When I am asked about NLP or Kundalini Yoga or Time Line Therapy or any of the other tools and techniques I have learnt and taught over the years, a follow-up question is often: “What’s it all for?”
And sometimes it can be less than totally easy to explain to people in a few words or paragraphs the Power of these techniques in totally transforming your life…if you choose. But in a world gone crazy with information overload, it takes discerning filters to separate out the bullshit from the truths, and so in recent years, I have spoken less about these techniques and more about technology.
Funny. As I see it, technology doesn’t seem to have any mystery about it. Everyone has an iPhone-like device, and a Smart TV and an iPad or touchscreen. We know that the Internet just works magically across wireless or mobile carrier, and we don’t even think about it anymore. until it goes wrong.
Now, in college, I studied Physics and Electronics, and at a certain level, I still (just about) know how all these millions of transistors and inductors and component come together to create this amazing ecosystem we call The Internet, but if you asked me to explain every bit to you, and how they work, we would be here for a long time. And that’s not even getting into the Software.
In much the same way, when someone asks me about NLP, and they say something like “Isn’t that’s just common sense?” or “Isn’t that just positive thinking?” . I usually nod in agreement, because they have already made up their mind and closed the door. And if the door is already closed, I don’t knock.
Fact is: as each passing day goes by, I see more and more people accept a life that is slowly destroying them. I see people in more pain and suffering and I see so many people just give up and accept their lot — like “suffering” and “lack” is just a fact. Up here in Northern Ireland it seems to be exaggerated because there are so many more charities and government handouts available here than you can shake a stick at. It doesn’t make charity or funding wrong, it just give you a opt-out clause.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Really. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. And I really want to make a difference in my life and in the life of my family and my kids, and whoever else will listen. I have seen the evidence of this with my own eyes over the past 10 years. How my kids spelling strategies have improved using these tools. How to use pictures to install math strategies. How I can comfort them and ease their pain when they are hurting. How I can understand how they are thinking and what they are thinking when no one else seems to, and then I ask a question.
Who else would benefit?
And this is where it all comes to a grinding halt.
You see I am in a very interesting position: Currently, my “Day Job” role is as a Technologist — a Developer — I develop Enterprise Applications using the languages and tools of Java and dotnet. I work for big banks and financial institutions. And they take my time and swap it for money and I help them solve problems. Business Problems. In the world of business, we call them Pain Points.
But let’s be honest, Banks don’t have pain points. People do.
And I don’t think we are helping to fix the pain points for people.
So I think we need a new paradigm for thinking, and new paradigm for learning and a new paradigm for communicating what’s going on for us and how we can make a difference. Don’t you?
And then today I came across an article that for me seems to bridge the gap. It was an article from someone who following a very similar journey to me over the past 10 years on the other side of the world, but the difference being that she developed Breast Cancer on her journey. The article talks about her own personal journey and how she navigated the landscape using the same tools and techniques and models of health that I learnt and taught, and I found the article inspiring and motivating and heartening. There is no ego in the article. No bravo, no “How cool am I”. I really liked that. From the heart.
And then I realised that I don’t serve others by not talking about my own personal stories and experiences over the last 10 years. From the heart. Some of the stories are amazing and unbelievable, some are painful and have deep lessons and some are on-going and currently writing themselves into the bio of my life. So with your permission, I would like to share these stories with you…
