Mary Flanagan Gleason's Blog, page 22

ACCESS TO INTUITION IN JUST 3, 2, 1

Good news! You don’t need to sit in the quiet for an hour to access your intuition.

Here are three quick tips for getting in touch with your intuition:

3 Breath      
2 Notice  
1 Feel

When you stop to take a breath, you bring much-needed oxygen to the thought process. So take that deep breath – The kind that swells your belly on the inhale and releases from your toes on the exhale. Repeat.

Notice what is happening for you in the moment. Are you moving too fast? Do you need to step back and assess the bigger picture? Are you sure? Do you know what to do next? Is there undue pressure to move more quickly or to slow down? What are you responding to?

Do you feel… worried? Does your gut hurt? Is that little man sitting on your chest? Or do feel confident? Excited? Ready?

These are three easy things that bring you back to center and give you that critical pause before making a decision or taking an action that will impact your desired outcome.

These three quick actions can allow you to open to your wisdom and gain clarity

Bah humbug!

Yeah, I know. We’re all expecting lots of “happy” this and “merry” that. Some days just don’t align with that feeling.

Except for last night.

Last night my husband and I built a gingerbread house together. It didn’t take long and it didn’t look like the picture on the box when we were done. Yet, it provided some silly fun, a meaningless discussion about gumdrop placement, and time to take a deep breath.

Afterward, I sent pictures to all the kids saying that next Christmas I was buying a bunch of kits and hosting a contest (in person or virtual, tbd.) I just wanted to share the forty-five minutes of joy that turned into an entire evening of relaxing fun. It was a simple acceptance of what is and finding the joy in it.

That is what I wish for you – A moment of flow, forgetting what cannot be, and allowing yourself to find a simple joy.

Nothing has really changed except in my thoughts and in my heart. I realize now that I created that moment and I have the power to do so again and again.

Here’s to the power of your thoughts highlighting whatever is happy and merry in your life.

Many thanks to you for being a part of what makes me happy. Wishing you gumdrop roofs, candy lights, and glad tidings.

Mary

2020: The Year of Clear Vision???

2020: The Year of Clear Vision???

2020 was heralded as the year of Clear Vision. Yet, some are saying 2020’s vision was murky at best. 

But is that true?

Maybe we just did not like what we saw or feel overwhelmed by what we see and unable to sort it all, or perhaps we just plain feel exposed in ways that make us uncomfortable.

The promise of clear vision was not a promise of liking what we see.  

Here are a few things we see can more clearly:

how fragile and dear our family and friends are –our own life, toohow quickly the planet can recover when we change our human habitshow deeply divided our country is on many critical issues

That’s pretty clear!

If 2020 has been a year of acknowledging, 2021 will no doubt be a year of reckoning. 

As the new year approaches, I challenge you to refrain from allowing any blinders to return. Instead, commit to moving forward with greater clarity about what is, what you wish things to be, and open to guidance on how to attain it.

I am looking ahead to 2021 with a few if/then visions. 

If the pandemic is under control, here are my plans.If the pandemic is not under control, here are my other plans. 

Nonetheless, both scenarios keep me moving forward with greater clarity. 

Regardless of what happens, I am clear on the values I hold true.

Allow for grace and new opportunities to capitalize on what has become clear to you this year.

Who knows what 2021 will hold? 

If you would like that peek around the corner into 2021, please schedule your psychic reading here. I also have gift certificates available if you would like to give the gift of insight this holiday.

Be well, be true to yourself, honor what has been revealed.

What Successful Leaders Know: Intuition is not Woo Woo

What Successful Leaders Know: Intuition is not Woo Woo 

By Mary F Gleason

Leadership development courses are evolving to include intuition as a critical factor in successful leadership. Intuition in the workplace is not an entirely new concept, yet with enormous data sets and analytics at one’s fingertips, it tends to take a back seat. In my years working with people in leadership positions, I see how ignoring one’s intuition produces more significant problems down the road. Ultimately, however, intuition helps guide one to whittling down the data until you come to the most important pieces. Still, it is just data, just the left side of the brain, only half of what is needed for good decisions. In the right brain resides intuition, creativity, instincts. In short, the left brain has the data, and the right brain has the solutions.

“More than half of CEOs (67%) have put their own intuition over data-driven insights in the past three years because the insights contradicted their own experience or intuition. This is despite the fact that data and analytics have become an increasingly important component in business decision making.”  

