Intuition in Action!

Business Intuition: Redefining Success

Let me ask you this:
- If your company is making money but your customer are dissatisfied, are you being successful?
- If your CEO is working 80 hours a week and is on the brink of a heart attack, are you being successful?
- If you experience high turn over, absenteeism or alcohol in the workplace, are you being successful?

We live in a fabulously rich country and yet most people are unhappy with their jobs, work more hours a week and have less vacation days than any other industrial country like Japan, Canada or Britain and they don't feel they can achieve life/work balance. 

How long can we keep this up?  Burning out brilliant minds, breaking up marriages and financing costly medical plans to cover stress induced illnesses.  This is not a sustainable strategy for business success.  And yet, we keep trying to define corporate success in terms a "net profit no matter what" approach.

But at some point, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.  Profit margins are shrinking, jobs are lost to outsourcing or downsizing and we're replacing quality with quantity when it comes to hours worked.  As if pedaling faster in the wrong direction could somehow lead us to a successful destination.

So what now?  Slowly but surely, some businesses have realized that rested executives make better decisions, happy employees are more productive and eager to satisfy customers and happy customers are loyal and bring more business.  Even if this means more time off, flexible schedules, job sharing, training and other expenses that target a simple concept: happiness.

Sustainable business success is not just about the financial bottom line.  It's about creating inviting, inspiring and supportive work environments so that every employee can thrive, both personally and professionally, while creating new venues for business profits.  A business works much better when it works for everyone involved.

But how do you find those great ideas that can turn your boat around and fuel sustainable business success?  That's where business intuition comes in.  There is no technique that will work for every business.  But there is always something that will work for your company.  You just have to find it.  And it must take into account the state of your industry, your company culture, your financial resources and so many other factors. 

How can you possibly compile all these critical factors without using your intuition or what most CEOs call their gut feelings?  When you're tapping into your intuition, you are freed from rational left brain limitations which constantly argue that everything is too expensive or impossible.  Instead, you are exploring the creative right brain which handles complexity through abstract thinking and creativity. 

That's where you'll find your strategy for sustainable business success.

In love,
Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
www.EliseLebeau.com
www.StrategicBusinessIntuition.com




 

"Atchoo" said my intuition

Are you impatient?  I know I am...  When I started to develop my intuitive skills, I could not wait to get to the "next level".  And I sure got what I wished for.  My intuition and my Empath Skills have grown exponentially.

But I guess there is such as thing as going too fast.  As my sensitity increased, I had to find new ways to keep it all in balance.  Afterall, I didn't want to be workin 24/7!  Unfortunately, that part lagged behinda little.  And one morning I woke up "too sensitive".

"Atchoo" is how it started.  I had suddenly become sensitive to everything, including pollen.  I had an incredibly powerful bout of seasonal allergies that would leave me exhausted from soo much sneezing.  This is kinda funny because sneezing is one of the most frequent signs that my intuition is trying to tell me something.  Sometimes it just tickles my nose or other times, I'll sneeze out right to interrupt what I'm doing and pay attention to my intuition.

But this was TOO MUCH!  I couldn't get out of the house.  My nose was bright red from the Kleenex.  I couldn't even sleep because of the congestion. 

So I had to back track and start turning down my sensititity.  Well, that's not easy to do!  I was able to control about 30% of my sneezes by using a visualization that turned down my intuition's volume (meaning I would not sneeze if I caught it early and did an emergency shut down of my sensitivity).  But it still left me with a chunky 70%.

I tried all kinds of things.  Alcohol lowers my sensitivity so I had a glass of wine ever day.  Taking medication makes me groggy (I'm so sensitive to them too) so I threw in some night time cold capsules.  That took care of big part of the issue.  But still, I was oozing energy from dealing with too much information.

I now have to do about 3 to 4 meditations a day just to keep afloat.  The meditations are used to interrupt my normal flow of thought (not to expand them!) thus reducing the amount of information I am able to process. 

Although I feel much better now, I am currently a slave to all my mitigations strategies!

So if you feel that things are going too slow and you wish your intuitive skills would sky rocket, beware: you might just get what you wish for...and you too will say "Atchoo!"

 

The Business Intuition Niche - We're Making Progress!

I've noticed more and more searches on Google are using the keywords "business intuition". It's still very sporadic but still, there's a trend. So what will it take to bring this concept in mainstream business conversations?

Well, probably a few more years. And a more systematic approach to intuition overall. This field has been plagued with dial-a-psychic connotations and the fuzzy-gut-feeling concepts, making it difficult to get a credible approach to strategic intuition.

