One of the most common things I get asked for help with is worrying too…
How to be Happy – Even in Times of Difficulty
The pursuit of happiness is a universal struggle. We all want to be happy, but the question of HOW to be happy is a tricky one, especially when times are hard or we are faced with challenging circumstances. How do we remain happy even when faced with negative stimuli and events? Can we really become masters of our own wellbeing or are we always slaves to our situation?
Responding to Negative Events
When we’re faced with a negative situation such as an argument, medical diagnoses or trouble at work, it’s easy to fixate and obsess. We replay the moment in our heads over and over again. Why has this happened to us? Could we have done anything differently? ‘What if’ questions spiral out of control and we overly catastrophise the situation.
But, is there another way? Can having a more positive reaction to negative events genuinely alter our emotional wellbeing and response to challenging times? A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience believes so.
How Our Response Shapes Our Future Happiness
The study showed that those people who were able to let go of negative stimuli sooner were more likely to experience more happiness and positivity in their daily lives. Letting go of the triggering event seemed to be the key to moving on and finding future happiness.
We are unable to control everything that happens to us so fixating on these things tends to make us feel helpless and victimised. But, we can control how we react and how we deal with the situation moving forward. This is where we can regain control. People who are able to move on more quickly will find increased happiness over time.
How to Stop Obsessing
Stopping obsessing or fixating is not the same as denial. We still need to process our feelings and emotions, especially in response to very challenging or difficult events. But, the quicker we can do this the better. Often, when we obsess we aren’t actually processing, we aren’t moving forward. We are replaying the event with emotions almost as raw as the first time. We are reliving the moment and all the hurt and negativity, without increasing understanding or acceptance.
If we can find a way to process and move on, the intensity naturally fades.
Moving On Towards Happiness
Processing negative events and accepting them isn’t easy. But, it really is the key to your future happiness and gives you back the power in the situation. Some effective ways to encourage the process are:
- Give yourself space to experience the emotions – allow yourself to really sit and fully experience all your emotions. Whatever they are they are valid and need to be allowed their space.
- Uncover hidden feelings – replaying the event often leads us to become stuck in a surface reaction. Are there hidden feelings or emotions that you need to allow to the surface?
- Release blocks and find a new outlook – are there fears or other blocks holding you back? Can you shift your perspective to find a new outlook which allows more progress?
- Research and plan – take back control. Inform yourself and plan for your future.
- Find a support network – who can help you? People experiencing something similar or loved ones perhaps? Or is it time to seek help from a professional?
- Practice gratitude – once you feel able, concentrating on positivity and what you are grateful for can be very liberating.
How Can Hypnotherapy Help?
Hypnotherapy is probably the most powerful tool to help people change their state of mind and to process difficult situations and emotions. It allows you to fully access your own thoughts, feelings and beliefs about what has happened. It helps you release any blocks and fully process what’s going on for you. This is an essential part of moving on. An outside perspective can be so helpful in this process.
Next, hypnotherapy can help you work through the event and focus on the future. Change your mindset and switch from negativity to positivity, from inaction to action and from helplessness to power. The relief and sense of wellbeing you will experience after this shift will be remarkable. Hypnotherapy really is that powerful.
Hypnotherapy for Happiness
If you’d like to learn more about how to be happy and how hypnotherapy can help with this, then please do get in touch.
Most of my clients only need three sessions for full benefits and I am happy to offer a free, no-obligation consultation initially to discuss your needs.
My advanced hypnotherapy can be done in my London hypnotherapy clinic or through online hypnotherapy sessions at a time and place to suit you.
Further Reading on Happiness and Wellbeing
