It’s Just The Programming

  • It’s Just The Programming

    Do you wonder why you think what you think?

    “It’s just the programming.” Ted A. Moreno offers these words for contemplation:

    We believe what we’re told. That’s what we do as little kids. From the time we’re born until 8 or 9 years old we take in everything as absolute truth. So when people come to my hypnotherapy office because they don’t feel good about themselves, or they feel less than, I tell them “Hey, It’s the programming. Just the programming. The mind viruses you caught from someone else. It’s not your fault. It’s not who you are, it’s just how you are thinking and what you believe, and the good news is that you can change your thinking and what you believe.”

    Excerpt from: “Embrace Your Place: Powerfully Claiming Your Existence, Episode 408”— November 17, 2022, by Ted Moreno

    Ted A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, success performance coach, published author, educator and sought-after speaker who helps his clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits such as smoking.

    He is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified NLP Practitioner, and holds the Master Certification as a Therapeutic Imagery Facilitator. In addition, Ted is an Honors Graduate of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute and a recipient of the Director’s Award from HMI, awarded for exceptional professional achievement during clinical residency.

    Ted’s book, “The Ultimate Guide to Letting Go of Negativity and Fear and Loving Life” is available on Amazon.com.

    Marlene C

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  • Strategies For Stress Reduction

    By now, many of us know the drill to stay safe during the 2020 pandemic: Wash hands, wear a mask, and social distancing. But what about our mind, body, and spirit?

    “My lab’s study found the best recipe for dealing with everyday stressors is to try to simultaneously plan ahead about what you can control and stay in the moment mindfully.” —Shevan D. Neupert, Ph.D, “How to Soothe Your Soul,” August 2020 Consumer Reports

    The activities listed to soothe your soul in this article are the same as the restorative activities in the resource section of The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing.

    ~ Prepare and plan. “Tasks that distract you now but also benefit you in the future are wonderful.” — Joyce A. Corsica, Ph.D, “How to Soothe Your Soul,” August 2020 Consumer Reports

    If you are working on a writing project, plan for the result. If you are submitting your writing to a publication, start with a projected date, then work backward to establish goal dates.

    Use the same strategy if you are publishing a book. Target a date for completion to send to an agent, or to self-publish. Work backward to set need-to-finish-by dates.

    First draft completed, revision completed, beta readers, proofread, ms to editor, etc.

    If you want to write, but haven’t started a project, start with a freewrite. Choose one of the prompts on The Write Spot Blog and just write.

    ~Just write freely with no worries about the outcome.

    ~ Nurture in nature. Walk outside. Open your door and breathe in fresh air, if you can. Look at nature out a window . . . a tree, a lawn, a garden. Go on a virtual tour of national parks.

    ~ Listen to music to soothe your soul or put on lively music.

    ~ Dance or move with the groove. Check out The World Groove Movement.

    ~Stretch.

    ~ Yoga. There are many free yoga youtube instructions.

    ~ Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).

    ~ Hypnotherapy for relaxation and stress reduction.

    ~Searching for “help with stress” online resulted in 899,000,000 results. Overwhelming, yes. But you might find something to help with stress that you hadn’t thought of.

    Good luck with managing your stress during these turbulent times.

    I’m hanging in there with you.

    Marlene C

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  • Are you enjoying life or racing to your grave?

    Guest Blogger Ted Moreno asks: Are you enjoying life or racing to your grave?

     

    Life has been very busy…

    In fact, it has been at times overwhelming, like life has been turned up to a higher speed. Ever feel that way?

    I don’t do very well when I feel like life is an out of control ride and I can’t get off. I don’t sleep as well, don’t eat as healthy as I like to. I start to feel out of control.

    What’s that line from that Ozzy Osborne song? “I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.”

    I know I can’t control how life shows up, but I do try to control my response to whatever life is giving (or throwing at) me. I want to stay calm, positive and un-freaky. It’s not easy.

    There are two things I do that are necessary for me to stay sane. One is taking a brisk walk or jog every day, if possible, around the lake near my house.

    The other, more important thing, is getting up on Sunday mornings, preferably before 6 am, walking down to the local Starbucks, getting coffee for myself and my wife, and spending a few hours alone in my home office before the world starts getting all noisy.

