Uncommon Knowledge Blog

Uncommon self help articles for anxiety, self esteem, confidence, peak performance and more. Plus everything you need to know about hypnosis and why it can be such an effective tool for mental health.

How to Control Your Emotions
Once there lived an old man who kept all different kinds of animals. But his grandson was particularly intrigued by two tigers that lived together in one cage. The tigers had different temperaments; one was calm and self-controlled whilst the other was unpredictable, aggressive, violent, and...
Why am I Depressed?
Knowing both how depression works and why you may be feeling a bit depressed at the moment can help you begin to combat it more effectively. The first question I want you to ask yourself is: What is my life lacking at the moment, causing me to feel depressed?
How to Know Yourself
To make living easier, much of life has to be mechanical and automatic. But if all we are is a matrix of on/off buttons, then where exactly in all of that is your free will? Where is your independence to rise above your own conditioning? To be more than a fleshy robot reacting predictably to...
Stop Pulling Your Hair Out
She was a glamorous woman, no doubt: a lovely complexion, beautiful teeth, and full luscious hair; only it wasn't. Laura removed the wig shamefacedly to reveal shredded follicles and patches of bare raw scalp like a ravaged crop field. Her eyes welled up.
What Does 'Achieving Your Potential' Really Mean?
"You are not meant for crawling, so don't. / You have wings / Learn to use them, and fly." ~ Mevlana Jelalu'ddin Rumi, 13th century
Help! I Can't Be Hypnotized
Why you can be hypnotized even if you don't believe in hypnosis...

Instant Inductions: Why Surprise and Shock Put You into Hypnosis
What comes to mind when you think of hypnosis? Comfort? Calm? Deep relaxation and rest? This is the way it is usually done. But there is another kind of hypnosis. One that happens to every one of us in everyday life.
The Truth About Hypnosis and Memory
There are many dangerous assumptions in the idea that you can uncover 'repressed' memories with hypnosis.
Help! I Can't Be Hypnotized
Why you can be hypnotized even if you don't believe in hypnosis...

7 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Rejection
Fear should keep us alert and safe - like the beam from a lighthouse warning ships of submerged dangers. But too much fear, like a super-beam of light blinding the ship's captain, can cause the loss of the very thing we feared losing.
Do Your Relationships Damage Your Self-Esteem? (And what to do about it)
Your self-esteem shouldn't be totally dependent on the person with whom you happen to be in a relationship. But the fact is, relationships do have a big impact on the way you feel. And that includes the way you feel about yourself.
All About Sibling Rivalry
Sibling rivalry can be complex. You might love your sibling but resent them. What's more, the intensity of your resentment can leave you baffled: "I'm an adult now; why does it still hurt so much?!"

Learn Hypnosis in 5 Days
If you want to learn hypnosis online, this short course describing the use of voice tonality, sentence structures and word choice can teach you the fundamentals of hypnosis quickly.
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Ask Mark
Using his own Uncommon brand of psychology, Mark has been a therapist for 25 years and a bit of a superhero to our customers. Ask him a question here.