Dan’s Blog

Way Beyond The Comfort Zone at the Winter Wars – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Nov 14, 2022 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Way Beyond The Comfort Zone at the Winter Wars – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

I wrote recently about some of the benefits of stepping out of, and so expanding, your comfort zone. Moving outside of what is normal and comfortable for you can help boost your confidence and self-esteem and can help you to become more comfortable with being a bit uncomfortable as you grow as a person and take action on your goals. You can start to expand your ability to handle challenges by working through them and coming out the other side, and there a wealth of benefits and positive ramifications that come from truly stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Depending on your goal and the steps you need to take to get there, you’ll likely engage in activities you otherwise wouldn’t, achieve and progress towards goals you’ve set for yourself, learn new things, test yourself a bit to see what you are actually capable of and there are opportunities to enjoy life even more and to experience an increase in good feelings.

Always remembering, of course, that the things you find so comfortable now were once a step outside your previous comfort zone and also involved taking action and expanding your boundaries. And then at some point, your mindset, skills and capabilities caught up and it all became more comfortable and familiar over time.

As a reminder, my own journey well outside of my comfort zone here, involved entering a crossfit competition, getting through the qualifiers, and making it along to the actual competition day. Even before the event itself, there had been many benefits from expanding and stepping out of my comfort zone in this direction. I’d definitely got fitter and stronger and I had to learn new things (sometimes gracefully, sometimes reluctantly!). There were challenges to set, actions to take and obstacles to work through. And there was the massive bonus of taking the journey with some awesome people who it was a pleasure to spend more time than usual with.

And even with all of these benefits under my belt, there was still the seemingly massive step of actually competing against others, of taking on workouts you only got to see for the first time the night before, and of trying to manage all of the thoughts, feelings and logistics that go with performing on the day in a format and environment that I’d never experienced before.

If you’d like to know how the Winter Wars event went for me, I’m covering that here (and as a little spoiler alert, I didn’t have to go out and buy a trophy cabinet afterwards!!!).

Mindfulness For Anxiety and Depression – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Nov 14, 2022 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Mindfulness For Anxiety and Depression – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Anxiety and depression are two of the main things that people come to see me for help with. All of those unhelpful thoughts and feelings can feel overwhelming, impact upon all areas of your life and leave you feeling stuck, low and full of distress.

In conjunction with other coping mechanisms and strategies, hypnotherapy has an excellent track record and body of evidence to support it’s effectiveness for helping you with anxiety and depression. By learning how to take control over your own thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions, you can start to alleviate your symptoms and feel more comfortable inside of your own mind.

Alongside hypnotherapy, mindfulness can also be very effective for anxiety and depression. Something that certainly exacerbates how bad you feel are all the negative and worrying thoughts that seem to dominate your mind. It’s like your brain always finds something to feel anxious, low or fearful about. And all of the ceaseless negative thinking can feel more and more draining and exhausting for you, leading you to withdraw from the things you might usually do and enjoy. In some cases, you might even start to fear the thoughts that go through your own mind and wonder if you will ever be able to feel better.

Yet, by developing your skills, through hypnotherapy and mindfulness, you can start to feel more calm and comfortable in yourself. You can learn how to feel more at peace inside of your own mind and how to notice your thoughts without engaging with them or responding negatively to them. By doing so, not only will you start to reduce the volume of problematic thoughts you experience, you will also be more and more able to let thoughts come and go and manage what goes on side of your own mind.

Self Compassion and Social Anxiety – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Nov 8, 2022 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Self Compassion and Social Anxiety – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

When I used to struggle with social anxiety, perhaps one of the most detrimental things I used to do came from the excessive level to which I would be hard, negative and harsh upon myself. Never mind what anyone else was thinking (probably nothing if we are honest), I would chastise, criticise and berate myself over any slight perceived failing or embarrassment. If I felt I’d said something stupid, done something not quite perfectly, or if I missed the opportunity to do something positive, then that self-critical inner voice would be there.

And, swith social anxiety, that inner voice and the way we communicate with ourselves, probably won’t stop with just the current perceived self-failing. In my case, it will probably then also drag out a whole load of the other past mistakes and other justifications for considering myself to be a failure, stupid or an idiot in some way. A lack of self compassion, self encouragement and support can easily exacerbate and consolidate that social anxiety and the worries about failing or being judged negatively by others.

A lack of self compassion and kindness to yourself, and a habitual tendency towards self-criticism and negative self judgements, can feed your ongoing social anxiety and contribute to more generalised anxiety, lowness, perfectionism and low self esteem.