    You know how when you are in a very high place, you see the world differently? Like in an airplane, or a tall building, you get a different perspective?

    That Sunday morning time offers me a higher perspective of my life.

    It starts when I leave my house and walk out into the cool morning air. I ask myself, “How’s my life? How am I? How are things? What’s happening?”

    When I get back into my home office, maybe I’ll write in a journal, usually stuff that’s pissing me off, but also things that seem weird or interesting in my life. I’ll pull a book off the book shelf randomly and just open it to see if there is some wisdom I’m meant to have. I’ll listen to music.

    This is how I create space on a weekly basis to step out of the stream of my life and check it out from a different perspective. It makes me feel as if I’m enjoying the ride rather than just racing to the grave. Oftentimes, I see things about my life I didn’t see before.

    I create the space and time to view my life from a higher place, and it’s a place of non-judgement, a place of peace and observation, with the intent to be mindful of the experience of life.

    I’m sure many of you already do something like this, like sitting on your deck, or meditating or going to church or temple. If you don’t, consider giving it a try.

    Space and time, these are the things that can get very scarce in our modern lives. Give them to yourself as a gift.

    Ted A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, success performance coach, published author, educator and sought-after speaker who helps his clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits such as smoking.

    He is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified NLP Practitioner, and holds the Master Certification as a Therapeutic Imagery Facilitator. In addition, Ted is an Honors Graduate of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute and a recipient of the Director’s Award from HMI, awarded for exceptional professional achievement during clinical residency. Ted’s book, “The Ultimate Guide to Letting Go of Negativity and Fear and Loving Life” is available on Amazon.com.

    Check out his latest podcasts, “Just Because Life is Hard Doesn’t Mean That You Suck,” and “Public Speaking: A Fear Worse Than Death.” Click here to listen to my podcast Ted in Your Head.

    Marlene C

  • Too stressed to write?

    Are you too stressed to write? You want to, but you just can’t clear your mind. Maybe you’re drifting in The Fog of Overwhelm.

    The following is paraphrased from Ted A. Moreno’s Blog Post, Avoiding the Fog of Overwhelm Part I and Part II, where Ted discusses “the state of overwhelm, what it is, how it happens and how it affects us.”

    State of Overwhelm  

    Overwhelm happens when there is too much information coming into our conscious awareness. Our minds only have a certain capacity, like a cup that can hold a limited amount of liquid. When our minds are filled to capacity, and stuff keeps pouring in, we lose the ability to cope.

    At this point, our ancient survival mechanism, that good old fight or flight, gets triggered. When that happens we become what is known as “hypersuggestible” which means that we are susceptible to whatever is coming into our minds. We are actually in a state of hypnosis, but the suggestions we are giving ourselves are not positive, unlike the positive suggestions you get in a hypnotherapy session.

    Unintentional programming

    Often, when we are overwhelmed, there is an accompanying state of stress; the conversations we are having in our heads are usually negative monologues. When we are overwhelmed, we sometimes program ourselves for negativity and fear. We end up (unintentionally) with a reinforcing cycle of overwhelm.

    The Fog of Overwhelm

    Responses to the state of overwhelm vary from a complete shutdown, to irritability or anxiety, or to a feeling of being disoriented or “spaced out,” which Ted calls “The Fog of Overwhelm.”

    The end result is the same: We become ineffective in dealing with the challenges of life. We may lose the ability to focus and stay on task. We may turn to avoidance or procrastination. We will probably feel anxious or depressed.

    How to manage The Fog of Overwhelm

    Get adequate sleep and take naps when needed. Remember how your mind is like a cup? Every day it gets filled with tension, pressure and the stress of living. Sleep is the time for your mind to empty the cup.

    Don’t skip meals. Some people are prone to anxiety and overwhelm due to low blood sugar. Blood sugar, or blood glucose, is the main fuel for your body. Your brain uses more glucose than any other organ in your body. Do you ever get that feeling of lethargy or lack of focus in the late afternoon? Take a break and eat something with protein.

    Take breaks. Taking regular breaks throughout the day allows your mind to process incoming information more effectively. Breaks are scientifically proven to boost productivity and focus. Consider working in one-hour or 90 minute spurts, then take a five or ten minute break. Be sure to take regular vacations and days off.