Yet, every successful CEO is using intuition, whether she calls it that or something else. Business is a fluctuating world where you have to make decisions with limited factual information. That exactly the Business Intuition niche.

Business Intuition is a unique opportunity to turn sporadic "gut feelings" into a systematic right-brain approach to decision making. It's not about predicting the future or reading people's minds. Business intuition allows you to leverage all the little pieces of information that are scattered all over your conscious and subconscious mind. By bringing it all together in a coherent "whole", you are more likely to create lasting results than by just guessing or hoping it turns out well...

And when you consider that both Oprah and Trump attribute their success to following their intuition, it makes that approach pretty darn interesting.

So there's still a long ways to go but we are making progress! I was very surprised and so excited to get a call from Intel (an Engineering firm, no less!) asking me to speak at their employee conference about Business Intuition. They were specifically looking for an approach to Intuition that kept it relevant to the business world...A perfect match for my work in this domain.

So even though the trend is just beginning, it's definitely gathering momentum. And in business, there's nothing more exciting than momentum!

It Could Happen to you...

I woke up one morning and realized that all my dreams had come true.  It was a shock.  I hadn't planned on it.  Like most people, I had been disappointed enough times that I figured it was better to be content with what I could scrape together...

But I guess these things creep up on you. 

First, there was the dreams of my 10's:
1) I wanted to marry a man I loved and admired. 
2) I wanted to have a big house.

Then there was the dreams of my 20's:
3) I wanted to be rich.  At the time, that meant $60 000/year. 
4) I wanted new and safe cars. 
5) I wanted variety and fulfillment in my professional life.
6) I wanted to have a happy family.

This is my life right now (I'm 36):
1) My husband is a loving father and fantastic partner.  He's also amazingly smart with an IQ of 163 (meaning there's less than 30 000 people on earth with that kind of brain power)

2) I live in a 3800 sf house with an Art Studio.  My backyard is surrounded by 30 years old cedars.

3) I make more than $100 000/year.  We have no debts except our mortgage.

4) Both of our cars are less than 3 years old.  My hubby loves his Prius.  I love my Rav 4.

5) I have a dual career that I alternate every 6 months.  I'm a Software Engineer and a Professional Intuitive.

6) My in-laws (who live closer to us) are delightful people.  Our own family interactions are filled with hugs, kissed and tickles.

Now the funny thing is I could not exactly tell you when it all happened.  I followed my intuition along the way and there were plenty of twists and turns.  I don't even remember the last turn I took before I found myself on the other side...where everything is possible!

I have new dreams, of course, that include getting my PhD and writing an Amazon.com Best Seller.  And you know what?  I have no doubt that these dreams will come true as well...

In love,
Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
www.EliseLebeau.com

How Often Are You Enlightened?

There are so many recipes out there on how to become enlightened...Different concepts, techniques, processes, lifestyles changes.  The list goes on and on.

And yet, the enlightened beings that have walked the Earth all had a very simple trait in common:
They were happy. 

Just take a look at those little dancing Buddha statues and you'll see what I mean.  That's where my definition came from: a sense that enlightenment is nothing else than a path to happiness.

Divine will is always calling us in that direction, of course.  Nothing makes the Universe happier than for us to get up one morning and know exactly what to do to feel happy that day.   So we're all interested in enlightenment.  And we each have our own way of following that path.

Have you ever been happy?  If so, in that very moment, I believe you were enlightened.   You felt loved and understood, your mind was at peace, you were overflowing with gratitude and ready to be generous.

I remember vividly one such moment of enlightenment in my life: when my son was born.   Seeing his little fist wiggling in front of my eyes took away all the pain, fear and uncertainty.  I was blissfully happy.

What makes enlightened beings so few and so unique is that they can be in that state all the time.  When my new born son woke me up for the 6th time on that very first night, I wasn't so enlightened anymore...And this is what happens to us on a daily basis: we can get there but we can't stay there very long.

So the real question, for me, is: How often are you enlightened?
And the answer I always want to hear from my clients is: More often every day!

in love,

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc., Intuitive Counselor.
Discover the power of your intuition is the pursuit of happiness and enlightenment
www.EliseLebeau.com/intuition

Meditations Techniques You've Never Heard of

Meditation is a very personal thing. When my Empath and Intuitive skills went "live", I was overwhelmed with information and soooooooooooooo many people recommended meditation.

But I hated meditation...No kidding! Just sitting there, trying not to think of pink elephants. It was like a refined form of torture and, worst of all, oh so boring...

The answer came from one of my Spirit Guides one day. He suggested I try a mediation that involved watching movies. Huh? Does that count, I wondered... Since then, my guides have come up with all kinds of unusual meditation techniques that work for me, and now I love it.

