Zita West’s Positive Mind Plan

1. Action plan

This is the most important element and should be where you determine your key goals and plan how you will achieve them. This could be anything from eating more healthily to having wilder sex! Be sure to write them down and include lots of things that give you pleasure. Make sure you write down the next action you need to take and when, to help you achieve that goal (for example: 'Buy salad veg on the way home')

2. Positive affirmations

Get your positive thoughts out there! Write down some personal positive statements and read them before you got to bed. You may want to try taking your negative thoughts about conception and turning them in to a positive by writing in the present tense. For example:

Negative thought: ‘The doctor says there’s only a 5% chance I’ll conceive.’

Positive affirmation: ‘I am one of the 5%.’

Read them out loud convincingly until you’re comfortable. Take 10 long, slow, deep breaths and allow your body to relax. Allow each of your positive statements to repeat themselves in your subconscious mind whilst you picture yourself living them. For example for ‘I am one of the 5%’ - imagine yourself finding out you’re pregnant.

3. Visualisation techniques

Try to practice 20 minutes of self-help visualisation or stress reduction techniques per day.