If it's not scientifically backed, it can't be true, and it's not worth my time.
That is a belief I have probably held up until a couple of years ago. It's not as black and white these days for me.
Hear me out.
I trained in science; I studied medical biochemistry and taught chemistry for 9 years (plus a little bit - last little bit!). I love research, I love diving deep into the original sources, I love the critical thinking and the meta-analyses and the questions that research gives us. I love being able to match the solution to the problem and making outcome based decisions.
But out of everything in this universe, we have data on so little. There is a vast amount out there that we have NO data on whatsoever. So why would our conclusions about life and the world in general be so limited to the tiny amount that we do have data on?
Surely, like Medeleev (father of the modern periodic table), we'd leave gaps for the information we don't have yet.
Nowadays, there's more room in my life for ancient wisdom, intuition and integrity. There's room for more in my life than logic and productivity and objectivity. We're human beings, with emotions. We're not machines.
I have struggled with the idea of intuition in the past. In today's culture, science, logic, facts and evidence hold a high standing, and I probably would have sneered a little at the idea of someone making a decision based on intuition. The truth is, I had no idea what intuition was, let alone how to connect to it myself.
Intuition is the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning. It's hard to listen to intuition and recognize it in your body when you are not connected to your body. Our subconscious mind and our bodies process far more information that our conscious mind can perceive. Decisions that are right for us feel good in our body. They feel expansive. Our bodies often know what we need.
Have you ever had something not turn out so well, but when asked when you knew it was wrong for you, you honestly could reply 'from the start'. I've had decisions like that. If you have too, I'd love to hear about them - and decisions where you trusted your intuition and it turned out well! Share your stories in the comments below!
My biggest tip for tuning into your intuition?
SLOW DOWN.
Make space to sit and be silent.
Breathe.
Do nothing.
Let the answer arrive at your feet. It will come.
Maybe, in some ways, were cleverer than that tiny bit of data we've gathered in modern times.
Maybe, in fact, we have more wisdom within ourselves than modern culture and advertising would like us to believe.
Some decisions need to be fully reliant on data.
Others do not.
Some are a messy in between.
No need to create a false dichotomy after all; there's space for balance between science, data, logic and intuition in our lives.
Maybe modern science is an incredibly useful tool for us to use as whole, complete humans with a lived experience.
But maybe it's not the full stop.
What do you think?
Join my mailing list for weekly blog updates, plus other news, offers and need-to-know tidbits. Maybe a discount or two. Just saying. Plus, you can get a free copy of my Getting Started Guide. Join the fam!
Comments