                                                  –  KPMG, an international financial advisory firm [image error]

When reading about what successful CEOs and world leaders rely upon to make decisions, following their intuition or hunches or gut instincts comes up surprisingly often. They get as much of the data as possible, elicit others’ thoughts, and then they take time to discern how best to apply the data. That last step – discernment – is intuition. The instinct might be to go forward, halt altogether, or to get more information. When intuition is left out of the process, it is like leaving half your brain in the car. It is important to note that your intuition is the only thing that exists solely for your greatest good and highest purpose – and it’s free!

Most of the examples I found were about men, which brings up two points:

There are fewer examples of titan type women, at least online. Regardless, it would not be novel to think that they use their intuition.Men tend to avoid discussing their intuition because it is seen as feminine; therefore, it is more “newsworthy” when publicly claiming this level of insight. In short, it is permission for others to do the same, especially if they want to be successful.

Some leaders use their intuition to its full benefit and their success is obvious. Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Netflix’s Reed Hastings are just three modern day examples of leaders who talk about the valuable role of intuition when making decisions. Not every hunch pans out and they don’t necessarily lead to wealth. It is not a perfect practice, yet intuition and data are both necessary to make fully considered decisions.

Here, in a nutshell, is what successful leaders know: Intuition is not “woo-woo.” It is half your brain.

I know of so many executives with devoted meditation practices, yet they seem to think of it as a separate part of their life. After their dedicated meditation time, they get in their cars, head to the office, switch gears, and prepare for a day of decisions and data. By the time they arrive, they have unconsciously stored their right brain where intuition, creativity, and innovation reside, in the glove box. As an executive intuition coach, I want to bring that level of consideration to the fore. It is possible to become even more aware of how their intuition shows up for them and how to call on it throughout the day. 

When one thinks about intuition as “woo-woo,” it can sound mysterious or derogatory. The converse is to say that data is just “numbers.” We need both. Unfortunately, we live in a society that values data over intuition, and in doing so, we discard half the brain. I like to encourage executives to bring their whole brain to work.

“Intuition is your CEO. Intellect is your COO.”

                               –Katja Otto, the host of SoulWave Radio, wrote for NextLevelGermanEngineering 

Intuition plays the CEO because it requires one more step plus intellectual knowledge, which the COO likely provides. Applying the data takes discernment and nuance. 

Sadly, in today’s world of executives, the hiring process favors those who make quick decisions. Yet, history favors those who allow time for more input, sit with the information, and call on intuition before making a decision. Intuition does not have to take much time to sense, but it can require a few minutes to discern. If you are an emergency room doctor or EMT, you undoubtedly have whittled this process down to a split second. 

In February, 2017, Forbes contributing editor Bruce Kasanoff, reviewed a new book by Gerd Gigerenzer. He wrote: 

Gigerenzer, author of the book Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious, says that he is both intuitive and rational. ‘In my scientific work, I have hunches. I can’t always explain why I think a certain path is the right way, but I need to trust it and go ahead. I also have the ability to check these hunches and find out what they are about.” 

Kasanoff further argues that intuition is the collective wisdom gleaned from experiences that guides you toward the right answers. I don’t disagree. However, I would add that one does not need to have many years of experience to get in touch with their intuition. You and I already are intuitive, and we can access it at any time.

Brooke Little writes in Marketwake.com (Aug 2019)

“Not surprisingly, the executives of the most incredible businesses don’t credit their multi-million dollar string of ‘right moves’ to rational decision making, but rather to an intangible skill; a trust in intuition…Commonly referred to as trusting your gut, this ‘sixth sense’ is defined as the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.

As examples, she cites Henry Ford and Winston Churchill.

Henry Ford faced declining demand for his automobiles and a high turn over in employees. In a bold move that countered all logic, he doubled employees’ wages. In doing so, Ford slowed the turnover rate and created a group of new customers who could now afford to buy a car. It paid off many times over for Mr. Ford, but first, he had to go against logic in favor of instinct.

For Winston Churchill, he had the distinct advantage of not being formally educated, freeing him from conventional thinking. He had access to many well-educated advisors and relied on them for information. Churchill himself relied heavily on curiosity, which plays a significant role in intuition—playing a game of “what if…” can offer new ways to look at a situation and find new solutions.

Reed Hastings discusses how leading Netflix in the direction of success has a lot to do with his strong sense of intuition. Around the office, he is known as “the golden gut.” 

Another CEO referred to data as hindsight, meaning that calling on experience is a particular form of intuition. Even the most recent numbers are a snapshot in time. Decisions require one to look up and see what lies ahead and check your gut to decide how the numbers are or are not relevant to the future.

Intuition may be a natural gift we all have, but it is not necessarily automatic to understand how it shows up and how to interpret the messages. Here are some ways to tap into your intuition on the job.

