Welcome to Ipek and Tara's Threads of Light,
A talk series that illuminates the path to a brighter and more meaningful life.
Join us as we set sail on a journey of self-discovery,
Transformation,
And shared wisdom.
Hello and greetings to all for an extraordinary discussion today on the difference between impulse and intuition in decision-making.
Allowing intuition to inform our thoughts and behaviors helps us learn our true voice and most authentic self,
Whereas impulsive thinking can lead to action before discernment and is akin to intuition,
But impulse is typically more knee-jerk and reactionary than intuition.
Intuition is a knowing or a feeling,
Whereas impulsivity is a response to an external stimulus or emotion.
Reflecting on this difference is important to further develop our intuition and hone it as an ability that we all have access to,
Including left-brained thinkers.
A quote by Steve Jobs,
Who I consider to be a relatively analytical and creative thinker,
Said the following at a 2005 Stansford Commencement speech,
Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your inner voice.
And most important,
Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary.
So in other words,
Noise is the external stimulus and there is also an inner knowing deep within.
External stimulus feeds impulses,
Whereas intuition is a gift that we have inside us as a head and heart connection.
Access to intuition goes beyond mystics or crystal carriers,
Among others,
So it's not exclusive.
Taking time to pause before making a decision and acting on it is a lesson I've personally learned.
Sometimes the brain will have intuition in nanoseconds,
But the context can inform our actions and choices.
Ipek,
I'd like to hear your perspective on this.
It's indeed important to differentiate between impulsivity and intuition when it comes to making decisions.
This is something I've thought about a lot because it can significantly affect our lives.
You know those moments when excitement takes over and you just want to act?
I've been there many,
Many,
Many times.
It can feel exhilarating to jump into something new driven by that rush of enthusiasm,
But I've learned that acting impulsively can sometimes lead to regret or confusion later on.
There have been times when I jumped into a project or commitment based only on that initial excitement.
At first,
Everything felt right,
My heart raced and I was all in.
But soon enough,
I found myself questioning my choice.
That excitement quickly faded and I was left wondering whether this opportunity truly aligned with my values or long-term goals.
Through these experiences,
I have learned the hard way,
And after many heartaches,
That I need to be more in tune with my intuition.
That little voice inside of me often knows better.
When I take a moment to slow down and really listen to that inner guidance,
I find I'm able to make choices that feel right for me.
It's like tuning into a radio station,
When I'm fully present,
I can hear that clear message guiding me toward what resonates with my true self.
I also discovered that creating space for reflection,
Like implementing the saying sleep on it,
Can really change how I approach decision-making.
Instead of jumping at the first opportunity without giving myself time to think it through,
I now ask myself questions like,
Does this align with my values?
Or how will I feel about this choice a week or a month from now?
This practice helps me step back and assess whether my excitement is genuine or just an impulsive reaction.
Another thing that works for me is paying attention to my physical sensations.
I notice that when I'm feeling anxious or uneasy after making a quick decision,
It's often a signal that I need to slow down and reconsider.
These bodily responses,
In a way,
Can help me tune into my intuition.
And when I feel calm and centered,
It reassures me that I'm on the right path.
Recognizing this connection between my body and my mind has become essential for me in making decisions.
Since I practice meditation regularly,
I find that it helps me create that space to listen closely to my inner voice.
It helps me immensely in raising my awareness around those moments when my excitement might lead me to feel lost.
Also,
I've learned that journaling can be a helpful tool in this process.
By writing down my thoughts and feelings,
I gain clarity on what truly matters to me,
Which makes it easier to identify whether I'm acting on impulse or truly listening to my intuition.
So it's a wonderful way to untangle the emotions and ideas spinning in my mind.
So as we explore this topic,
Let's think about how we can all develop these practices in our lives.
How can we create that space to listen more closely to our intuition and recognize when our excitement might not be the best guide?
So I'm curious,
Tara,
About your experience.
Well,
Thank you,
Ipek.
I really appreciate your shared perspective and experience with intuition and impulse.
You know,
How to tell the difference is an ongoing self-study for me personally,
That is well worth my attention and the practice of slowing down.
And this can be learned with our physical or emotional states of awareness.
There are times I've acted too quickly out of excitement,
And then afterward had a feeling of tension with worry.
So I do have examples and an ongoing awareness of this.
So one example is I had applied for a teaching position that was presented to me as an opportunity.
And I did this out of the immediate excitement,
Out of the role and the opportunity to share knowledge and wisdom.
But after submitting my application,
Having acted very quickly,
I had a stress response in my gut,
Not feeling very good and having worry that led me to review my action and ultimately withdraw because my intuition at the time wasn't guiding my action.
I had really needed time to process and then the guidance was more clear.
And I definitely felt better after undoing the action,
Which was my intuition telling me that was the right path.
So it could have been fear of missing out on an opportunity that I thought I wanted driving my reactivity and response to apply without paying attention to my inner knowing or giving myself enough time.