    Exercise allows our bodies and minds to release tension and stress. At a minimum, get up and walk around.

    Meditation, yoga, and other mindful practices are powerful tools to achieve a state of calm and the ability to focus.

    Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking can create overwhelm. Focus is sharpest when it’s narrow and concentrated.

    Please click on The Fog of Overwhelm to read Ted’s blog posts on how to have a calm and productive writing life.

    Ted A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, who helps clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits. He is excellent with phone consultations and phone hypnotherapy sessions.

    Marlene C

  • What are you telling yourself?

    Guest Blogger Ted A. Moreno writes about description versus story and making up stories:

    Do you have a habit of making up stories? We know some people who have a tendency to exaggerate the truth. We think we know what is real. But do we really?

    Something that happened to me this morning:

    I was out for my morning walk when a police officer pulled up alongside of me in his car. He asked me my name and for my ID. He said that they had been looking for a missing person that had the potential of hurting themselves and that I fit the description. I gave him my ID, told him I wasn’t the one he was looking for and he drove away.

    Now, let me tell you a story.

    I was taking a walk, minding my own business, when a police car passed me. I nodded to the officer. A few minutes later he came back because he had nothing better to do and decided to harass me. He demanded my ID, and made up some story about looking for a missing person. I know he just wanted to mess with me because I nodded to him and they don’t like when you do that.

    What really happened?  Which is real? What is reality?

    We can spend days talking about reality, so why don’t we just try to stay in touch with reality. We want to deal with what’s real don’t we? We don’t want to waste our time dealing with what’s not real. Yet, the truth is, we do that all the time.

    I suggest that #1 is a description of what happened and that #2 is a story of what happened. See the difference?

    Those who study quantum physics have concluded that there is no objective reality “out there.” That means, for there to be reality, there must be you to describe it.  (Check out this video about the paradox of Schrodinger’s cat.)

    So we could say that reality is what we perceive, or experience. However, is it possible for two people to perceive the exact same thing, but have a different reality of that thing? Absolutely.

    The fact is that we each have our own individual reality. The reason that our personal reality can be so very different from someone else’s reality is not because of what we perceive, but because of what we make it mean. The meaning comes from us, making up stories. One of the defining characteristics of human beings is that we give meaning to just about everything by making up stories about it.

    In my work as a hypnotherapist, I help people see that we are all making up stories about what  happens to us. Because we are always making up stories, we believe them, and we can become “hypnotized” by them.

    Our reality consists of two parts:  There’s what happened, and then there’s us, making up stories about what happened. There is perception, and then there is interpretation.

    In my case, there’s what happened, (a police officer stopped me and asked my some questions) and then there’s my story of what happened (a police officer harassed me). The problem is, it’s really easy to get the two confused. We believe that our story about what happened is what happened, and that becomes our reality. Then we make decisions based on a story that for the most part, is made up.

    Meaning Making Machines Making Up Stories

    The fact is, humans are meaning making machines. We are always  making up stories about what happens to us, we can’t help it. That’s what gives each life its unique flavor. What that flavor tastes like will depend on what kind of stories you are making up. “My business failed, that means I’m a failure” has a pretty bitter taste. On the other hand “Because my business failed, I learned something that will help me succeed next time” is a little more palatable, as well as being infinitely more useful.

    Stuff “happens” all the time.  Most of the time, we can agree about what happened. Up to a point.

    We can agree that the weather is hot. But we’re not going to stop there; we are always making up stories about the weather!  We have to make up a story about what happened, it’s our nature to do so. For example:

    What happened: The temperature outside is hot.

    Your story of what happened might be: I’m going to suffer today because I hate the heat. Or, if you are a kid, you might make up a different story: It’s hot so we get to swim in the pool!

    Sometimes though, the stories we make up can be really lousy:

    WH (What Happened): I asked mommy to buy me a pony and she didn’t.

    SWH (Story of What Happened): Mommy didn’t love me.

    or

    WH: I don’t live in a mansion like the people on TV.

    SWH: I’m a loser!

    One of the biggest obstacles people have to personal happiness is that they are making up stories that are really crappy about what happened to them!

    It’s very easy to believe that what happened and the story of what happened are the same thing, but they rarely are. And if we tell this story over and over repeatedly, we can “hypnotize” ourselves into believing that the story is what happened, and that our story is reality, when all it is us making up stories which may or may not be accurate.

