Neuro-Linguistic Programming’s Swish Technique
The Swish Technique is an NLP “mind exercise” used to change how your brain/ body responds to something that you see, hear or feel (the trigger). For instance, if you habitually responded to the sight of the corner hot dog stand by automatically feeling hunger, you could use the Swish Pattern, by following the steps below, in this way:
- Create a close-up image of the stimulus
This should be a specific object or scene from the outside world. Since this will act as a trigger for the new behavior, it should be seen through your eyes (associated).
Visualize a time when you saw the hot dog stand and it started to make you hungry - Create a distant image for the desired response.
You want to move towards this, rather than experience it as if it were happening now, so it should be seen as through an outside observer’s eyes (disassociated).
See an image of yourself, “over there”, seeing the hot dog stand yet feeling strong and healthy and full as if you had just eaten. Visualize yourself with your perfect body and someone who would never eat a hot dog. - Swish the two images in your mind – rapidly push the 1st Hot dog stand scene into the distance, and bring the image of the second one into direct view. For effect, you can actually make a “swish” sound as the images pop into place.
- Allow the images to settle for a minute in their new places.
- Clear the your mind.
Repeat steps 1 through 5 until any thought of the stimulus leads directly to the response.