Yet, of course, just because your social anxiety patterns of thinking and feeling currently lead to worry, negativity and lowness, doesn’t mean that you are stuck that way. It is possible to learn how to be more balanced and rational in your own thoughts and feelings towards yourself, to even encourage yourself sometimes, to recognise that sometimes things do go awry and to to feel more comfortable in your own skin so that you can be more relaxed around other people.

Moving Out Of Your Comfort Zone – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Oct 20, 2022 | Confidence and Self Esteem

Moving Out Of Your Comfort Zone – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

We’re told a lot that life begins at the edge, or outside, of our comfort zone. The message is clear, if you want to live a fulfilling life and to be happy, then you need to do more and more and newer and newer things.

And certainly there’s an element of truth in this. As humans, we are learning machines, we seek out novelty and grow accustomed to sameness. We can become stale and feel stuck in the same old routine if we aren’t stretching ourselves a bit. Getting a bit uncomfortable can make life more exciting and interesting, and it can add that good feeling that comes from giving effort and focus towards a desired goal.

Yet, despite that, I do think there can be happiness and reward even if you stay within your comfort zone. You don’t need to start jumping from planes, dropping off cliffs, speak in front of a thousand people or do any of those things that living outside your comfort zone can easily inspire in your imagination. You can stretch yourself within the realms of the areas you already enjoy. You can add variety and challenge into what you already enjoy, whether that’s exercise and sport, playing an instrument, in your workplace or whatever. You can feel comfortable in yourself and your environment as you push yourself on a bit.

And whilst usually I feel pretty comfortable in myself within my own routine, especially when it comes to my high intensity training and running, there’s still room for getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable and room to try new things, experiment, set challenging goals and then put the work in towards them. Yet more recently, an opportunity has come up that has really pushed me outside of my own comfort zone in my training, yet which is bringing rich rewards beyond the ever oscillating mix of nervousness, fear, confidence and excitement.

Could Talking To Strangers Make You Happier? Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Oct 13, 2022 | Confidence and Self Esteem

Could Talking To Strangers Make You Happier? Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

If you want to feel happier, could proactively starting up conversations with strangers help you to boost good feelings?

Naturally, if you want to get better at connecting with others, then it makes sense to start engaging more in conversation and to go about deliberately seeking opportunities to chat. The more you do it, the more comfortable it becomes and the more relaxed in yourself you will be.

For others, their confidence and self-esteem can get in the way of doing this. Yet, it may that by getting over any general reluctance to talk to strangers, and by ditching any worry about what they think or of failing and looking stupid, may help contribute to your overall levels of happiness and enjoyment of life.

Routinely, we often ignore strangers who are close by and around us. We put our heads down, stare at a book or a screen, and stay rooted in our own space and comfort zone. Even when we may like the idea of engaging and chatting, we often hold back and the moment passes. And, of course, sometimes solitude and space can be nice. It can be enjoyable to have some time to not have to think or engage or talk. Yet research suggests that interacting and connecting with others can be a positive experience (for you and for them), even if we mistakenly expect that not socially engaging will be the more likely to make us feel better.

So what does the research say, and what might be getting in the way of us all being more social with strangers and taking these regular opportunities for boosting our own well-being and happiness?

GOLD Business Award Winner!!! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Oct 6, 2022 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

GOLD Business Award Winner!!! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Blimey! I mentioned a while back that I had been shortlisted in the SME Ely Business Awards 2022 for service excellence and how I hoped to go one better that the silver award I won in 2021…

Well, it only went and happened!!

I am beyond delighted to be the gold winner for Service Excellence (many thanks to the award sponsors, Fraser Dawbarns LLP).

A huge thank you to all of you who have worked with me, supported me, recommended me and shared your positive feedback. Thank you so much!!!

Fear of Flying – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Sep 29, 2022 | Phobias and Fears

Fear of Flying – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Throughout the summer, I’ve been busy helping people to deal with their fear of flying so that they can head off to their destination while feeling more comfortable and in control.

I’ve also been over to the flight simulator centre in Mildenhall too, to deliver our fear of flying course. It’s always a huge positive to see someone walk through the door anxious and worried at everything flying related, and to leave feeling more calm and confident about flying.

As with all objects of anxiety and fear, your first strategy will always be avoidance. You try to get out of that business trip or to suggest some holiday alternatives and destinations that don’t require setting foot on a plane (or a metal box in which you are trapped and out of control, as you may perceive it). Some people get anxious about any mention of flying or a plane, even if it is about someone else. You might avoid programmes and films which involve a flight because of your anxious associations or because you imagine how bad you would feel if you were on that plane (and about to drop out of the sky to your death!!).