    If that’s not bad enough, we act as if our stories are real. In other words, we base our behavior on a made up story, sometimes with dire consequences.

    For example:

    WH: Mommy didn’t buy me a pony

    SWH: Mommy didn’t love me.

    Behavior based on your story: I resent my mother and we don’t talk. (I want to make it clear that this is just an example. Of the eight kids my mom had, I’m her favorite. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

    WH: I don’t live in a mansion like the people on TV.

    SWH: I’m a loser!

    Behavior based in your story: Since I’m a loser, I’ll break the law to get what I want.

    One of the most important skills we can learn is to distinguish between what happened, and our story of what happened, because the stories that we make up will affect our lives, for better or worse.

    The quality of our lives is not determined by what happens to us, but by the stories we tell about what happens to us. What we do in our lives will in a large part be determined by the meaning we attach to our life’s circumstances. If we can become aware of those stories and how they affect our lives, then we have a choice. We can begin making up stories that empower us, instead of making up stories the dis-empower us.  The meaning of our lives is made up by us, so it’s all invented anyway. We are the creators of our lives. The only question is, what do you want to create?

    Much of my work with my hypnotherapy clients involves helping them identify stories they are telling themselves that are disempowering and downright scary. These stories rob a person of confidence, self esteem and aliveness, while perpetuating fear, doubt and unhappiness. The first question I ask of them is: “Ok, something happened to you, but what’s the story you’re making up about that, and what is that doing for you?”

    I help people to stop making up stories that do nothing for them and I use hypnosis to help people’s minds become comfortable with making up stories that speak to their courage, strength, intelligence and ability to overcome challenges.  It doesn’t take that long to start telling a new story. It all depends on how invested you are in your old story.

    So the next time you feel anger, or fear, or doubt or sadness, ask yourself: What is the story I’m telling that makes me feel this way? You can choose to tell a different story, or you may want to keep that story for now, and that’s ok. It’s your story, after all. We all have one.

    In conclusion, let me suggest that you don’t believe a word I’ve written. It’s just my story, and it works for me. I hope at least some of it works for you as well.

    Ted A. Moreno

    Originally posted on The Moreno Method Blog on March 30, 2016

    Moreno.cdNote from Marlene: I have used Ted’s relaxation cds for years and I highly recommend them for relaxation and de-stressing.

    Hypnosis Audio Recordings By Ted A. Moreno, Certified Hypnotherapist

    Hypnosis audio recordings in the form of CDs and mp3 downloads are a popular and effective way way to reinforce positive changes in your life. By listening to these recordings, you can easily go into a hypnotic state and benefit from  positive suggestions reinforcing relaxation, motivation and the desire to reach your goals.

     

    Marlene C

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  • What is the scariest season?

    The Halloween season has passed and the holiday season approaches, the time of good cheer and good will. This might be the scariest season for some. Ted A Moreno’s guest blog post might help shoo away our fears.

    Guest Blogger Ted A. Moreno writes about “31 Scary Questions to Ask Yourself.”

    It’s all about scary this week as we approach Halloween and Day of the Dead. 

    It’s a time when it’s fun to be scared, as long as we know that it’s just a movie, or someone dressed up as the walking dead.

    Truth is, there are plenty of really scary things out there.  But by far, the scariest things are those that we hide from ourselves, the things that we are afraid to deal with.

    Unresolved issues that haunt us, pain we can’t seem to release, resentment that traps us in unhappiness. These are the monsters under the bed, the goblins that we spend so much energy keeping locked in the closet, for fear of what they might do if looked at them.

    Of course,  once we turn on the bedroom light, look under the bed and throw the closet door open, we find that there is nothing to fear.

    Shining the light of our awareness on those things that we don’t want to deal with allows us to see them clearly. Then we can take the opportunity to clean them up or straighten things out.

    Asking yourself a few scary questions can help you transform an unseen ghoul into Casper the Friendly Ghost. (Who really just wants to lend a helping hand.)

    Ask yourself these 31 scary questions and see if any of them make you a little freaky. If so, perhaps you are starting to exorcise some demons! Keep asking yourself those questions and see what comes up.

    31 Scary Questions to ask yourself. (Note from Marlene: You can also use these questions to discover more about your fictional character.)