Since I am an engineer, things make sense to me when they have a purpose. In my life, meditation is an processing activity, like a computer that needs some time to open up Word or to connect to the Internet. Computers also needs processing time when turning off, to cleanly organize all the new data that has been created.

When I meditate, I keep my left brain out of the way so that my right brain can process all the information I've been receiving (the right brain handles creative, intuitive and abstract data). When I'm done, my mind-computer is responsive again and I'm not just staring at the little hourglass, waiting for the processing to complete before I get my answer!

These are my two favorite meditations techniques. Try them out and feel free to tweak them! Remember that meditation is supposed to feel good.

The Movie Meditation:

1) Select a movie and set your intention to "meditate" while you are watching it.

2) As soon as you start watching, your brain will do what needs to be done to start processing. Even if you don't know what that involves, your brain does! Just like your brain knows how to keep your body functioning while you think of something else.

Movies are great because they keep your left brain busy, leaving the right brain free to go in processing mode. This is a lot easier than trying to turn down your left brain!

3) After the movie, take a moment to "reboot" your mind-computer.  Do you get a message?  What thoughts pop into your mind? This is a great time for profoundly creative ideas to come up so make sure you're listening! And take notes, if you feel so inclined! They'll be priceless!

The Cat Meditation

You know how some people take "cat naps"? A few minutes here and there and they're all refreshed! I've noticed that processing doesn't have to be done all at once in a gruesome 1 hour session. Your brain always knows where it left off processing and it can continue at any time!

The Cat Meditation is a series of very short meditations (and by short I mean that 5 seconds is enough!) that you can easily do without needing to stop the flow of your day. Over time, I have found that I was yearning for longer processing time without ever having to force it.

1) In the Cat Meditation, you're actually turning down your left brain for a brief period. This is different than the Movie Meditation, where you keep your left brain busy in order to facilitate processing. To do this, just imagine a blank screen in your mind. Like you're watching a movie screen but the movie hasn't started yet.

2) Keep it short! For most of us, it won't be long before you start seeing thing (or hearing things) on your blank screen. By then, your left brain has started being active again so you're done!

tip: If you can't keep the screen blank (it's ok, I had a hard time with that at first), try counting to 10. Your left brain might be more willing to stay quiet if you give it a little something to do at first.

3) Here are some great ways to practice this:<br>
- Do a Cat Meditation while reading a book each time you turn a page<br>
- Do a Cat Meditation while watching TV on the first commercial (mute the TV first!)<br>
- Do a Cat Meditation when you get in the car every morning<br>
- Do a Cat Meditation when you start to brush your teeth!<br>

Enjoy!

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
Professional Intuitive
www.EliseLebeau.com

"Thoughts become Things...Choose the good ones!"(c)
More Totally Unique Thoughts on TUT.com

The Sound of Silence

Once in a while, I get the urge to go on a silent retreat.  The first time I did this, I went through a 28 hour trip to Brazil to see John of God where I spent 2 weeks mediating 8 hours a day...Phew!  Since then, luckily, I've found deeply spiritual places that offer the quiet I need within a reasonable driving distance of Portland, Oregon...

My most recent discovery is the Hidden Lake Retreat 

Sometimes you can't help but being in awe at how Divine Will reveals itself in certain circumstances of your life.  Finding the Hidden Lake Retreat  was one of those experiences for me.

My life is filled with situations where I am primarily a caregiver.  As a mother, I am always monitoring my son's well being.  As an Intuitive, I'm always keeping an eye on my clients energy.  As a wife, I'm always aware of my husband's state of mind. 

It also spreads to friends and acquaintances who, even though they might not be aware of it, are always on my intuitive radar for quick energy work or intuitive suggestions to enhance their lives.  And I love every second of it! 

I also take very good care of myself.  I know what I need and I know how to get it.

But once in a while, I long for the quiet that comes from not taking care of anything at all.  And the best way for me to achieve this is through a silent retreat where I let other people take care of me.

But this has been tricky in the past...Not only am I deeply sensitive to my physical surroundings (meaning that some location are beautiful but their energy is jarred, overwhelming or troubled) but I am also easily affected by people's inner thoughts and feelings.  And although it feels great to turn off my filters and take off my daily armor, so to speak, it does mean that I am many times more sensitive to what's around me.

When I am in this state of total openness and vulnerability, I need to be surrounded by people who possess an unusual and powerful sense of calm, inner peace.  Otherwise my hyper sensitivity to their energy keeps me up at night...

I'm sure you can see how that can be difficult to achieve.  How many people do you know have this quality?  And I don't mean that they can put up a nice smile when they greet you.  But rather that they have a sense of profound peace at the core of their being.  I don't see that very often...

