If you’re reading this, you might be considering whether to sign up for one of Sugar’s trainings. You might know a little, or a lot about NLP already, dipping your toe into the water to see if you are brave enough to plunge right in. I did this for a few years before jumping in and booking onto the course.  You may have already read about how I got on with the CDs. Here’s how the first four days went for me…  

 

Day One

 

I was a bit nervous at first, but received a friendly welcome from Neal and Ben and found out from chatting to the others, that they’d come from a variety of backgrounds and locations, and most people were feeling a mixture of apprehension and excitement about the beginning of the training.  We were in safe hands, and an engaging introduction explained all about NLP and its roots. Right from the beginning I was captivated about this fascinating psychology and was already starting to wonder how I’ll  be able to use its tools and techniques in my life.

 

I don’t know whether or not this is something you’ll identify with, reader, but I tend to swing between extremes of absolute confidence in my strengths and worthiness on a great day, and being a bit wobbly and unsure of myself on a less than great day. Imagine learning that you can learn how to tap into the ‘great day’ confidence when you like – and not only that, that it’s ok to Be Who You Are – big news to me, that one.   

 

Looking back on day one seems a blur – meeting new friends, being a bit brave with inductive learning, finding out some things are easier than you thought when you have a go. I’ve been laughing, relaxed, energised, nervous, amazed and entertained, and have a suspicion this experience is going to do me a lot of good. After all, we can’t not change, can’t we?

 

Day Two

 

On the way to the course I found myself planning how to ‘pace and lead’ during a presentation I have to give next week, so already finding ways in which my new skills are going to be useful.

Language patterns today. I’d been looking forward to these and really enjoyed practising – although halfway through the day I started to feel ‘fuzzy’ and a bit overloaded with all the new stuff we’d learned. Neal had forewarned us about this happening – and that when it did it might be time to ‘let go of some stuff’ and trust our unconscious mind to embed the learning so we could get on with learning more! This was my second big learning, about letting go and allowing my unconscious mind to handle things now and again – it’s my new best friend!

 

I laughed a lot again today and enjoyed working with my fellow course mates. Had a few lightbulb moments too where I’ve learned about some of the beliefs I’ve been carrying about which aren’t helping me to be truly resourceful.  I might even be learning to love having curly hair (those of you with curls will understand the desire to be straight – if any of my course mates are reading this and had some influence on my curly thinking on day two – thank you x)

 

Day Three

 

More language patterns today, and learning about goal setting. We’re all wandering around at breaks making each other laugh with playing with words and, now we’ve learned them, finding it hard not to pick them up in other people’s language.  Now we’ve learned this powerful stuff, we’re not going to be able to unlearn it – as demonstrated by a fellow course mate (you know who you are)who had found it difficult not to interrupt a conversation she’d overheard in the street where someone had been using Milton Model language and the temptation to challenge it was just too much….

 

Something’s definitely shifted for me over the past couple of days. I feel like I’ve been waiting for these insights for a long, long time, and today I can’t stop smiling!

 

Day Four

 

I felt a bit wobbly during day four when exploring some of my reactions to certain things.  You know those beliefs  you just carry around with you, that don’t quite serve you but they’ve been around so long they’re just like old friends…. It’s a bit like that old baggy comfy jumper with a few holes in it that  you just can’t face throwing out because of its emotional attachment – well thanks to some well-timed intervention from a course mate who stepped up to the challenge and Neal, I’ve not just thrown out that jumper but I’ve had a flipping huge wardrobe clear out ready for some new, colourful clothing (for colourful clothing read  new, resourceful beliefs).

 

If you haven’t discovered anchors yet you don’t know what you’re missing!  Following a demo session with Ben I was able to clear out a few more ‘no longer required’ beliefs. My wardrobe, so to speak, is well and truly ready and waiting for me to fill it with exactly what I choose.  

 

 

A week later

 

I’ve been a Me that I really like this week. I’ve anchored, paced, led, Milton and Meta Modelled, chunked and pre-supposed, easily and naturally – with great results. I knew something had changed when I discovered myself driving to work on Monday morning, on the A66, with a big and important day ahead, pressing my knee to activate an anchor and grinning my head off. My apologies to the lorry driver whose eye I caught who must have thought I was quite mad. My NLP cup overfloweth.

 

I’m not suggesting that you should rush out straight away and register for the NLP Practitioner training, unless you’re ready to learn, grow, and be amazing. It’s really, very, very good. Come on in, the water’s lovely!