Tapping Into Your Intrinsic Wisdom to Move Mindfully

Have you ever wanted to feel more grounded in your decision-making?

Have you ever felt pulled into several directions when a major event takes place?

Do you sometimes feel blind-sided by the energy of other people?

I answered yes to all of these questions because I know that like so many other people, I have often struggled with moving mindfully when it comes to decision-making, standing up for what I believe in or simply setting boundaries. There are situations that come to light where we are forced to decide how we will respond.

But the one practice that I work at most often is tapping into my inner self, my body wisdom. it is what anchors me in every environment i encounter.

Our inner wisdom is a birth right, it is something that provides us knowledge and information about ourselves and the world around us. It is a graceful energy that provides us with discernment, equanimity and acceptance. It is our guide when we are feeling out of alignment, unsafe, or hyper-vigilant. Having experienced the crippling emotions of anxiety and depression myself, I have learned that the best way for me to harness my innate wisdom is by choosing to know myself.

Knowing who you are is a critical aspect in moving mindfully. As we come to appreciate and value our own truth, we stand firm in who we are. we not swayed by the external. We create a reality that encompasses self-respect and honors the essence of who we are.

I say all of this to say that over the years, through various professional opportunities, self-searching, therapeutic practices, yoga school, etc., I have come across a variety of resources that have helped me to form a healthier perception of myself. Having a background in conflict management and dispute resolution, I stress the importance of truly understanding your core values, what you believe, and how your experiences shape your beliefs. As a society, there are so many resources for healing and confidence-building and self-love. it is our duty to utilize this knowledge and I have found that raising our own awareness also raises our sense of intrinsic wisdom. It helps to move us from mere decision-making to confident decision-making. for me to enter this phase of mindfulness, I needed to explore, process, and accept my core being. And even though this is an on-going process, I am better off for putting this conscious energy into my mind and body. Learning about yourself is in and of itself, a healing property. It is a relaxant to our subtle anxiety and indecisiveness.

With that being said, I want to provide you with several resources that will help you in your journey to self-discovery. As you move through some of these resources, I want you to notice how your mind and body feels. Notice your anxiety levels, your energy, your habits for the day. My intention is to help you notice the connection between finding the self and what it is that you are drawn to afterwards. Choose one or all of the resources down below and let me know what it is that you discover about yourself. You may realize that you’ve always known some of these aspects about yourself but now you have language for it. You may come to learn something new that could spark curiosity and exploration. perhaps you will find a helpful tip that gives you the confirmation you needed in this present moment. Whatever it is that you discover, I hope that it leads you to greater self-awareness and strengthens the very essence of who you are. This process is intended to help you unpack your experiences so that you can tap into your inner anchor, your personal truth and knowledge.

Resources for Self Study

doshas | do you know your dosha? this is an extremely helpful resource to help you understand your unique body type and how to feed it properly. based on the three-dosha theory, in ayurvedic medicine (which has been around since 1000 bce), the concept of dosha is centered in our energy. it is based on elements within the atmosphere. by knowing your dosha (vata, pitta, kapha), you can better balance your own body systems. one day, there will be widespread testing technology that allows us to learn specific dietary needs but in the meantime - you can learn your dosha here.

Johari window| this is a tool designed to build greater self-awareness. i first used it when i was in graduate school and refer back to it from time to time. it helps you illuminate your conscious and unconscious qualities and can help you improve on personal development and communication. you can even use it in professional settings for groups and teams. it also requires us to ask for feedback from someone we know. so i recommend trying it with a friend or partner. you can download the worksheet here.

5 love languages | most of us know about this popular quiz but if you don’t, this could be very helpful to you and/or your partner. during covid, my man and i tuned into gary chapman’s “date night at home” to learn strategies to bring us closer together. by knowing your partner’s love language, you can shift your relationship connection by ten fold. it’s really important to observe what makes you and your partner tick and to capitalize on that information. dr. chapman even has resources for anger and apologies. see all of dr. chapman’s love language resources here.

via character strengths | this survey is a great pick-me-up because it provides a positive outlook to anyone looking to learn about their strongest characteristics and how to sharpen them. fun fact: mine is creativity! the survey is only 10 minutes and helped me learn about what i offer as an individual and human being. get your free report here.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Score | an ACE score measures various types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. the Adverse Childhood Experiences study states that “the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems”. once I learned my score, i was able to use it as confirmation and as a first step to finding solid mental health resources. it helped me come to terms with my truth so that I could work on my own personal traumas. find your score asap.

personality type | learning your personality type can be a really great place to explore your own tendencies and habits. it really helped me strengthen my emotional intelligence. this survey will help you re-think the way you operate and interact with others. the goal is not to categorize yourself, but to help you learn about what makes you unique as a person. what is your personality type? find out here.

the secret language of birthdays | this is my favorite one for some reason, maybe because it’s astrological in nature! i know that many people think horoscopes are purely pseudoscience but i believe that there is a connection between the natural biological patterns and systems in the universe and all of the energies that exist within it, including human beings. i actually discovered the book probably 10 years ago when i was working in college at a women’s center. it was freakishly accurate. i even looked up birthday combinations such as my parents and it was extremely on point. i’ve even asked someone with the same birthday as me to read their date and he agreed that it was 99% accurate. the book is based on Gary Goldschneider's 40-year empirical study of the life stories of more than 20,000 people, analyzed by their date of birth. you can enter any birthday or even a set of birthdays to learn about that unique relationship. i love using this as a tool to help me understand others around me. it is by no means a textbook definition on every person, but for me, i use it as a resource when dealing with personal matters. try it out here.