So most of the time I ended up trying to find a place where I was totally alone, which excluded being taken care of by someone else...

Well, not this time!  The Hidden Lake Retreat  is a magnificent mansion, tucked away on a private lake.  Every inch of it has been renovated in perfect harmony with the original grandeur of the house.  And yet, they've found a way to blend the historical knotty pine walls and claw foot tub with stunningly modern kitchen and bathrooms.

The owners, Lauri and Judith, are both accomplished chefs.  But what struck me the most was Lauri's intuitive cooking...She just knows what to cook for you.  And even though I do this for my clients on a regular basis (intuitively take care of their inner most needs), it was both surprising and oh so nurturing to have it done for me...

I was also delighted to find a room full of drums, Tibetan and crystal bowls.  I always take my Tibetan bowl with me but I was happy to see and hear Lauri's collection (she's a Shamanic Sound Practitioner).

But the most striking quality of this house is harmony.  Every inch is filled with a powerful intention to balance, soothe and nurture.  Near every chair, there's a foot stool.  Warm blankets lay at the end of the patio chairs.  A side table for your tea is always within reach.   Even when no one else is in the house,  you feel taken care of.

I was brought to tears on my first evening at the lake, overflowing with gratitude.  I felt as if this place had been designed for me, grown for years for the sole purpose of taking care of me.  And I'm sure everyone who has been a guest here has felt the same way, at various levels of consciousness.

Sometimes I feel frustrated that I am so sensitive.  It sure makes my life more challenging than most people's.  But then again, it allows me to appreciate what is going on here from every fiber of my being because I am so sensitive. 

I will be going home tomorrow, feeling taken care of and rejuvenated from the sound of silence that I have found here.

Thank you!

In love,
Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
Professional Intuitive
www.EliseLebeau.com

Warning: Common side effects of intuition include Understanding and Acceptance

When my life is in turmoil, I do find comfort in my intuition.  Even if it doesn't always spit out an answer that makes sense right away.  Somethings are so intricate, so elaborate, working themselves out over years, that you can't possibly understand them right there and then.  But a little intuitive introspection can help to accept them anyway...

I spent 10 years in college...  I have degrees in Fine Arts, Psychology and Engineering.  And yet, after working just 3 years in software engineering, my life got turned upside down by a sudden opening of my intuitive skills. 

At the time,  I didn't understand any of this!  Why couldn't I sleep anymore?   Why did I feel so bad in crowds?  Why did I urgently need to move into a bigger house?  And why, oh why, did I feel the urge to quit my job and become a Professional Intuitive...

The end result was that I quit my job and started my private practice.  It's not easy to walk away from a job that you love and that pays 100K/year.  And to think that I wasted 10 years in college!  But that kind of work just felt empty and meaningless at the time.   I did not understand why I was doing this...And so I ping ponged back and forth between fighting my intuition and following it.

At the time, the only thing that I was seeking from my intuition was understanding.  And even thought I could get these kinds of answers most of the time, sometimes I just couldn't.  In these circumstances where I was not getting a clear intellectual answer to my question, I would feel my intuition had failed me somehow...

It's only in the recent years that I started to have experiences where my intuition would not explain to me what was going on, but it would bring in information that I needed to be ok with it.  Meaning that I wasn't fighting against it, even if I didn't understand it.  Phew!  That made my life so much easier...

And that's where my definitions of these words came from: an hand-on experience of intuition that lead to an intellectual or emotional epiphany. 

Understanding: An intellectual knowledge about the meaning of events, thoughts and feelings.

Acceptance: An emotional state of being where events, thoughts and feelings are embraced  without knowing why they happened.

As it turned out years later, I did go back my beloved work in engineering!  Although I could not see this at the time, I wasn't leaving engineering for ever: I was just taking a little break while I explored something else.  And now I switch back and forth between my two exciting careers.  So all these years in school weren't just a waste of time after all...

It's always fun when our intuition lays out information that brings understanding.  But it's good idea to have a fall back plan...to acceptance.

In love

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
Professional Intuitive & Software Engineer
www.EliseLebeau.com

Intuition Quote 02/02/2008

"Intuition is like an inner flashlight...We need it most in the dark places of our lives, when all other lights have gone out."

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
Professional Intuitive
www.EliseLebeau.com

Tap into your Intuition with EFT

Are you ready to turn on your intuition RIGHT NOW?

Then sit back, relax and "tap along" with this EFT coaching video!

Elise Lebeau, M.Sc.
Intuitive Counselor
www.EliseLebeau.com