That thrill or excitement that you talked about earlier,
Apec.
I asked myself,
Did I really want to work for a college or was it just the idea of using my consulting skills in another context?
In hindsight,
I am now certain that the college context would not have been the best choice for me at that time and still now.
And remaining independent versus being employed is actually very important to me.
So my vibe has really attracted the right things and people into my everyday life.
And now I happily work with private clients as a consultant,
Advisor,
And a coach.
Another example that I can share is very recently I had signed up and paid for attending a conference that I paid for due to it being in the healthcare field,
Which is an area that I have expertise.
So after arriving to the conference and walking into the room,
I think I was paying more attention this time to my energy and the vibe,
Like you said earlier,
Like an antenna turning into the frequency of how I felt in the crowd or even just around the people.
It wasn't a bad feeling,
But I did notice that it was kind of flat and not very joyful.
Being there affirmed why I chose to exit that particular field and do my own independent consulting a few years ago,
Once again,
Reaffirming that being my own guide and employer is the way that works for me now.
And so the amount of sensory information that occurs in a place or with people is one of the ways I continue to learn about my intuition,
Which is an understanding that is simply just there.
And in reflection,
I ask myself,
How did I feel there and what information was I receiving about the choice to be present in a particular space or with certain people on a topic?
I was not really excited to attend in advance and after going,
Really was able to confirm at a more intuitive level of understanding that it is no longer my path forward professionally and that I should direct my energy into another area of consulting and coaching that I have in my portfolio already,
Which I've created with my own intuitive design.
So paying attention to what resonates in a sustained way is another way to identify intuition in guiding our decisions.
Another example is an article from the Center for Organizational Strategy,
Learning and Change at Leeds University Business School on developing intuition that I thought was very relevant,
So I'll share it here.
Intuitive intelligence is really more robust I am finding than artificial intelligence,
Which doesn't have instinct.
So here's the quote,
Intuition is the result of the way our brains store,
Process and retrieve information on a subconscious level.
And so it's a real psychological phenomenon,
Which needs further study to help us harness its potential.
After reading that,
I said to myself,
Wow,
Intuition truly is another sense or sixth sense based on a massive archive of numerous truly mind boggling pieces of information,
Patterns and memories being pieced together instantaneously in our subconscious brain.
This is an ability and superpower for us to access.
And there are teachings to be had versus mistakes to regret,
I think from the experiences we might have in differentiating intuition with impulse.
And I am reflecting upon what I've learned.
And that all goes into my superpower archive,
And becomes part of the wisdom that is accumulated over time in a lifespan,
My lifespan.
So overall,
Intuition is a subtle,
More quiet understanding versus impulsive action that is triggered by an event.
So in sum,
Vibes are real,
And they are worth paying attention to,
Even if they can't be rationalized.
Ipek,
With that,
I'd love to hear your closing remarks on this topic.
Intuition is,
Indeed,
A superpower.
And when we learn to use it,
It's like a muscle we flex every time we use it.
It gets stronger and stronger.
So while we are coming close to the end of our conversation,
I want to reflect on the importance of this inner dialogue we have been talking about.
Listening to our intuition is more than just a nice idea.
It is essential for making choices that truly reflect who we are.
When we take the time to pause and check in with ourselves,
We create space for clarity.
This practice helps us identify what truly matters in our lives,
And empowers us to make decisions that are aligned with our core values.
Think about it.
How often do we get caught up in the busyness of life and ignore that inner voice?
When we are faced with choices,
It's easy to rush in because of the excitement or fear we might feel.
However,
Taking a moment to breathe and listen to our intuition can shift our whole perspective and bring out insights we may not have considered before.
So I encourage you,
Our listeners,
To reflect on this.
When have you taken a moment to pause and truly listen to your intuition instead of reacting impulsively?
And what was the outcome?
Recognizing these patterns in your decision-making can help you understand what feels right for you.
As we explore this,
Let's think about how we can cultivate a regular practice of tuning into our intuition.
What steps can you take to create space for this inner dialogue?
Perhaps you can start by setting aside a few minutes each day to sit quietly and connect with your thoughts and feelings.
Journaling your experiences or even talking them out loud can be great ways to clarify your inner voice.
This practice of mindfulness allows your intuition to shine through,
Guiding you toward decisions that resonate with your true self.
With this in mind,
Let's embrace a positive affirmation together,
Shall we?
Here it is.
I take a moment to listen to my intuition for every decision I make.
Let this affirmation remind you that your inner voice is a powerful partner.
Trusting it can help you through life with clarity and confidence,
Guiding you toward a fulfilling path.
Thank you for listening.
We hope you found this episode insightful.
If so,
Please share it with others.
Until we reunite under the cosmic embrace of our next episode,
May your days be filled with the brilliance of your unique light.
Take each step with purpose and let the threads of light guide you.
