lessons from a hypnotist

how to tap into your subconscious mind

Last week, we took an impromptu getaway to the mountains. We planned for one night, ended up staying for six! One day, we randomly started watching video after video of hypnotists. Naturally, my obsession with the power of the mind led me down a deep rabbit hole about how it all works.

My introduction to self-hypnosis took place when I was pregnant with my first daughter. My husband and I took an eight-week program called Hypnobabies. Every Sunday, we sat in a 3-hour-long class in the heart of Denver, learning all about the power of the mind over the body.

That was definitely a pre-kid luxury. I can’t imagine having the time to do that now, but I’m so glad we did because it allowed me to learn and practice intentionally shifting my brain waves to enter into theta and delta, where you can influence your subconscious.

Outside of class, you were encouraged to practice for an hour every day, and I did (again, pre-kid days).

Considering the unimaginable power of your subconscious, you think it would be mandatory to learn all about it in school. It’s not. Which is why we homeschool;)

Speaking of homeschool, here are some points I was talking about with my daughter today:

Your subconscious runs most of your life

About 90–95% of your thoughts, decisions, and behaviors are driven by the subconscious. Your conscious mind thinks it’s in charge… but it mostly just justifies what the subconscious already decided.

It processes information insanely fast

The subconscious processes millions of bits of information per second. The conscious mind can only handle about 40–50 bits per second.

It doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined

The subconscious reacts the same way to vivid imagination as to real experiences.

It loves repetition, not logic

The subconscious doesn’t respond to reasoning.

It responds to:

• Repetition

• Emotion

• Authority

It Shapes Your Reality

Your subconscious mind quietly builds the reality you experience every day. It filters what you notice, how you interpret events, and the choices you make—often without you realizing it. When you carry limiting beliefs or negative assumptions, your subconscious looks for evidence to confirm them, guiding your actions, reactions, and even your relationships in ways that make those beliefs feel “true.”

But the opposite is just as powerful. When your subconscious holds empowering beliefs, it begins to steer you toward opportunities, confidence, and outcomes that reflect them.

Reality isn’t everything that exists—it’s everything you notice.

Your subconscious has one primary mission: protection, not happiness. It’s wired to keep you safe and familiar, even if that familiarity limits growth or joy. And it will work tirelessly to prove your beliefs right—even when those beliefs are false. Change the belief, and the reality it reinforces begins to change too.

Your body listens to it constantly

The subconscious controls:

• Breathing

• Heart rate

• Immune responses

• Hormone release

Chronic stress thoughts can literally train the body into illness patterns.

You can reprogram it

Neuroplasticity means the brain changes with focused repetition.

Reprograming practice

Meditating for an hour a day is not in the cards for me in this season, but every night before I go to sleep, I always do this:

Use the “alpha–theta” window

Your subconscious is most open:

• Right before sleep

• Right after waking

and it responds most to image + emotion

What to do:

• Close your eyes

• Breathe slowly

• ‘flip the switch’: Imagine turning your light switch off, and your whole body goes limp and heavy, like you couldn’t lift your arm or open your eyelid if you tried.

• Imagine something you are working on as if it happened

• Add emotion (love, gratitude, joy, excitement)

Your brain fires the same neural pathways as if it’s happening now.

That one little practice, if done consistently, will rewire your brain and change your subconscious.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I posted this on notes, but wanted to share here as well for some positive start-of-the-year energy 🩷