    1. Am I happy?
    2. If I’m not, am I waiting for something to happen to be happy?
    3. Is it possible for me to decide to be happy now?
    4. Do I know what I want?
    5. Have I given up on getting the things I  want that are truly important to me?
    6. What fear keeps me from living the life I want?
    7. Have I become cynical, negative, or resigned?
    8. Do I like myself?
    9. Am I able to quickly name 10 great things about me?
    10. Am I taking care of myself?
    11. If no, do I feel I’m worth taking care of myself?
    12. Am I getting the love and attention I want and need?
    13. Do I have fun regularly?
    14. Do I have fulfilling social interactions?
    15. Am I expressing myself honestly and authentically?
    16. Is there someone I need to forgive?
    17. Is there resentment burning inside of me  that I need to resolve or express in a healthy, productive manner?
    18. Is there a negative belief that I need to  release or let go of?
    19. Is there a change I need and should make NOW?
    20. Why am I here?
    21. Is there a valid reason for the things that I am doing that are stressful and overwhelming?
    22. Am I giving me the me time  I need?
    23. Do I have regular moments of peace, calm and tranquility?
    24. Do I have frequent feelings of gratitude?
    25. Do I complain a lot?
    26. Do I hang around negative people that bring me down?
    27. Is my work meaningful and fulfilling?
    28. Do I compare myself to others and find it creates despair?
    29. Am I caught up in a lifestyle that I  feel is not meaningful to me?
    30. Am I happy with the answers I have to these questions?
    31. If not, what can I do today to change?

    Perhaps a few of these scary questions brought up some stuff. You might not be able to answer some of these scary questions in the way you feel you should or would like to.

    If so, copy those scary questions and paste them into a word or notepad etc. document. Delete all the questions that don’t have an emotional charge for you. Keep deleting until you have about 5 or 10 of the biggest, baddest scary questions that are giving you the heebie jeebies.

    Now keep these questions where you will see them. Maybe write them down on a 3×5 card and carry them around with you. Keep asking yourself these scary questions with awareness so that you can move beyond fear, negative self- judgment and shame and into the possibility of changing the answers.

    For instance, to the question: “Do I like myself?” you might answer “No! I don’t! And it really sucks! I hate that I don’t like myself! 

    See if you can move into non-judgment: “OK, I don’t like myself. I’m probably not the only one. I’m not a terrible person because I don’t like myself. But I want to like myself. So what can I do to begin to like myself?” 

    See how many of those scary questions you can bury by committing to some action. Bless and release old ways of being that no longer serve you and that are ready to be laid to rest. Then continue on your journey, a little more confident, on your way to an attitude of gratitude.

    Need some help on your journey? You can contact Ted A. Moreno by clicking here.

    Originally published by Ted A. Moreno, October 2014

    Ted A. MorenoTed A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, success performance coach, published author, educator and sought-after speaker who helps his clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits such as smoking.

    Marlene C

  • How does someone become frightening to one’s self?

    Guest Blogger Ted A. Moreno: How You Became What You’ve Become

    I’m learning a new song on my guitar: “Africa” by the band Toto.

    One line of the lyrics intrigued me:  “I seek to cure what’s deep inside, frightened of this thing that I’ve become.”

    It’s never really explained in the song what that means. How does someone become something that is frightening to one’s self?

    Seems to me that it doesn’t happen all at once, of course.

    It’s more like the frog peacefully floating in increasingly hotter water until he is boiled, never aware of what’s happening so he never jumps out. Kind of like death by a thousand cuts.

    Perhaps a good word would be entropy: the gradual decline into disorder.

    How does someone become someone that they are not happy with?

    • It happens one extra cookie, or additional scoop of ice cream or portion of food at a time.
    • It happens one extra drink or cigarette at time.
    • It happens the day you decide you are not going to take that walk or go to the gym and then one day leads to two days, then three…
    • It happens when you don’t make that extra phone call, or send that card or that letter, or drop by to say hello and then that becomes the norm.
    • It happens when one day you don’t get up on time, arrive on time or leave on time, one day at a time.
    • It happens that one time when you don’t say I love you, or smile, or go out of your way to be generous. It’s easy not to do, so it can happen again and again.

