Breaking Social Norms
Story & Photo by Lisa Anderson
Mindset
Mindset
How One Shy Midwesterner Became a Confident Floridian
How One Shy Midwesterner Became a Confident Floridian
Debbie Littlefield grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. Until moving to Florida in recent years, she had lived in Michigan, where she spent her youth, got married, and raised six children (four boys, two girls).
“We lived on 7.5 acres. Everybody else [around us] had 10 acres, so there was plenty of space. That’s what I wanted—some privacy. We lived there for 25 years.”
Debbie’s parents were already living in Florida, and when it came time to make a move, Debbie knew she wanted to live somewhere warm. The Sunshine State was the natural choice.
Earlier in her life, Debbie probably wouldn’t have considered uprooting herself and making such a big change, but she had discovered something that shifted her life in a positive direction.
Modifying Her Mind
Modifying Her Mind
Twice-divorced, Debbie was a single mother to her six children, and she operated a daycare on the lower level of her home for 20 years. “The childcare was 12 hours a day, and when the childcare was done, I had my kids’ sports, doctor’s [appointments], homework, [parent-teacher] conferences—they were very long days. I was maybe sleeping three hours [a night] for years and years. I was just really burned out.
“One day, I was standing in daycare, surrounded by [screaming] 2-year-olds, and I’m just like, ‘Oh, my god.’ Then, something inside my head said to look up meditation. [It was] really peculiar. I had never considered anything like that, but that night, I looked on my laptop and googled meditation.”
Debbie came across a video that said to, “lay back, put on some headphones, and relax.” It turned out to be hypnotic audio, and it was Debbie’s first experience with hypnosis. “That’s when I started actively pursing hypnosis. I was extremely shy. I had absolutely no self-worth. I was surrounded by children, and I didn’t interact with many adults.”
When Debbie did interact with adults, her shyness would often inhibit the amount of conversations in which she would actively engage. “I started using hypnosis to conquer that. I started using my voice. I can now talk to people. When I moved to Florida, I joined Toastmasters, and I started doing networking.”
Through her personal journey, Debbie discovered she also wanted to help other people. “I noticed every time I learned something, I wanted to share it. I was constantly thinking, ‘Who would benefit?’ That really drove me, it still drives me.”
Helping Others
Helping Others
Debbie is now a certified hypnotist and mental strength specialist. “I have tons of certifications. For me, hypnosis is a lot of fun. I enjoy taking classes.
“The mental strength training is really based on mindset. Everything starts here,” she states, as she points to the top of her head. “Realizing that and changing your thought process to match what it is you want is mental strength. It works really [well] with hypnotism because [it] helps people make those changes.”
Because of people’s limited knowledge of hypnosis, Debbie is often mistaken for a psychic, but her power isn’t in seeing the future or reading someone’s mind. It’s about working together to help clients reach their goals. “[Some people] want me to control their brain and just make stuff go away, but I [want to go] through the steps together. Anytime we do something like quit smoking or lose weight, it leads to the next thing. It’s like a domino effect. It leads to other behavior changes. I don’t want to take that away from anybody.”
When Debbie isn’t helping clients with mindset and sleep issues, she can be found at networking events. However, her favorite hobby is paddleboarding, and she is often paddling along at the area’s local springs and rivers.
Debbie went from a shy, Midwestern girl to a strong, independent female business owner, gliding through the waters of Central Florida. She is passionate about giving that joy and sense of accomplishment to everyone she meets.
Learn More
