too.
In facilitating groups, I can see that it could be used to enable me to be fully present with an individual, as well as taking in other things going on around, such as the rest of the group getting restless or disagreeing without speaking.
It took me some time to keep myself focused on the spot! However, when focusing I felt a since of “stillness“ within myself.
It’s amazing what one can see in the peripheral vision. I tend to use this alot with my child. He´s almost 3 years old so one needs to be alert!. Maybe it´s a natural thing for women to use this vision more with regards to children. When I am with my son I can concentrate on what he is doing and saying but I still notice dangers or objects in my peripheral vision. When in that state it makes you realise that you can actually see everything quite clearly if you “concentrate“ on it.
It felt a bit like a contemplative meditation with enhanced awareness to the surrounding. The eyesight seemed to be a bit blurry but alert at the same time. I felt calm and grounded and my senses seem to be more acute. I was successful in feeling more able to concentrate, focus. It may be useful with pupils/student as a technique prior their learning but also when I want them to really concentrate on a specific activity in a one to one session.
It was a positive and successful experience because it helped me to understand that while I am focused on one thing I can observe the environment around it, to expand my awareness. For example, when speaking to patients at work, I have been able to increase my awareness of the environment around them, perhaps the way people nearby behave and react to them. This applies not only to other patients but to staff also, as the staff’s attitude has a bearing on the patients’ progress. When treating a patient we need to help him to focus on outcomes and what they want to do. I need to work with them to look at ways to achieve this goal and we need to be flexible about that. We need to look at the internal representation, i.e. why they want to achieve their goals and why they want to recover. I encourage them to look at the positive events that will happen when they achieve these goals. We need to help then to have well-formed goals in positive terms, and to help then imagine how it will feel and what they can see when they have achieved it. We ask them to describe it in the present tense, as if they have already achieved the goal. We need to establish the steps required to achieve the goal by asking how it will happen, who will be involved, who we know who has already achieved it. We can then ask them to act as if they have it and ask them to talk about what they have gained.
In the future I hope to use this technique to achieve promotion in my work. If one way to achieve this does not work I need to be flexible and choose another method. Also, I need to fit the goal with my internal beliefs so my entire system works together towards achieving it. For example, I want to get my promotion not just to increase my income but also to help other people. This then will impact on their families and those around them.
I found this technique very interesting. I think I actually do this quite often, but totally unconsciously. I sometimes stare at an undefined point and collect my thoughts. Not daydreaming, but just reflecting over things. I guess it’s quite common, I see others do it as well, but it made it easy for me to do the exercise. The biggest difference was that I now did it consciously, and I concentrated on my surroundings without moving my eyes.
It surprised me how much of my surroundings I could notice without actually looking straight at it. I experienced a good feeling of calmness, and what felt like a higher conscious level, if I can describe it like that. I actually felt really good, almost like meditating.
The first time I tried it, I got a feeling like when you drive your car really fast, maybe on a motorway or a road with no speed limit. While speeding you focus very hard on the road ahead, you get tunnel vision and lose your peripherals. But, as soon as you slow down, your peripheral vision slowly comes back. You start to see more and more of all the things around you and you are more aware and open.
Afterwards I felt more aware and clear minded, so I guess it was a success.
I see many good ways to use this technique in the future. First to make myself more conscious and aware in different situations, like before customer meetings, before a conference or before a speech.
Second I think this NLP technique can help me in my clients to become more conscious when I work with them, to help them to gain more from my sessions. I also think this technique can help my children at school, to become more receptive for the teaching.