Metaphors with Jimmy Petruzzi

www.nlp-trainingcourses.com

The following exercise is very powerful and can

help you transform the way you feel about your

life

What are some of the metaphors you use in your life and

think about the impact, if it has a negative impact change it

to something more resourceful?

For example

· “We are all just a drop in the ocean”
· Change to something more profound “by throwing a

pebble into a river we can create a ripple”

· “At work I am just a number”
· To “I am an important cog in a wheel”

Complete the exercise write down the metaphors you are

using to run your mind

Take a few minutes to think about some of the metaphors

you’re using in your life.

Write the metaphors down

Now think of the impact it is having on your life,

the perception you gain from the metaphor

From the list you completed the following exercise is to

change anything negative to more positive

Take a moment to think and notice how different you feel

by creating a more resourceful metaphor.

For example

I am Stuck in a dead end job can be changed to

my job is a stepping stone to better things

My work……………

My relationships…………………….

My life…………………………………………………….

Using metaphors to create stories

This can be very therapeutic having worked with many

clients over a number of years this technique is a powerful

and special technique to help people develop an inner

resolve and greater perspective on many situations.

Some of the clients I work with have been through some of

the most challenging experiences in life; they have suffered

physical and mental abuse and get stuck in a negative place.

Finding it difficult to move forward and make the most of

their life, One of the techniques I use is ask the client to

come up with a metaphor for the situation they are going

through in their life, it often has a powerful effect on their

life.

I was working with a client once who had been on anti

depressants for several years; they had been told that they

were medically depressed by their GP. They told me how

they felt they had no hope, no motivation, found it difficult

to get through life.

They had given up all the things they enjoyed doing, cut

themselves from their friends and family, and were left in a

dark place with no way out. Amongst many other things

they said, they had seen counselors, doctors, psychologists;

things never seemed to get better.

One of the techniques that helped them to move out of the

situation they were in was I had asked them to create a

metaphor for the situation they were in and close the

metaphor with a positive ending, the state of mind they

would like to be in (so taking the present state of mind they

were in and focusing on the desired state of mind). And

having created the metaphor put it in a place they could see

it daily.

Having done this, this person completely transformed their

life. To the point the no longer needed medication, got back

on their feet again, new job, revitalized their relationship,

took many social activities including dancing. They

completely transformed their life. Like many others, by

altering their perspective. I am not advocating anyone on

medication come off, though this is a perfect example of

how sometimes we are too quick to label ourselves, or get

labeled. With something’s which isn’t productive.

An example of a metaphor

For someone who is experiencing situations where things

may be challenging, however by persisting they can get

through.

Consider a river; how it flows to the mighty seas, on its

journey it meets many challenges and obstacles along the

way, though never giving up hope, it keeps flowing.

The nature of the river is such no matter what gets in its

way, hills, forests, fields; it manages to find a way round or

through the obstacles until it succeeds in achieving its goal.

Regardless how difficult, challenging impossible it may have

seemed to begin with, the river keeps flowing until it meets

the sea.

Create your own metaphor

Now using the above metaphor as an example do the

following exercise with a situation in your life. Take the time

to create a metaphor for a challenge you may be going

through at the moment.

When creating your metaphor take your time to

relax and let your mind wonder let your

subconscious mind take over and be creative.

Identify the situation or problem in your life

Write down whets going on

Who is involved?

How is it a problem?

How would you like things to evolve?

Key points in writing your metaphor

· In writing your metaphor decide on characters and

settings that reflect the relationships of the people

involved

· Develop a plot that reflects the current problem
· Develop the story reflecting the current problem into

a story which has a positive ending

· Making positive changes to the story
· Building the metaphor
· Populate the metaphor with characters (egg super

heroes, wizards, trees, birds, animals, people.)

· And what reflects the relationship of the significant

people involved in developing the plot of the

metaphor, include anything you may have already

tried to change things.

· Offer resolutions by developing the story so its moves

towards a positive ending, be creative and draw from

your sub conscious mind

Having created your metaphor notice how

differently you feel about the situation, your

perspective and outlook.