Change Your Mind | Brooklyn Dicent | TEDxSpokane

The speaker shares a personal journey of discovering how to be happy at work, a concept they initially thought impossible. After being downsized seven times, they realized a fundamental shift was needed. For 20 years, they had worn a "corporate mask," smiling through meetings and achieving results while feeling unfulfilled and "dying inside." They believed being professional meant shrinking their high-energy, joyful self. This led to "Sunday scaries," a feeling of dread before the work week, and a daily mantra of "just get through today." Everything changed when the speaker asked themselves, "What if it's not them?" – referring to the job, boss, or stale coffee – "What if it's me?" This question sparked a deep journey of reflection and discovery, leading them back to a high school introduction to hypnosis. They clarify that hypnosis is not mind control or stage entertainment, but rather the "science of the subconscious mind," which runs emotions and influences actions before conscious thought. The speaker, now a certified clinical hypnotherapist, explains that by working with hypnosis, their perception of the same job that once made them miserable began to change. They discovered that "the feeling is the secret." By creating a desired feeling, one can change the result, because the mind responds to emotion, not just logic. For example, if you wake up feeling anxious about work, your subconscious mind will seek more of that feeling. Conversely, if you wake up feeling grateful, energized, and joyful, your subconscious mind will generate more of those positive experiences. It's like tuning into a radio station; what you focus on, you get more of. Focusing on stress leads to more stress, while focusing on joy and happiness leads to more joy and happiness. This isn't "woo woo manifestation," but rather a simple principle: what you focus on becomes important to you, and your mind then focuses on what's important. Understanding the power of choosing emotions was a revelation. The speaker realized that their emotional state impacts and influences everyone around them. When they showed up to work with a negative attitude, their team mirrored it. When they showed up happy and joyful, their team did the same. This insight led them to share their discovery with others. They recount the story of Olivia, a VP of operations who felt overwhelmed and frustrated, describing her team interactions as "fighting without knowing what she was fighting." The speaker helped Olivia uncover a core belief that "being a leader was a struggle." By changing this feeling from struggle to "play," Olivia's entire perspective shifted. Weeks later, she reported leading from joy and having more compassion for her team. Another client, Marcus, a brilliant young man in tech, felt frustrated and anxious, questioning if his career choice was a waste of his life. The speaker advised him to change his self-talk from anxiety to gratitude, creativity, and energy. Marcus was skeptical, citing his boss, but the speaker emphasized it was about him, not them. Marcus was instructed to imagine a "big wheel" before sleep and upon waking, spinning it to choose the emotion he wanted to feel for the day. Within weeks, Marcus reported no longer feeling anxiety and looking forward to his week. The speaker emphasizes that this isn't magic, but a practice. To apply this, just before going to sleep and immediately after waking up – when the subconscious mind is most receptive – one should actively choose and feel desired emotions. Instead of "doom scrolling" or dwelling on past mistakes, one should "spin the wheel" of emotions. For instance, before sleeping, take a deep breath and affirm, "I feel joyful and grateful," regardless of current reality. Do the same upon waking, choosing emotions like confidence and excitement, and actively feeling what those emotions are like. Happiness is a daily decision and practice, not an overnight change, but it develops over time by using this form of self-hypnosis. The speaker concludes by stating that when happiness and joy become one's strategy and way of being, one not only becomes more productive but "undeniable."