BLUES BEATER

Hypnotist Paul McKenna promises he can make you happy – even in 2020

Sarah Arnold

Published: 23:37, 20 Aug 2020
Updated: 23:37, 20 Aug 2020

IF the lockdown has left you feeling blue, hypnotist Paul McKenna wants to help you to “see happiness” again.

This week the Office for National Statistics revealed that one in five adults are reporting symptoms of depression — double the figure a year ago.

Lockdown has left plenty of us feeling blue but Paul McKenna says he can help you 'see happiness' againCredit: Getty

Paul suffered from depression but managed to find his way back to everyday life

For Paul, it prompts memories of when he sank into an “abyss” of depression at the darkest time of his life.

He says: “I suffered depression after my father passed away and at the same time I was working relentlessly with veterans in the area of PTSD, also rape victims and people who had faced significant trauma that had devastated their lives.

“It created a perfect storm and I got infected with that mindset.

"I found my way back to everyday life and on to real, lasting, amazing happiness, and that insight means I can help others to do the same.

“The happy vision and other techniques enabled me to change how I was viewing things.

“This biological pandemic has also caused an epidemic of anxiety, depression and low mood, so these new figures are no surprise to me.

I found my way back to everyday life and on to real, lasting, amazing happiness.
Paul McKenna

"But there is no upper limit on happiness and if you feel blue, down or low, these can help you turn things around so you can find a happier life.”

Here, Paul reveals the techniques that helped him.

If you are, or even suspect you are, clinically depressed, please seek help from a doctor.

Paul McKenna’s I Can Make You Happy is available at

1. Give yourself happy vision

THIS technique is an instant mood booster.

When we move our eyes in different directions we access different parts of the brain and we disrupt negative thought processes.

Try the 'happy vision' technique when you're experiencing negative thought processes

Remember a time when you felt unhappy, just enough to have a little bit of that feeling again.
Look up at the ceiling for at least 30 seconds, trying to see the tips of your eyebrows. You should feel just a gentle strain on your eye muscles.
Keeping your head still, and thinking of that feeling, slowly move your eyes from side to side, so that you are looking up left and up right, back and forth 20 times.
Now, with your head remaining still, look up and down 20 times.
Now, still keeping aware of the feeling, even as it is diminishing, move your eyes in a “figure of eight” 20 times, and then in a “figure of eight” in the opposite direction 20 times.
Now look straight ahead and notice how much you have reduced the feeling. Repeat steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 if you want to reduce it more.
Do not let yourself look downwards for any length of time until you feel OK again.
If you feel miserable feelings coming back, look up again and go back to step 2.

2. Find your happiness keys

EACH of us has individual keys to happiness.

My seven are health; love; laughter; loyalty; creativity; gratitude; generosity. You can use yours to unlock joy.

Think about what matters to you - it could be your family, friends or even workCredit: Getty

Ask yourself: “What is most important to me?” It could be your family, your career, money, health.
Choose the most important things in your life. Take each one in turn and ask yourself: “What is it about this that is important to me?” If family is important to you then ask yourself: “What is it that’s important to me about family?” The answer might be: “Enjoying every day”. Ask yourself again: “What is important about that?” and the answer might be “love”.
Keep asking: “What is it about this that is important to me?” until you reach the value or “key” that drives it.
Work through each of your most important things and write a list of all the values that underpin them. These are your core values. I have seven, you may have more or fewer.
Now every day re-read the list – pin it somewhere where you can see it.
Then ask yourself every day: “How can I live my values today?”
Make a note now to ask yourself three questions every day for the next week:
A: Have I lived by my values?
B: Has my life been enriched?
C: Do I need to adjust or add another value to my list?

3. Keep a gratitude diary

KEEP a happiness diary on a computer, in a notebook or on your phone.
Each day write down five things that you are grateful for.

For instance: Today I am grateful for: My health, a good night’s sleep, the taste of my first cup of tea in the morning, my wife and the sunlight on the puddles in the road when I walked my dog.