As I said in NLP and You in 2008, one of the things you and I are going to focus on in the next weeks is appreciating what we do on a conscious level and finding methods to change those subconscious behaviours that are not bringing us the results we want.

Now, remember in What is NLP?  you read about what each of the letters, NLP, referred to, what they mean, and what that means when discussing your subconscious mind and conscious mind.

Well, there is more to it.

If you prefer, you can listen to the AUDIO of NLP - An Ideal Change Work Modality.  The Audio takes 6.43 minutes, or you can read on.

All that exists in the outside world is raw data, information that has no intrinsic meaning until you and I give it meaning.

So to get an understanding of yourself, you need to understand why you process that intrinsically meaningless raw data in the way that you do, giving it your meaning.

It all comes down to the mask you wear so that the world sees you the way you want to be seen – not necessarily the real you.

On a conscious level, you have a choice as to how you process the information of the external world, you can see the glass is half empty or the glass is half full.

Both are true. 

Not one is more true than the other. Is it? 

It’s a matter of perception and interpretation.

Now in Environmental Infuences on Personal Growth, you read about the different environmental influences that have conditioned you, influencing your decision-making, thereby influencing your behaviours, resulting in you outcomes.

They are LEARNED, they are not reality itself.

What you have learnt, you can unlearn.

All the raw data comes into your subconscious mind through your five senses, but that is just the beginning.

Located at the base of your brain is the Reticular Activating System (RAS), and one of its functions is to filter and sort the 10,000,000 bits of information that approach you every second from those sensory input channels.

The RAS has to move fast to filter all those experiences before they go deep into your conscious mind, and also what to store in your subconscious mind.Before you can understand experiences, you have to internalize external events.

So, this is how it goes:

1.    You take everything in through the five senses – RAS is at work

2.    Then you create an Internal Representation (IR) of that event - this is where the internal pictures, sounds, sensations, self-talk and feelings are active

3.    The external information is then reconfigured as an internal experience

4.    This interpretation is closely linked with an internal emotional state – which can manifest into a physical state

5.    Meaning is then ascribed to that external event through your internal processing system (which you’ll read about in this series)

6.    Thus, the biological filters of the RAS combine with the internal psychologically-based Internal Filters to create your subjective reality.

How you interpret and take charge of these Internal Filters is the key to your mental, emotional and behavioural mastery.

Over the next weeks, you are going to read about what makes up your internal you, and how much control you really do have if you want to make changes.

Giving lip-service to wanting change is very common. 

You know what aspects of your behaviours you would like to adjust.

But when you say you want change, do you REALLY mean it?

Words are cheap and empty without the back-bone of commitment, staying power, accepting steps backward steps, consistency, focus to actually DO and therefore MAKE CHANGES.

How desirous of making those changes for an expanded you are you really?

Is this the moment you say, YES, BRING IT ON!

LET’S DO IT!