The Expand Your Awareness Five Week Challenge.  Week two challenge: Choosing awareness over projection.

This is the second week in the series of a five-week challenge to expand your awareness and overcome some of the difficulties that we can all face in challenging situations. This week, we focus on choosing awareness over projection.

Choosing awareness over projection is to help you take a step back and not make predictions or expect others, or even yourself, to behave in a certain way. It is so easy to project because it is what we want others to do. Having an awareness can help you to realise your projections. It can also reduce the disappointment, judgement and pressure that comes with projecting and expecting.

Last week’s challenge was to try and identify when you are making judgements and put the measures in place to help expand your awareness when you have these thoughts. The challenge also looked at what happens in the situations where you make judgements. You can read the article here and don’t forget to email me at info@hypnosis-in-london.com if you need any help and to receive your free meditation download.

This week’s challenge follows on from last week and will help you to stay true to yourself. Furthermore, it will help you not to suffer as a result of other people’s projections and your own expectations of others.

Challenge two: Stop projections

Projections and expectations are our internal predictions of what we think someone will do. When we project, place emphasis on what we want to happen, not necessarily what the other person wants. As a result, we can feel disappointment when these expectations do not actualise. Furthermore, we often judge others for not living up to the expectations that we have set in our minds. Problems arise when we project without consideration of the other people, falling into the trap of mind reading, or in extreme cases, seeing others as objects.

Projection happens the other way around too. We will take on people’s own projections and make them our own, even when we do not want to, or think it is the right thing to do. We often do what other people want to avoid their judgement of us or because this is the ‘norm’. Instead of being true to ourselves, we live up to other people’s expectations. This can make us unhappy, and we suffer as a result of feeling powerless.

We are even too hard on ourselves. We have expectations of what we should achieve, such as the promotion at work or perhaps to look a certain way and be a certain dress size. When we do not live up to our own expectations it can impact our self-esteem, we end up judging ourselves harshly. This can damage our mental health and wellbeing as well as our bodies.

Why choose awareness over projection?

To help rid these negative feelings and to make sure you honour your true path, this week’s challenge aims to stop you buying into someone else’s projections, stop yourself projecting and ultimately learn how to choose awareness over projection. Instead of being nice and doing things that don’t make you happy, choosing awareness over projection can help you to be the best version of yourself and make the choices in situations that will make you happiest.

How to stop projections

When you are facing a difficult situation or perhaps a person you find challenging, follow these four steps;

1. Notice when you are projecting – e.g. do you believe a colleague hates you or perhaps your partner will cheat?
2. What would it be like to drop with prediction or mind reading?
3. Notice when you are buying into another person’s projection, g. are you doing something that makes you unhappy because of what they want?
4. What beliefs and attitudes have they got you believing, even though it is not actually what you think?

Step four can be a challenging step. Often the projections we live up to are so ingrained in our relationship with that person, that we may not even realise it is a projection at all. Even though it may be routine, try and find your own belief in the situation. Then make the decision, consciously, as to whether you genuinely do buy into the projection or not.

Remember, you do not have to buy your own or others’ projections as real and true. Use awareness to see a situation as it is, not using your own inherent or inherited beliefs.

5. Bonus! To help you consciously approach your own projections as well as the projections that you buy into, I have created a powerful affirmation download. Please email me at info@hypnosis-in-london.com to receive your free copy. With the power of affirmation, it can help you to realise your own conscious thoughts and stay true to yourself with confidence and esteem.

The benefits of choosing awareness over projection

By allowing yourself to see every point of view, not just the projection of what you think you want, you expand the possibilities. This can help you to actively adjust, making it easier to adapt to each situation. Without the expectation and projection, you will not disappoint, or be disappointed by others. You can live without judgement and be confident in your own decisions and less influenced by other people.

Let me help you to choose awareness over projection

Do you want to increase your awareness further? If you would like to rid yourself of the influence of projections or stop projecting yourself, I can help. Get in touch to book an appointment and receive the support, tools and advice you need to help take control of your life and feel confident in your decision-making.

As always, I would love to hear how you are finding this week’s challenge.

Remember to subscribe to the blog to ensure you do not miss next week for The Expand Your Awareness Five Week Challenge.

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References:

Chernoff, M. and Spicer, R. (2018). 18 Reasons to Give Up Trying to Live Up to Everyone’s Expectations. [online] Marc and Angel Hack Life. Available at: http://www.marcandangel.com/2014/04/30/18-reasons-to-give-up-trying-to-live-up-to-everyones-expectations/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].

Lonerwolf.com. (2018). [online] Available at: https://lonerwolf.com/psychological-projection/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].

Psychology Today. (2018). 3 Ways to Be Kinder to Yourself: Expert Advice. [online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/comfort-cravings/201311/3-ways-be-kinder-yourself-expert-advice [Accessed 20 Apr. 2018].