Others will start to feel more anxious once the flight is booked and the date is set in stone in your diary. You may try to pretend to yourself that it isn’t happening and try to ignore it. Yet, as the date approaches and you know you will soon be sitting on that plane for a while, your anxiety starts to escalate and take over (and you may still be wondering if there is some way of getting out of it).

And then there’s the ordeal of the airport, with all the hustle and bustle and planes and people, and the knowing that this it it, you are going on a plane and flying. The panic and discomfort can feel overwhelming. And that’s where learning about flying and how to control your thoughts and feelings becomes really handy indeed.

Hypnosis Audio Streaming – Hypnosis Downloads Ely & Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Sep 29, 2022 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Hypnosis Audio Streaming Membership – Hypnosis Downloads Ely & Newmarket

I receive loads of positive feedback for my hypnosis downloads, whether that’s from my clients who are using them as a supplement to their sessions, or from people who invest in them having found my website. I put hours and hours into preparing, recording and publishing each individual hypnosis track, so it’s really important to me that you find them beneficial.

However, there are some issues with the technology and process of downloading the hypnosis audios that do come up from time to time. Sometimes your device may not like the files because of memory space, sometimes you download and save them and then can’t find them again the next time you want to listen to them, and sometimes you change device and the files get lost in the process. And, of course, sometimes people just can’t decide which of my hypnosis audios that would like the most and get stuck in trying to make that decision (so many good things to choose from!).

It’s important to me that you can use the hypnosis downloads to help with anxiety, stress, confidence, weight loss and other issues, wherever and whenever you like. That’s why I’ve created this solution so that you can listen to my hypnosis audios the hassle free way.

Nature, Fun and Walking in Wales – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Aug 30, 2022 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Nature, Fun and Walking in Wales – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

The summer holidays are slowly drawing to a close in the Regan household, and the kids will soon be heading back into the routine of the familiar school hustle and bustle. Alongside seeing clients and keeping up with my bootcamps, we’ve had some quieter days and some busier ones, some good news and some more challenging family news. In short, there’s been the usual, full whirlwind of things going on (and let’s all take a moment to remember the heatwave of 2022!).

Alongside all the daily business, we all headed off to Wales for a week of holiday near the (easy to pronounce if you are welsh) Ystradgynlais. One of my favourite things about our trips to Wales is listening to my wife and kids try to pronounce Welsh place names, a bit of fun that never gets tired!

We were staying in an isolated little house, alongside the river, and in a very peaceful location at the foot of a hill (or a mountain if you live in the Fens). It was lovely just sitting and watching the birds flying along the river and listening to the sound of the water meandering along.

Help With Cocaine Addiction – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Aug 30, 2022 | Addiction Help

Help With Cocaine Addiction – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Recently, I’ve been working with a whole bunch of people who want to end their cocaine addiction and break their habits around it.

Cocaine, like most drugs, is one of those things that bit by bit can start to take control over you. You may well have started out using when out with friends, alongside a few beers. At first it may have seemed fun and added to your experience. The buzz lifted you and allowed you to keep having fun for longer. Yet, at some point that fun, and the sense of being in control over your cocaine habit, started to diminish.

Maybe you found a night out wasn’t that great without any, maybe you needed it to focus and give you a boost and very likely you started getting strong cravings when in typical cocaine situations, or when you saw any or anyone who you could tell had been using gear.

When people finally come to see me about their cocaine use and need help to end it, they usually feel out of control, it will be affecting their work and relationships, they’ll be spending hundreds of pounds doing something they no longer enjoy, and they feel anxious and depressed about it all.

On the more positive side, once you’ve reached the low of feeling bad and controlled by your gear habit, the only way is to move forwards and start feeling better in yourself. And like most habits, those unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviours that you are currently struggling with, are things that you can learn to take back control over using hypnotherapy.

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

Claim your FREE Consultation TODAY

Just call 01353 886158 to book your free 30 minute consultation. Discover how you can start feeling better quickly and effectively and ask any questions you may have before deciding to go ahead.

Call Dan today!

Get Your Copy Right Now…

Subscribe to Dan’s Digest filled with tips, strategies and techniques and get instant access to your free rapid relaxation hypnosis audio track.

Enjoy feeling and being more mentally calm and physically relaxed right now:

Rapid Relaxation hypnosis mp3 dan regan hypnotherapy

Dan in the spotlight!

Click below to see Dan in the media

Hypnosis Downloads

Powerful hypnosis for download that will help you to overcome issues and achieve your goals.

Hypnotherapy Video Testimonials

Click below to see dozens of videos from happy clients who have worked with Dan: