Why We Are Who We Are

When I blog at www.skipnotherapy.com, I don’t often link to other websites, especially with my own wife’s blog (the appearance of nepotism and all that!), but today is different.  Barb (my wife) an author and active blogger at theemptynestmom.com posted about an article which appeared in Esquire magazine this month.  The article asked fifty “extraordinary men” “Who made you who you are today?”

While the topic is interesting enough, what caught my interest, as a hypnotherapist, is how some of them, at a very young age, were influenced by a kind comment, an act by someone else, or an example which was set by someone.  What I know is that our subconscious mind NEVER forgets.  When we are young we are especially receptive to subconscious influence because we have not yet developed critical judgment – that is, we accept virtually everything as the truth.  If what we hear about ourselves from an adult or someone with influence is good, it can bolster our confidence and we act accordingly.  It can even be life-changing.  Conversely, when someone scathes us with a derogatory or unkind comment, it can have a deleterious effect on us, our ego, our confidence, and our lives long into the future.  Amplify that damage when the offense is physical in nature, such as sexual abuse.  If the person is lucky enough to find hypnotherapy as a resource, the damage can often be minimized or undone.

But let me stay on the positive side of this topic, as the article my wife referenced was.  I think you will find it uplifting, and you will likely agree with me that the foundation of a good man (and woman) begins with the messages we receive as children.  Please link through to the post here, and feel free to leave a comment here or at Barb’s site  if you are so moved.