NLP and Personal Development

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is an educational process about how the brain can be used to achieve remarkable results. This science can be applied in any area — professional or personal — but when it comes to personal development, this user manual for the human brain can have very positive effects.

Before continuing with this article, take a moment to reflect on a few questions: Are you happy with your personal life? Are your behaviors and habits aligned with your values? Can you identify any self-sabotaging behaviors? What about limiting beliefs — do you have any? These are just a few of the questions that NLP can help you work through. It can also support more complex issues such as depression, phobias, addictions, shyness, panic attacks, and more.

At this point, you might be asking: But how can NLP help me? Simply by training your brain to think and act positively. For example, if you have a negative behavior pattern, you can choose to keep it or transform it into a positive one. Let’s take a practical example: suppose you woke up today in a bad mood and dissatisfied with life — you have the power to either remain in that state or shift to a good mood and feel satisfied, even if there are still things you want to change.

The Benefits of NLP for Personal Development

The benefits of NLP for an individual’s personal growth are many, including:

• Identifying personal values;

• Recognizing strengths and areas for improvement;

• Detecting limiting behaviors and beliefs — those little internal voices that prevent you from seeing situations from different angles and perspectives;

• Uncovering negative, destructive, and self-sabotaging thoughts that may be holding you back from achieving your dreams, goals, and aspirations.

The results of applying NLP often include fulfillment, happiness, lightness, well-being, and a sense of completeness.

How Does NLP Work?

This study of human experience captures and records how the brain processes and stores information using the five senses, producing patterns — whether emotional, behavioral, or simply cognitive. These patterns, stored consciously and unconsciously, are often what prevent individuals from moving forward, keeping them stuck and unable to see possible solutions.

The results are achieved quickly and efficiently. This means you don’t have to talk through your entire life story — the issue to be resolved and the desired change are addressed directly and objectively. This saves time and money when compared to traditional therapies that often last for years with little resolution.

A Brief History of NLP

NLP originated in the early 1970s in California. It was created by Richard Bandler, a mathematician, Gestalt therapist, and researcher, and John Grinder, a linguist specialized in transformational grammar. Their interest was in studying the excellence models of the best therapists of that time, identifying patterns, and teaching those patterns to others. For this reason, NLP is also known as the art of human excellence.