Intuition Unlocked
As promised, FullFathomFifty is exploring new depths with the help of colleagues and clients stepping in as Guest Bloggers. Mary Amory, an executive coach and facilitator, has developed an innovative methodology that produces breakthrough results for both individual leaders and teams. Her pioneering approach “GraphicWork” is now an integral part of every Quest program. We’ve asked Mary to provide insight into why what she does works so well. This is the first in a series that will appear periodically over the next year.
INtuition-OUTward Expression
Do you ever wonder why you just know which sandwich you want to order, or what clothing to choose, or who you would like to see this weekend? Think of how confident we allow ourselves to be in those moments when we just trust our intuition. I find if I follow that kind of knowing I feel energy, confidence, and peace of mind. It just feels RIGHT because it is right, because it springs clear from our solid inner knowledge.
Intuition is the layer between our deep inner self and our external world. It is unique and familiar wisdom accumulated and growing over time.
The good news is that you have won the mega bucks inside of you with a lifetime of values, insights, creativity and passion! The bad news is that it comes with a savvy critic who has a gift for sowing doubts, stoking skepticism, and dishing out sometimes piercing criticism.
Bulk Up on Expression
If we seek to build the strength of our intuition, we need a steady diet of making expressive choices. Go for volume. Let yourself re-act to things that come up in your environment: colors, music, shadows, faces, emotions. Get curious about yourself. If something moves you, dig deeper to find out what ignited your response. Describe your experience, what it stirred for you. You may share these observations with others, or simply yourself.
Limit the Critic
Simultaneously, to even start flexing your intuition muscle, “the critic” must be disabled, at least temporarily. Begin by paying attention to when external filters clog your expression. Try naming the voice— “the judge”, “the gossip”, “the doubter”…you get the idea. This practice diminishes the power of negativity. Once the voice has a name, you can distance yourself from it. Don’t budge when the critic acts up; bullies are ultimately intimidated by confidence.
Practice Makes Perfect
For additional practice with your intuition, give yourself a metaphor quiz while driving somewhere. Though not to the point of being a distracted driver! Think of a specific interaction from earlier in the day: if it were two animals speaking to each other what would they be? Think of a meeting you went to: which TV show does it remind you of? Look closer. Recall a scene from lunch: what detail was most interesting? Find something outside your car: spend a full minute describing it.
The skill is in noticing what is going on just below the obvious – have fun with it and you will find your trustworthy intuition growing ever stronger.