PRIMING is a simple mental imagery method that can help increase positive expectation for desired outcomes.
Research indicates that positive expectancy for specific outcomes increases persistent, goal directed behavior. If you think
you can, you will try harder. Priming an ideal day before it begins or priming the preferred outcome of specific events
prepares the mind and body for success. The process is easy and just takes a few minutes to do.
Summary of Steps
1. Determine which goals to prime
2. Relax
3. Imagine/see yourself happy (end of day/after the event)
4. Describe/imagine the goals as if the ideal outcome has occurred
5. Create a corresponding positive feeling in the body
6. Increase the vividness of feelings, thoughts and images
7. Do an integrating breath
8. Conclude with an affirmation
1. Determine Your Goals
Pick the goal or goals you will work on in the session. Limit yourself, from one to three goals. Too many will diffuse the
focus. Goals to work on might include taking care of your health (eating well and exercising), meeting new people, being
productive and getting lots of work done, feeling more confident, or having a successful job interview.
2. Close Your Eyes & Relax
If you are priming an exceptional day a good time to do that is in the morning right after meditation, or soon after getting
up, before your day gets going. The other option is to prime right before a critical event, like an exam, interview, important
phone call. Whenever you do it, first take a moment to relax. That facilitates imagination. One simple relaxation method is
to count backwards from ten to one. Exhale and count one number down with each breath. Tell yourself with each number
down you are becoming more relaxed, then just let go. Let the shoulders relax and the arms become heavy.
3. See Yourself in a Comfortable Space Looking Very Happy
If you are not yet skilled at imagery you can just pretend that you see the image, even if you see nothing at all, that is fine.
'See' yourself sitting in a chair at home, or some other quiet place. You are alone. You look very, very happy. You are
happy because you have achieved your goal.
4. Imagine/Describe the Ideal Outcome As If It Has Already Occurred
Tell yourself that you are very happy, you feel excellent. Specify that you are happy because you have achieved your goal.
Image and describe the goals as if successfully completed. For example, you can say, "I feel awesome because I exercised,
got a tremendous amount of work done, and had wonderful connections with people! This was an incredible day." See it as
you describe it. The words and imagery should be personal (about you), positive, and present tense (now, not the future).
5. Create a Corresponding Positive Feeling
This experience will be more powerful if there is a corresponding positive body feeling. If you closed a major deal you
would be jazzed. If you image that event, but there is no positive emotion, it is not 'real'. We want the imagery to have a
corresponding positive emotion, enthusiasm, a sense of accomplishment. If we give an image a strong positive charge it
will be more memorable, as we tend to remember powerful emotional experiences, negative and positive. It will also
increase coping and positive mood during the day. If your specific imagery does not evoke a noticeable positive feeling
then just remember something in your life that was a very positive experience. That memory will reawaken that mind-body
state immediately, and your imagery will become 'real'. Or just fake feeling good, fake it until you make it. No matter how
you do it, let yourself feel energized by your success, have a genuine sense of happiness and accomplishment.
6. Increase the Intensity
Make the entire experience more vivid. You can do this with self-talk "I feel amazing. What an incredible day," or by
making the colors or images more vivid, or by intensifying the body state (just allow it be bigger).
7. Do an Integration Breath
Inhale and breathe the image/energy into your lower abdomen, then exhale it even deeper down into your core, infinitely
deep. Inhale it back up to the body surface, then exhale it out to fill the universe with your most remarkable day.
8. Conclude with an Affirmation
The affirmation is, "I am committed to...." Reconfirm your personal goal. "I am committed to having the most wonderful
relationship, the most positive attitude, the best half marathon..." Then go out and do it. The universe is waiting for you.
From Self Hypnosis, Adam Burke PhD, Crossing Press 2004 | SelfHypnosis-Priming.com