Intuition – What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Use It

Intuition is real – science says so, and when science says something … Let’s talk about what it is, why it matters, and how to use it. It’s that little voice in you, and it’s more important than you know.

Transcript

  • Making a good decision or a right decision isn’t always easy. It requires strength, courage and wisdom. We have something on board that can really help with this if we let it. It’s called intuition. You’ve probably heard of intuition but you might not know exactly what it is. Intuition is a very real thing.
  • Researchers have found that we humans operate on two systems. One is a really immediate, automatic, quick system. That’s our intuition. Our intuition draws on memories and experiences and everything that we know inside us, but it isn’t always available to our awareness. When we have an experience, all of that wisdom and the learning and memories from that experience, they don’t just disappear. They get stored away and that’s what our intuition taps into. We’re not always aware of where it comes from or why we have that voice inside us, but it’s very real.
  • The other system that we humans operate on is more analytical. It’s slower and it’s where we take time to consider things. That’s a really great thing to do. It’s a really healthy thing to do, but sometimes things like fear or peer pressure or pressure from outside can get in the way and steer us in a direction which isn’t great. If you can put the two systems together, that’s a really brilliant way to make a good decision.
  • Intuition is that little voice inside you that tells you where you need to be or what direction you need to move in. It’s that little voice and it’s really important, really powerful, and very real. So, when you have that feeling that something isn’t right, or feels fake, or that there’s a better way to do things, or there’s a better decision, a different decision that needs to be made, listen to it. People call it gut instinct or heart whispers, but it’s all intuition. It’s all the wisdom we’ve learned that gets stored away and stays there for us to tap into to make good decisions. It’s in all of us and it’s really important. So listen to that little voice inside you and let it guide you in the right direction.

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The more we treat anxiety as a problem, or as something to be avoided, the more we inadvertently turn them away from the safe, growthful, brave things that drive it. 

On the other hand, when we make space for anxiety, let it in, welcome it, be with it, the more we make way for them to recognise that anxiety isn’t something they need to avoid. They can feel anxious and do brave. 

As long as they are safe, let them know this. Let them see you believing them that this feels big, and believing in them, that they can handle the big. 

‘Yes this feels scary. Of course it does - you’re doing something important/ new/ hard. I know you can do this. How can I help you feel brave?’♥️
I’ve loved working with @sccrcentre over the last 10 years. They do profoundly important work with families - keeping connections, reducing clinflict, building relationships - and they do it so incredibly well. @sccrcentre thank you for everything you do, and for letting me be a part of it. I love what you do and what you stand for. Your work over the last decade has been life-changing for so many. I know the next decade will be even more so.♥️

In their words …
Posted @withregram • @sccrcentre Over the next fortnight, as we prepare to mark our 10th anniversary (28 March), we want to re-share the great partners we’ve worked with over the past decade. We start today with Karen Young of Hey Sigmund.

Back in 2021, when we were still struggling with covid and lockdowns, Karen spoke as part of our online conference on ‘Strengthening the relationship between you & your teen’. It was a great talk and I’m delighted that you can still listen to it via the link in the bio.

Karen also blogged about our work for the Hey Sigmund website in 2018. ‘How to Strengthen Your Relationship With Your Children and Teens by Understanding Their Unique Brain Chemistry (by SCCR)’, which is still available to read - see link in bio.

#conflictresolution #conflict #families #family #mediation #earlyintervention #decade #anniversary #digital #scotland #scottish #cyrenians #psychology #relationships #children #teens #brain #brainchemistry #neuroscience
I often go into schools to talk to kids and teens about anxiety and big feelings. 

I always ask, ‘Who’s tried breathing through big feels and thinks it’s a load of rubbish?’ Most of them put their hand up. I put my hand up too, ‘Me too,’ I tell them, ‘I used to think the same as you. But now I know why it didn’t work, and what I needed to do to give me this powerful tool (and it’s so powerful!) that can calm anxiety, anger - all big feelings.’

The thing is though, all powertools need a little instruction and practice to use them well. Breathing is no different. Even though we’ve been breathing since we were born, we haven’t been strong breathing through big feelings. 

When the ‘feeling brain’ is upset, it drives short shallow breathing. This is instinctive. In the same ways we have to teach our bodies how to walk, ride a bike, talk, we also have to teach our brains how to breathe during big feelings. We do this by practising slow, strong breathing when we’re calm. 

We also have to make the ‘why’ clear. I talk about the ‘why’ for strong breathing in Hey Warrior, Dear You Love From Your Brain, and Ups and Downs. Our kids are hungry for the science, and they deserve the information that will make this all make sense. Breathing is like a lullaby for the amygdala - but only when it’s practised lots during calm.♥️
When it’s time to do brave, we can’t always be beside them, and we don’t need to be. What we can do is see them and help them feel us holding on, even in absence, while we also believe in their brave.♥️
Honestly isn’t this the way it is for all of us though?♥️

#childanxiety #parenting #separationanxiety

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