    I heard a saying once “If you stand in sewage long enough, you can become comfortable with it.”

    We can become very comfortable with the gradual lowering of our standards for ourselves, the gradual lowering of our expectations, the lowering of our energy, stamina and strength.

    Then one day we step on the scale, or look at our bank account, or realize that our marriage or business is failing. Maybe the doctor tells us something we didn’t expect.  Or we end up in the hospital, or divorce court, or getting our kid out of jail. And we ask ourselves: How did I get here?

    Answer: One neglect, one bad choice, one wrong word, one bad habit, one “it doesn’t matter” or “didn’t get around to it” at a time.

    No one sets out to become unhappy, unhealthy, unmotivated, unproductive and unsuccessful. The problem all too often is, we neglect to keep our goals in front of us so that we choose each day to do what it takes to be happy, motivated, productive and successful. Sometimes we think that it will happen by itself.

    The good news is that the same principle that tears us down is the same one that can build us up: what we choose to do every single day.

    If you have accomplished anything, triumphed over anything, or become someone you are proud of, it happened every single day.

    Can you walk for 5 minutes a day?
    Can you hold out for one less cigarette a day?
    Can you make one phone call a week? Send a letter a month?
    Save a small amount of money each week?
    Can  up get up 5 minutes earlier each day? Go to bed 5 minutes earlier?
    Can you smile at one person a day?

    If you are able to do any of these, than you have power to become what you love, what you respect, what you admire. Success by the inch is a cinch, by the yard it’s very hard.

    Take steps to cure what is deep inside, whether it’s apathy, resignation, cynicism, or fear. Becoming who you want to be might only take a small action every day.

    Like the song says: “Hurry, it’s waiting there for you.”

    Ted A. MorenoOriginally published by Ted Moreno, April 9, 2015 Ted A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, success performance coach, published author, educator and sought-after speaker who helps his clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits such as smoking.

     

    Marlene C

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  • Making a pronouncement, judgment or criticism about someone else . . .

    “Making a pronouncement, judgment or criticism about someone else reveals little about them, but reveals much about you.”   — Ted A. Moreno

    Note from Marlene: I agree with Ted. Watch what you say and how you act, because your words and your actions reflect more about you than about the other person.

    However. . . this can also be used as a way to reveal your character’s traits (fictional character or real person). I know this isn’t what Ted had in mind . . . but it’s such a profound idea. . . I thought sharing it here, on a writing blog . . . might also be helpful as a way to reveal characters’ personalities.

    Watch for tomorrow’s blog post, where we’ll explore this concept as a method for character development.

    Ted A. MorenoTed A. Moreno, C.Ht.

    Creator of the Moreno Method for Life Transformation™

    Hypnotherapist and Success Performance Coach

     Check out Ted’s book:

    “The Ultimate Guide to Letting Go of Negativity and Fear and Loving Life”

    Offices in South Pasadena and Covina

    (626)826-0612 / (909) 257-8260

    Phone Sessions Available

    Ted A. Moreno helps people quit smoking, let go of fear and anxiety, and create personal and business success.

    Marlene C

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  • Guest Blogger Ted A. Moreno – You Don’t Need Silence to Be Quiet

    The following is from Ted A. Moreno’s 12/16/14 email, “You Don’t Need Silence to Be Quiet.”

    Sit back, relax and enjoy.

    Ted writes:

    Last night I sat in a filled auditorium and watched as my 9 year old daughter, along with scores of other elementary school kids, gave her first band performance. They played 5 notes.

    When the curtain rose, she was right in my line of vision, wearing the white shirt and black pants her mom had picked up for her that afternoon. She sat with her clarinet, Taylor Swift hair, and sparkly eyes. She spotted me and returned my thumbs up sign with a huge grin.

    And even though the auditorium was filled with hooting parents calling out their kids’ names, I felt a stillness within. It hadn’t been a really good day, too busy, but right then and there it got a whole lot better.

    It wasn’t really all about pride for my daughter or happiness that my $22 a month clarinet rental was paying dividends. It went deeper than that.

    I got quiet and present to my life.

    This was my life: a wife, a 7 and a 9 year old, a home, music, business. It didn’t look like what a lot of other people have, but that didn’t matter. At that moment, it was perfect.

