NLP is a word that has a lot of Buzz lately, where people use it in a variety of contexts. If you ask twenty people what is NLP? you will probably get 20 different answers, all of them have some kind of truth, but not the whole story.
NLP is not new, it has been around for at least 30 years, however in recent years it has gained popularity, specifically among consultants using it in business. Also NLP has been greatly used by therapists who try to help people through various ways have combined NLP practice into their therapy.
So what is NLP?
NLP stands for Neuro-linguistic programming which says a lot about what NLP is all about.
Neuro relates to our nervous system, which is basically what our brains are wired through.
Linguistic relates to the Language and the ability to communicate as humans using language as a main tool of communication between people, using language as spoken or written words.
Programming is exactly what it says, to create a program. According to the English Dictionary, it is the action to process or schedule something.
So putting all the above together NLP is the process by which we program our minds using language and words to do so. Some people like to call it the ability to rewire our brains, others call it changing our behaviors. All of them are correct.
So why is it all of a sudden such a great interest, specifically in Lebanon, where we have been hearing a lot about NLP and NLp training in sales, in business, and other areas.
The main reason of the interest is because NLP actually works. According to the founders of NLP, John Grinder and Richard Bandler, NLP is derived from psychological studies, except NLP is not about understanding cause and effects of psychology, rather the process of using methods and techniques that work without the hassle of having to dig deep into the human mind or to analyze a specific situation to find the cause and effects, that would be the role of a psychiatrist that have studied for years psychology and the human mind.
NLP is about practice and nothing more. Practice of actual methods and techniques that have been proven to work in 90% or more cases.
Most importantly NLP is a tool that can be used by anyone to achieve new habits, new behaviors and a new way of thinking, only if the person accepts and wants change in their lives.
NLP can help to achieve happiness by creating new possibilities, and opening new opportunities for those who seek them. the way to do this will vary by person and on a one to one basis, as happiness and change are different and specific for each and everyone of us. NLP will work differently for different people, the techniques are there to help people individually each according to his / her case.
After all the mind is still a great mystery, and no one can claim that they know or understand how it works.
Author: Hala Tahouf