Confused About PSTEC Negative

[MarkPSTEC User]

Thanks Ray and Lisa,

I think I'm realizing that I'm really not a visual person. I am a professional musician…maybe that's part of it.

But I just tried to visualize a sentence without any distractions and I find it very hard. I can't really see anything when I think of the sentence. I hear the words in my head but can't really see it. I wonder if there's a way around this.

[Jeff HardingPSTEC Pro and Forum Moderator]

Hi Mark… as Ray and Lisa said … you don't need to visualize… that is not required.  Don't worry about visualizing; just let go of that thought as not relevant.

This is about imagination and, as a musician, at least the ones I know very well, imagination is not a problem, yah? 

Just imagine… pretend if you will … that the sentence is in your mind… which, in reality, it is, because that sentence came from your mind… from your subconscious into your conscious awareness.

Just imagine that sentence is in the forefront of your mind… however you imagine it is perfect … and then imagine scrambling it and making it incomprehensible.

This is the same aspect or manner in which to work on emotional issues with the Click Tracks … just imagine the memory or future event … you don't need to visualize… just imagine.

Aloha!
Jeff

[MarkPSTEC User]

Thanks Jeff,

OK I have some new discoveries/questions.

Firstly, I'm a musician and have had debilitating performance anxiety for years. Tried every technique under the sun but nothing, aside from medication, has worked.

A way of checking my anxiety about performing is going busking. I've forced myself to do it a lot (thought exposure therapy worked) but it's always been extremely unpleasant.

Anyway, I know very well that the belief holding me back from busking (and which causes all my shyness) is that “I am bothering people”

So I used that as my belief to work on just now – It is my belief that me busking bothers people.

I'm getting better at imagining the sentence in my mind.

A few questions – does it matter if, when you jumble the words, you see the new jumbled structure of the sentence perfectly? Same with jumbling letters – would you have to see the sentence with the exact amount of words/letters perfectly in a new order or can it just be kind of a mess of letters and words? I'm sure that I'm not seeing the exact amount of words and letters that should be there.

I'll have to check if I can go busking tomorrow or if I'll avoid it. There are other beliefs in there that I can work on (perfectionism etc). Thanks

[Jeff HardingPSTEC Pro and Forum Moderator]

Hi Mark…

You will find your groove with using the PSTEC Tools just as you find it with an instrument or band mates. 

A few questions – does it matter if, when you jumble the words, you see the new jumbled structure of the sentence perfectly? Same with jumbling letters – would you have to see the sentence with the exact amount of words/letters perfectly in a new order or can it just be kind of a mess of letters and words? I'm sure that I'm not seeing the exact amount of words and letters that should be there.

The objective is to merely keep jumbling …and not jumble it perfectly.  There is no perfection is scrambling.  It's either scrambled or it's not scrambled.

Also, did you imagine busking and are there any emotions that come up?
If so, CT those emotions and then handle the belief erasure.

On that belief…

“I am bothering people”

Ask: “I am bothering people because __________”

See what comes up to get a more “core” belief.  There is a reason why you believe you are bothering them… see what it might be.

Aloha!
Jeff

[requinPSTEC User]

I just got PS Neg and did it last night.  I see what Mark means about having trouble jumbling the sentence.  I have to say, wow, that was some experience doing that track for the first time!!  It was HARD WORK.  With all the tapping and Tim talking, opening eyes, looking at statement, closing eyes and trying to jumble statement…wow!  It almost felt like overload and I think that's exactly what's supposed to happen. 

I had a bit of trouble jumbling the words/letters too because everytime I looked at it, it was right again.  What if we wrote the statement somewhat jumbled to begin with? Would that help or hinder the situation?

I like Ray's suggestions like picturing the words/letters sliding off a sign.  That gave me the idea to also picture the letters like a bowl of alphabet soup.  Things like that, Mark, might be helpful.

Another one, maybe picture the words being thrown in the air and as they go up, all the words separate into letters and fall back down a jumbled mess.

I'm thinking and hoping this will get easier with practice. Only doing it once I didn't feel I was jumbling very successfully but as Jeff keeps saying, we just have to imagine it, don't have to visualize it.  It can be hard to differentiate that sometimes.  Also, I felt like it worked.  Not sure if it really did or not! I followed it w/ a PS Positive(EEF) on the same topic.  I really like the pairing of all 3 tools (PS Basic, Neg, Positive). 

Thanks.

[MarkPSTEC User]

Thanks Jeff,

There is still discomfort when imagining busking. I'll click track it.

I was thinking of that belief….

I am bothering people because ……… who am I to take up their attention/stand out?

Something like that. I also belief that it's arrogant and obnoxious to assert myself. I believe that confidence is arrogance and that it's disrespectful to others.

I guess there are a few beliefs in there?

[LisaPSTEC User]

Hi Mark were you able to use any of the suggestions for jumbling the sentence? Like them sliding off a sign or mixing them up in a type of Alphabet soup, did any of those help?

[MarkPSTEC User]

Hi Lisa,

Yes I did try those strategies and kind of made up my own – even visualizing letters kind of being blown up and mixed around.

Still not sure if anything is changing. I seem to have developed avoidance behaviour so I dont' know if I'd be scared of events until I put myself in them. I guess the fact that I still don't want to do them is a good indicator that nothing has changed. Will keep trying.

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