The power of a Post-it note! and necessary interrupt

Recently I found a yellow sticky post-it note handwritten by my 11-year-old daughter which had been planted in my pencil case …. yes I still use a pencil case! And unashamedly it comes with a strict rule – hands off like the same rules apply to mum’s expensive lipstick, perfume, necklace, headbands and the list goes on. When I came across it, I was on a call frantically trying to unzip and find a favourable working pen single-handedly for me my to jot some notes down from a prospective client. I noticed it at the corner of my eye and had an inclining of what it might be… (all this whilst I was in mid flow on the phone) it instantly gave me a lift and couldn’t wait to unwrap it to read what it said… I didn’t … I waited until the call ended. I’m sure the caller could tell my reaction over the phone just by the change of tone, pitch and volume in my voice whilst the corners of my mouth turned up into a smile.

Thankfully the subject of the call was for information and we were not in deep detail on a topic so wouldn’t have been undiscerning

for the caller so this was certainly a welcome thought interrupt, a virtual hello or tug on my jumper or even a hand placed in my hand.  It was particularly necessary that day as I hadn’t paused for breath from all the jobs I had planned. I was on a mission and fully motivated to get the jobs done. I missed breakfast and I  didn’t even have my morning caffeine fix of coffee. I didn’t do the usual send-off for school with my daughter that day either… it was more of a rush … hurry up, and my silly loud motivational morning announcement of ‘let’s do this people’! Perhaps not so convincing and didn’t quite have the same sincere tone to it come to think of it. Perhaps this is what prompted my daughter to do what she did, she noticed Mum being preoccupied and not actually in the moment.

As Shropshire’s only licensed NLP4Kids child and teenage therapist. I never judge other people’s parenting I’m certainly not a perfect parent myself, perfect parents do not exist. Not only do I use NLP with my clients to help with anxiety for example but I use NLP Neuro Linguistic Programming in my life too.  I love sharing these strategies and explanations with other families not only in Telford, Shropshire but I work online too. I am conscious at changing some unhelpful behaviours and language I use that have unconsciously embedded in my head.

This little piece of yellow paper was the perfect thought interrupt for me that day, others may say it was a ‘glimmer’ (opposite of a trigger).

This tradition probably started when my daughter lost her first tooth and when the tooth fairy visited. Little notes would be found under my daughter’s pillow with a coin and a little note… to this day I can’t remember exactly what was written but something simple, short and sweet. These random notes have carried on the tradition in our house but I must admit they have not been so regular these days. Note to self: must write more notes -no pun intended!

In the early days picture notes would be left under Mummy or Daddy’s pillow only to be found when getting in bed late at night whilst fluffing up the pillow or even waking up the next day stuck on my cheek or hair! Other notes would be found in my daughter’s lunch box… very simple straight to the point. I used to visualise the time when she would open up her lunchbox with her friends and see her smile on face and the feeling she would get inside, I decided to do these notes if she had shown signs of anxiety about something or someone. I would wonder would she share with her friends what she found or if would it be kept as a personal special moment. Just for a second… a lovely thought interrupt for her to carry on with her school day. Another good hiding place would be inside her trainer in her PE kit. Part of the game would be randomly hiding things so the each of us would be unaware and receive a virtual hug at a random moment in time when you least expect it. This time it was my… out of bounds pencil case!

Let’s not forget to show each other how much we appreciate, love, care or simply for being the person they are. Even if you don’t say it face to face there are so many other ways we can positively communicate with each other.

Let’s not underestimate the power of the little yellow post it note. And whilst I type this it has made me smile remembering all these nuggets of, comforting happy memories. They are well ‘anchored’ in my mind.

What would be the first thing you would write write on a post it note to your friend, child or family member?

What thought interrupts ‘glimmers’ made you smile recently?

P.S. I’m not sponsored by 3M but if they would like me to be just send me a note or two…

At Child Therapy Telford – NLP4Kids memories like these help with creating a technique that we use in NLP with clients; this is what we call an ‘anchor’. We all have anchors and this is a strategy which helps  to change an unhelpful feeling for example anxiety, lack of confidence, or even anger change to another more helpful emotion very quickly.

Please reach out if you want to know further details on creating positive changes

Louisa Gauld-Crichton – Child and Teen Licensed NLP4Kids Practitioner

Child Therapy Telford, Shropshire

Email: Louisa@nlp4kids.org

Book a FREE consultation for 1:1 therapy support here 

https://louisa-nlp4kids.youcanbook.me

Child Therapy – TELFORD (nlp4kids.org)