Reprogramming Your Subconscious Negative Thoughts
Annette Nay, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2000

Often when we are mentally and/or physically ill or dying we allow negative thoughts to dominate our waking thoughts that eventual trickle into our subconscious. We may also have subconscious, negative thoughts which stops us from reaching our goals and keeps us from being happy. These need to be changed. The following are the steps to do so.

Step One

You should lie down in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.

1. Start with this relaxation exercise: Tense up all the body parts and then release them completely until these parts hang from your body like a rag doll's would. Inventory the relaxation in each body part as listed below: Breath deeply and slowly through the nose and blow out all the air, slowly through the mouth.

• feet, ankles, calves, thighs, and buttocks
• lower back, stomach, and chest
• shoulders, biceps, forearms, and hands
• neck, scalp, forehead, and mouth

2. When you are completely relaxed, see yourself in a place that will bring you peace.

• This may be on the beach with a warm sun beating down and waifs of cool air playing over your body.
• Feel it, see it, and smell it with as much detail as possible. Practice going there 3 times/day. Do so until you can be totally relaxed just by conjuring up your peaceful place.
• You may find that you may fall asleep doing this exercise.
• If you are having problems falling asleep, this is a good technique to get you there.
• Close your eyes and feel yourself inside your head suspended somewhere between your two eyeballs, somewhere in the middle of your head. While there, see yourself entering an elevator.
• Feel yourself slowly floating down five levels. Think each number level in your head as you slowly proceed downward. Each level should find you more relaxed that the first.
• The bottom or 5th level will find you suspended somewhere mid-scull, at the level where the head meets the neck.

Spend about five minutes of total peace and relaxation there.

1. Then come back slowly to level one. Tell yourself you will be awake, alert, and refreshed when you get there. Upon reaching level one open your eyes and go about your day's events.
2. Practice going to level 5 in at least once a day for a week. When you can lie down and reach your destination with in 3-5 minutes, you are ready to talk to yourself and reorder your negative thoughts to positive ones.
3. What do you want changed in your life? Do you need more self-esteem? Is there something in your life that you are afraid of and would like to overcome? Level five is the place to do it.

Step Two

• Decide what you want to do before you even start to relax.
• When you are at level five start reprogramming.

Rules for Reprogramming Your Subconscious Mind

• Never state anything to yourself as I won't/can't ________. Always state things in a positive action form. The statement should say whatever positive thing you will do.
• Example: "I won't be afraid," should be stated as "When I feel even a little fearful I will breath deeply and relax all the muscles throughout my body."
• After deciding what you want to do and after you have your positive affirmation in your mind, go to your relaxed state on the fifth level.
• At the beginning and at the end of the reprogramming session, always state your positive affirmation boldly like you know it to be true. Remember you must convince yourself!
• See, hear, smell, and feel yourself in a situation where you are acting as if you were like your positive affirmation. Ex.: I am afraid of dogs, so I see myself petting and playing happily with a dog. I feel my face smiling. I feel happy. I see the dog wagging his tail and happy to see me. I feel the soft fur under my hand. I smell the sent of the dog.
• Usually after doing this exercise three times a week for approximately three weeks your subconscious will act as if it accepts the positive affirmation as truth.
• The mind is a funny thing. It cannot tell the real thing from the practices you hold in your mind. You can have positive wonderful encounters in your mind to overcoming any and all problems, several times. Now it is old hat, doing it for real should be no big deal. Just be in the moment, not in the past! Build upon your positive successes held in your practices. See yourself succeeding. Believe in yourself and your practice.
• If you are experiencing anxiety during the real event and relaxation is not taking care of it, then see yourself playing a part, like an actress. Fake it 'til you make it. This is your training wheels, so to speak.
• Each time you have a real encounter, try to be in the moment and do it for real. You will eventually make it!
• Reinforce the subconscious exercise by acting throughout the day, as if you already were like your positive affirmation.

Example of Reprogramming

Goal: I can peace and happiness my life despite my handicaps.

• See yourself in the most positive picture you can conger up. See yourself smiling as you do what you are able to do what it is you can do. Feel at peace with yourself. Feel how proud you are of yourself for continuing to do your best, whatever that is each moment. Feel the love your God has for you as you ask for His help to do well this day.
• Note: See everything that should during your day in a peaceful happy light. See yourself turning your well-being over to God. Feel His love for you. Then see yourself at your day-end, still happy and peaceful even through the trials, because you have done your best to make it through. See yourself thanking God for His help. See yourself loving God.
• State with believable enthusiasm:
  • "I can have peace and happiness."
  • "I can have in peace and happiness because __________________."
  • "I can have peace and happiness!"
  • When you have finished your reprogramming session you tell yourself you will be refreshed and happy when you return up to level one.
  • Again enter the elevator at level five and move slowly back up to full consciousness and level 1.
  • You also have the option of telling yourself you can go to sleep now and that you will get a good rest. Then go to sleep.

Rules for Using Positive Affirmations

State it three times as follows:

• "I can do my best today, despite my disabilities."
• "I can do my best today, despite my disabilities because I have God’s help."
• "I can do my best today, despite my disabilities!"

The difference between the first and last line is that the last line has the verb emphasized!

Always say it as if you already believe it! Fake it 'til you make it!

Rules for Reprogramming the Unconscious Mind

• Never state anything to yourself as I won't/can't ________. Always state things as things in a positive action form. The statement should say whatever positive thing you will do.
• Example 1: "I won't be afraid," should be stated as "When I feel even a little fearful, I will breath deeply and relax all the muscles throughout my body. I will stand/sit straight and feel happy with myself. I will erase the fear from my thoughts by going to my peaceful place on the beach or elsewhere. I will breath deeply and slowly."
• Example 2: A Positive Affirmation: I can set goals and attain them. (Not: I am not a failure.)
• After deciding what you want to do and after you have your positive affirmations in your mind, go to your relaxed state on the fifth level.
• State your positive affirmations boldly, like you know it to be true. You must convince yourself.
• See yourself in a situation where you are acting as if you were like your positive affirmation.
• After doing this exercise three times a week for approximately three weeks your subconscious will act as if it accepts the positive affirmation as truth.
• Bedtime in a good time to do positive affirmations because the mind will replay what it was last told, over and over for a half hour before entering deep sleep.
• Reinforce the exercise by acting as if you already were like your positive affirmation.
• Use positive affirmations just before sleep. The brain replays what was thought and/or said to yourself or from others to you for approximately 45 minutes to an hour after you go to sleep. This replay or information goes straight to the subconscious mind. It is a good way to change negative thought or practice information needed for work or school.

A Final Thought

As always it is a good idea to ask God to help you with reprogramming your thoughts. Things go better and progress quicker than usual. Also, He can help you pick the positive thoughts you should use in reprogramming negative ones.