There is a sense of magic and curiosity in the word 'fascination'.

The other day I was studying a course in Hypnosis and the one of the hypnotic methods suggested was called 'Eye Fascination' where the client selects a spot and focuses on it. Focusing helps the client to enter into a hypnotic state.

I find it interesting how we focus on specific words that hold our fascination.

Words fascinate me. Words hypnotize me. Words focus my attention.

Language creates my mind. So many of us are oblivious to what is going on in our minds because we are focusing in on how we feel about everything that is going on around us.

We get to the point were we are tense and anxious because we are experiencing information overload. We are hypnotized by our surroundings. And negative suggestions quickly enter our subconscious mind.

When we were more primitive we could just as easily face our enemies by fighting them off as by running away. Now, our jobs have become our enemy and we no longer have those options.

We either become very anxious, leading to extreme anxiety and panic attacks, or we take flight by escaping into depression. 

Listen to the words that populate our work day. "Information overload, anxiety, overwhelmed". Is it any wonder that we go into meltdown and head straight for depression?

All of these words influence us. Think about something negative. Imagine your worst fear.

Now think about something positive. Imagine your most pleasurable moment.

Even you are not aware of it, and most of us are not unless we stop to focus on our thought processes, our unconscious minds fill in the details, those experiences and memories that attach themselves to those words 'negative and positive'.

Talking to ourselves in tones of self-pity and using a negative vocabulary increases our stress, increase our anxiety. We need to be mindful about how we talk to ourselves.

We can make new associations to words simply by imagining ourselves doing something positive in relation to those words.

Take for example the word goal. If I sit down and choose a new goal that really excites me, that fascinates me, that helps me to focus my life, then whenever I say the word 'goal' I will be reminded about my new goal.

Another very important word that so many seem to shun because of bad press is the word hypnosis. Words that fascinate you, events that fascinate you, hypnotize you.

Advertisers absolutely know this. How else would they hold your attention?

Take an advertisement  for toilet tissue add the word soft and add some cute, soft, furry kittens.

If you are like me and love animal stories, you have my attention. Throw in the "AAAhhh' factor and you have hypnosis.

That doesn't mean that you are going to rush out to buy that product. All the advertiser needs to do is hold your attention.

The same applies to hypnosis. It doesn't mean that you are going to do exactly what the hypnotist suggests, unless you really want to.

Let's make an interesting list of words that help us to go through the day. And let's associate new thoughts to each so that we can accomplish a little of our goals each and every day.

Here's my list:

Fascination, Focus, Goals, Curiosity, Passion, Hypnotic, Positive, Optimism. All of these words have a certain pull forward. They attract my attention to what I plan to accomplish.

So make up your own list of words. Start a new one each day, whatever you want. Do whatever it takes to remain motivated, upbeat and capable. 

We can easily overload ourselves. We set unrealistic schedules that include more negative input than we can handle.

Turn off the TV and stop reading newspapers if you feel yourself in information overload. To much of both can make you feel negatively overloaded. Too many of the stories on TV and in the newspaper are violent and negative.

Focus on your mental health, focus on family time, give yourself more leisure time. Do anything to take stress out of your life. Get your kids to help more. Learn to negotiate family time with your family.

Realize that long term goals are just that. Don't expect everything to happen all at once. Slow and persistent will get you there. 

Sit back on that chaise lounge on your deck, put your legs up and bask in the sun while taking in all the flowers and birds and trees in your garden. Take in only the moment. Let the past be just history. Let the future come to you. Enjoy what is now.

Life happens moment by moment. Life is being aware that we are. Life is Being. Enjoy the journey.

I hope my fascination with words helps to fascinate and focus you too.