Change of the inner self can take a matter of minutes. This is in contrast to the archaic thinking that it can’t be that simple; that the concept of change must take months or years, and be immensely complex. You see humans think in complexities all the time, but when it comes to the self the simplistic approach is typically the best. Now the bases of NAP or NAC, is that for you and I there are 2 determining factors for behavior: to avoid pain and to gain pleasure. Essentially the mind is in a constant juggling act with every choice you make under these two constraints. To put this into a visual, think of a man or woman addicted to drugs. The drug acts as a way to eliminate stress and to relax i.e. the pleasure. Most struggle with stopping the addictive behavior because that pleasure far outweighs the pain that the drug causes both physically to the body and psychologically in the mind and soul. What this person in the scenario has to do is change up their thinking and begin to increase the negative association with the drug use so it outweighs the pleasure they receive from it. This can be done is the 6 simple steps of NAP
1. Know what you want
This means exactly what it says. Know the desired behavior or outcome that you wish to experience. By knowing what you want and focusing on it you unconsciously wane towards that behavior naturally.
2. Know what is preventing you from what you want
This is just as important as number one. By recognizing there is a force or pattern that is preventing you from attaining what you truly want, you then can manifest it into a tangible enemy that you must stop no matter what.
3. Interrupt that pattern or break the old behavior
What this means is that with anything we do, we have a set order of operations. The problem most people have though is they maintain the same patterns and order of operations and expect to get different results. There are multiple ways to break the pattern. One is to stop cold turkey, the other is to change the sensory input associated with the situation that is bothering you. For example, think of a time when you were in an argument with a coworker and it has been bothering you for a few weeks. Every time you reflect on how the conversation played out you just continue to feel like crap. You know what you want which is to feel happy again…you know that feeling sad and continuing to go over the incident play by play just as it happened is preventing you from attaining that joy you want. Now you implement the third step, changing the pattern of thought or obstacle. Instead of replaying the conversation that you had with your coworker in your mind just as it happened, change the pitch of the voices or imagine a big glob of mustard on your coworkers face as they do jumping jacks while arguing with you. By doing this you interrupt the old pattern that lead you to feel upset and now your mind has switched gears to humor and creativity! From here you have officially interrupted your brains old routes of thought and now can move to the next step.
4. Choose and install the new behavior or pattern
Therapists and coaches who utilize these steps on their clients find that this is the most critical aspect. Finding an alternate behavior that can replace the old dis-empowering behavior can be a challenge, but it is most certainly attainable. In the previous example with the argument you are having with a coworker you could replace that old behavior of just brooding over what happened and take a minute to think about your situation and voice in a calm manner how the previous engagement left you feeling a certain way and you wish to either move forward or in some way reconcile.
5. Condition yourself to the new behavior or pattern
Repetition is your friend here. By constantly repeating the new, healthier behavior or thought pattern you begin to stitch it into the fabric of your mind and it becomes daily routine
6. Test it
After you have performed the first 5 steps successfully, with regards to whatever it is you are struggling with, see if the tribulation still maintains the same level of control or unhealthy feeling over you.
Now every therapeutic technique can work at any given time. But the NAP or NAC approach truly puts the power in your hands in what some can say as the most efficient and rewarding way. You can change now and rightfully should. Why delay the improvement of the quality of life you live both physically and psychologically?
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