Three quick ways to stay in touch with intuition:

Check in with your body. What do you feel about something? Where do you feel it? Each area of the body tells us something different and important. For example, do you feel it in your gut? If it feels negative, then it may mean your decision will challenge your power in a particular situation. If it feels expansive, it may mean your decision will enhance your power. If it is neutral, your decision will not disrupt the status quo.Be curious. Play “what if…” until something clicks. Be outlandish in your what-ifs but stay within the realm of the problem. It sometimes helps to do this with others, but that is optional. Once you have an idea or two, then start to check out what they require to be successful and go from there.Lead from the field. This phrase comes from “CoActive Leadership: Five Ways to Lead by Karen and Henry Kimsey-House.” It refers to sensing the energy around you. Find ways to harness it and use it as an essential element in decision making. Others’ energy is often more telling than their words. Get in sync. If you are about to make a decision that is not going to fly well, what can you do to prepare others to hear it? 

Remember, that you are intuitive and your intuition shows up for you in unique ways. It can take practice to recognize, tune in to, or know how to call on intuition. That’s where I can help. If you would like to know more, please contact me at maryfgleason@comcast.net.

Mary Gleason has been a nonprofit manager and consultant for over thirty years. She is also a hypnotherapist and professional psychic medium. Mary says her secret to success is listening to the messages that others tend to ignore. Bringing all of her skills into her work has allowed her to provide greater performance, productivity, and profitability.

Ignore your intuition at your own peril.

Ignore your intuition at your own peril. 

Intuition shows up most readily for us through our chakras, the seven main energy bodies, or “satellite dishes” that run along the spine. 

Like a satellite dish, your chakras are continually receiving and communicating messages. The messages usually start as a gentle tap or “ahem.” If that doesn’t work, they get consistently louder and harder to ignore.

For example, I ignored my heartburn for months, attributing it to what I ate or the time of day I ate it. I reasoned it away rather than honor that pain as trying to get my attention. By the time I could no longer ignore it, I had worked myself into five stomach ulcers. The recovery was long and hard.  

Eventually, I learned that there is a connection between where the pain shows up and its meaning. The solar plexus, or gut, is all about personal power. My five stomach ulcers were caused by my not listening to the earliest signs of discomfort, rationalizing, and thereby dismissing the pain and continuing to give away my personal power. Finally, I had two choices: surrender and take a new direction or literally risk dying.

Once I learned about the chakras I learned:  

pay attention to the twinges before they become a major illnessthe location of the pain means something based on the location and the chakraI can at any time check-in with my chakras and make better, more conscious choicesmy chakras exist only for my greatest good and highest purpose

So what are your chakras telling you? Where are you receiving those energetic taps or outright pain, and what does it mean? I talk a lot about bringing your whole brain to work by engaging your chakras. Truth is your chakras benefit all areas of your life.

Want to know more? Join me on Wednesday, September 30, 10 am – 12 n for my workshop, “Introduction to the Chakras.”

Click here for more information or to register.

Be bold. Be intuitive. Shine bright.

I’ve been hiding my light under a bushel basket.
As much as I spend my time encouraging others to step into who they truly are and embrace it, I still sometimes hold myself back. That’s what happens when we let ego take over — it wants to keep us safe by keeping us small.
I recently told my ego to take a hike. Feeling safe is highly overrated when it squelches so much power.
Afraid that people might think me too woo woo and talking about the chakras almost overtook the fact that they are my strong suit and my shining light.
Now, I am boldly talking with executives and others about developing their intuition because it just plane makes us all smarter. Not everyone is going to get it but those who do will find this information invaluable.
When I stepped into my intuitive self I was overpowered by the intensity. Intuition is powerful ‍‍ and it is accessible to all of us. What I realized in that moment was how powerful I truly am and that no one can keep me down without my permission.
That’s what I want for you, too: To embrace all the information and to stop hiding your light.
Stand up and be even more powerful. It is not about if people understand you or even like you. It is about being exactly who you are so you can move forward in the best way possible for you.
When I use my intuition, I make better choices in all areas of my life.
Imagine how many fewer problems we would have, how much more control we would have over our own lives, if each of us just embraced the very thing that leads us to better choices/decisions!
If that sounds good to you, I hope you will check out my upcoming opportunities:
Bring Your Whole Brain To Work Webinar
Sept 16, 2020 @ 12-1 pm PDT Register here.
Introduction to the Chakra Workshop
September 30, 2020 @12-2 pm PDT. Register here. https://marygleasonconsulting.com/develop-your-intuition/