One of the highlights of performing my Comedy Hypnosis Show at the Shearers Shindig in Thargomindah, Outback Queensland, was watching the audience witness something fascinating about the human mind.
In this routine, a tough, hardworking dogger found himself holding what, to everyone else, was simply my leather belt.
To him, however, it felt completely different.
Through hypnotic suggestion, his mind interpreted that belt as one of the world’s deadliest snakes. His body reacted as though the danger was real. His heart raced. Fear took over. Every emotion was genuine, even though the object itself had never changed.
The audience could clearly see there was no snake.
His experience, however, was completely real to him.
That moment reminds us of something we all experience from time to time.
How often do we convince ourselves that the worst is about to happen?
How often do we replay a conversation before it happens…
assume someone is judging us…
or imagine a future that hasn’t even arrived?
Our brains are remarkably good at filling in the gaps, especially when we’re anxious or under stress.
That’s why it’s so important to pause, take a breath, and ask yourself:
“Am I reacting to what’s actually in front of me… or to the story my mind is creating?”
Ground yourself in the present.
Look for the evidence.
Challenge your assumptions.
Because sometimes the “snake” we’re afraid of is nothing more than a belt our mind has misunderstood.
The gentleman in this performance thoroughly enjoyed the experience and, after being brought fully out of hypnosis, shared a wonderful testimonial the following day about how much fun he’d had.
Sometimes the greatest illusion isn’t on the stage…
It’s the one we create inside our own minds. ✨
