Are you being Influenced

Are you being Influenced

With simple observations or questions you can enable people to want to help to be able to think differently. Often these comments can appeal to the conscious mind, but also to the unconscious. Supposing you have a friend who is in a quandary about a craft project.   You could suggest:
“You might think of all the possibilities”   
or
“Maybe you’ll think of all the possibilities” 
or
“Maybe you haven’t thought of all the possibilities

”If, however, you add to that last sentence 
“Maybe you haven’t thought of all the possibilities – yet”
it will be even more effective for it presupposes she is going to anyway.
What these comments are doing is putting the idea into her head by unconsciously offering a ‘command’ to her unconscious mind! 

The commands are “You might think” or “Maybe you’ll think”or “You haven’t thought – yet”

Here are more helpful remarks that could be used:

If a friend might resent you telling her what to do, implying that you know better.   An excellent way of overcoming that is commenting
“My friend Jane once told me that………. “    
Another similar type of remark might be
“You know, people can find ways in which to overcome this………”
  implying that you are talking about other people. By adding ‘you know’ suggests that she has that skill already!

This following comment is a truism for it is true, it can’t be argued with.  However, there is an ‘embedded command’:  
“Of course you don’t have to think of all the possibilities but I’m wondering if it would help”
(I never told you to do this for I am just wondering…)

With these suggestions we are in the realm of hypnotic language. It is based on the knowledge that our unconscious mind is open to suggestion despite our conscious minds not being aware of it.  This can have a very positive effect when used properly, and with good intent to help others that we care about. 

However, it is necessary to note that in the current climate of misinformation it can be used very effectively to influence people without them realising it.   It is worth, therefore, learning to observe these sorts of phrases embedded into media – both commercial and social.  

It is beholden on all of us to read, and read again, what we are offered in order to analyse how much of it is being used to influence us against our conscious will.   (notice the embedded command in this last sentence?!)