    Call it grace, luck, an auspicious alignment of the stars, whatever you want. I just got out of my way and allowed some little bit of peace in.

    You don’t need silence to be quiet inside, you just need to allow yourself the chance to connect with it. You see, it’s always there waiting for your attention. And what that is, is essentially, you.

    Stop. Sit. Quiet. Give it to yourself because no one else will. Turn off the TV, put away the electronic gizmos, stop thinking. Listen, first outside, then inside. What’s the message waiting for you? In the sound of rain or the traffic or the barking dogs?

    Even if you are in the middle of all the noise and hurry and haste, you can still be quiet. Breathe. Ask yourself, “What’s happening here?” Look and feel and get it. Step back from what is experienced and connect with the That which Experiences.

    Even though it’s all moving all the time, the only constant is your awareness. It really is the only thing that is ever True. See for yourself.

    Let me know how it’s going. I’d love to hear from you.

    Ted A. Moreno, Success Performance Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist
    626.826.0612

    Click here for Ted’s website.

    From Marlene:  Ted’s hypnotherapy work is extremely effective and therapeutic. He listens carefully, offers helpful feedback and suggestions that aid in getting to the heart of the situation. He is extremely perceptive, kind and understanding. If you think hypnotherapy might work for you . . . Ted’s your guy.

    Marlene C

  • Guest Blogger Ted A. Moreno . . . and the jewels deep within.

    Ted A. Moreno.2Today’s Guest Blogger, hypnotherapist Ted A. Moreno, writes about reflection and the passage of time . . .

    We’re still enjoying 80 degree temps here in Southern California. But it’s obvious that fall has arrived and that summer is on its way south.

    Can you feel it? The morning chill, the early darkness, the long shadows of late afternoon. Leaves releasing themselves for the slow descent to the ground.

    Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. Something about the shorter days and chillier nights make me pensive, perhaps because I was a winter baby.

    For me, this is a time of introspection, of going within. It’s as if the fading fall light casts a different perspective that makes me take a step back to examine my life.

    I’m getting more present to the fading away of a younger me. Remembrances of younger days seem to be visiting me lately. Not only the good times but the tough times.

    At this stage of the game, they show up now only as fleeting images that seem to have no relevance anymore. They are dead, and increasingly, less useful to me.

    Maybe the reason they come is to be released, to say goodbye.

    (You may know that the title of today’s post is from the movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” You may also know that November 1st is Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead.)

    Like the fall and regrowth of the leaves every year, a human life is a cycle of bringing in and letting go, taking in and releasing, expansion and contraction.

    Perhaps one of the more powerful things one can do at this time of transition is to see what no longer has life, bless it, and release it on its way.

    Whether the dead are memories, beliefs, or ways of being that are no longer vital to who we are today, we can trust that letting them go is part of the very process of life, even if that letting go forces us to feel.

    Let the passage of time wash away what needs to be cleansed. Weep if you must for what is dead and passed but let it go, you can’t hold the tide.

    Stay awake and present during this time of coming darkness. The light of your awareness can allow you to see what the receding tide of time leaves uncovered: the jewels deep within.

    Like the tide, feelings will also come and go. The happiness or sadness you felt back then is gone and dead. Why try to revive it?

    What we can do is stand, fully rooted in our awareness and aliveness, and watch as the swirl of time and circumstance and people and feelings flow around us.

    Note from Marlene: If you want to work on an aspect of your life that you think hypnotherapy might help . . . writer’s block? can’t sleep? anxiety? fears? . . . Ted A. Moreno is your hypnotherapy-guy-to-go-to. (Whoa. . . Say that three times!). He lives and works in Southern California and does extraordinary hypnotherapy over the phone.

    Ted A. Moreno is a hypnotherapist, success performance coach, published author, educator and sought-after speaker who helps his clients become free from fear and anxiety, procrastination and bad habits such as smoking.

    He is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified NLP Practitioner, and holds the Master Certification as a Therapeutic Imagery Facilitator. Ted is an Honors Graduate of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute and a recipient of the Director’s Award from HMI, awarded for exceptional professional achievement during clinical residency. Ted’s book, “The Ultimate Guide to Letting Go of Negativity and Fear and Loving Life” is available on Amazon.com.

    Originally content from Ted A. Moreno’s October 28, 2014 newsletter.

    Marlene C