Hello, and a warm welcome to all you quietly influential leaders out there. I'm Guin White, your host of "Quietly Influential: Leadership Lessons for Introverts". Today, we plunge into the depths of our minds - a journey of introspection, of self-discovery, meant to illuminate the unseen and the unacknowledged. We will explore the interplay between our conscious and unconscious minds, understanding how they can align, how they may conflict, and how this balance - or imbalance - shapes our journey. We'll dissect this complex dynamic, delving into a world full of unseen influences, submerged memories, and hidden drivers that shape our actions, our decisions, and our lives. Our minds, a realm of thoughts, feelings, and impulses, are divided into two distinct parts - the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious mind, the gatekeeper of our immediate thoughts and actions, handles logic, decision-making, and our awareness of the world around us. Yet, as Freud taught us, what we see is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface, the vast expanse of our unconscious mind stretches out, harboring feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that lurk outside our conscious awareness. Despite its concealment, the unconscious mind is far from dormant. It shapes our behavior and emotional responses to an extent we're barely aware of. The staggering fact is that, according to Dutch psychologists Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, our unconscious mind processes about 11 million bits of information per second, dwarfing the 60 bits per second that the conscious mind can handle. When the two halves of your mind are synced, they're a formidable force. When out of sync, they can lead to an internal tug-of-war, causing confusion, stress, and stagnation. This unconscious 'underbelly' can be a double-edged sword. While it can work in our favor, driving us toward our goals and aspirations, it can also work against us. Past experiences, deeply ingrained beliefs, and learned responses can all conspire to sabotage our conscious efforts, causing a massive disconnect between what we want to do and what we end up doing. In fact, this disconnect might explain why we react to certain situations differently than we'd like, leading to a cycle of self-sabotage where our unconscious mind undermines what our conscious mind is striving for. It's as if we're in a constant tug-of-war with ourselves - a war that leaves us feeling exhausted, powerless, and stuck. For us introverts, this internal conflict can be particularly challenging. The world, with its extroverted bias, often sends us messages that our introverted traits are somehow 'less than' or in need of 'fixing'. These messages, if internalized, can feed into our unconscious mind, fueling self-doubt and inhibiting our natural abilities. Perhaps, consciously, you understand the need to network at social events. But your unconscious mind, scarred by past rejections and fueled by fear of judgement, resists. Or, you might consciously understand the need to expand your business, but unconscious beliefs about your capabilities, or intrinsic fears about stepping out of your comfort zone, hold you back. This incongruence is a pervasive problem. A study by the University of Maryland indicates that as many as 85% of people suffer from low self-esteem. The root cause is almost always negative unconscious beliefs. Imagine the impact on our collective productivity, achievement and happiness! But all is not lost. The beautiful thing about our minds is their ability to change, adapt, and grow. Various tools and techniques can help us bridge the gap between conscious intent and unconscious resistance, turning internal conflict into a harmonious alliance. First I like to highlight Positive Intelligence also known as PQ. PQ focuses on taming our self-sabotaging 'saboteurs' and enhancing our positive mental muscles or 'sages'. It's a conscious effort, a practice of shifting from self-sabotage to self-empowerment. Then there's Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP, which offers tools and techniques to communicate with our unconscious mind and rewrite limiting beliefs. By consciously changing our internal dialogue, we can shape our unconscious responses. Two of my favorites to bring to this conversation are Human Design and The Gene Keys. These systems offer a totally unique perspective on how we're built at an unconscious level. They provide a map to understanding how our energy works as well as our strengths, challenges, and behaviors, helping to guide us toward our most authentic and aligned selves. Then there's the practice of Emotional Freedom Technique, also called EFT - Tapping. This is a technique I use myself and with my clients that combines gentle tapping on key acupressure points with verbal affirmations. What it does is help to release negative emotions and self-limiting beliefs that are stored in our unconscious mind. Finally any conversation about the mind wouldn't be complete without mentioning Meditation & Yoga. These, when done consistently, foster a deep connection with our unconscious mind, bringing clarity, self-awareness, and peace. Regular practice can be transformative, bringing our unconscious biases to light and helping align our conscious and unconscious selves. As we begin to conclude today's discussion, hopefully you now understand even better that our minds are potent tools and, when fully integrated and leveraged effectively, they can drive us toward success. As introverted leaders, understanding this inner landscape is crucial to overcoming professional challenges and achieving significant growth. So, there you have it - a mini deep-dive into the labyrinth of our conscious and unconscious minds. While it might seem daunting, understanding this interplay and learning how to harness it is a rewarding journey. It's not just about achieving external success but also about achieving inner harmony, peace, and self-acceptance. Let's remember that being an introvert is hardly a handicap, but actually a unique strength to harness. By bringing our unconscious biases to light and consciously choosing to rewrite our narrative, we can align both parts of our mind to fulfill our goals. As we wrap up, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect upon the internal tug-of-war you might be experiencing. Question the self-limiting beliefs the unconscious mind may be holding onto and consciously choose to challenge these beliefs. Explore the strategies we discussed and see which ones resonate with you. Remember, self-awareness is the first step towards transformation. On this note, I'll bring this episode to a close. As always, I am Guin White, here to guide you on this introspective journey. I hope today's episode gave you insights into your mind's dynamics and spurred you towards positive change. Remember - you have the power within you to script your journey, to harness your introverted strengths, and to become the quietly influential leader you were meant to be. Thank you so much for tuning in to 'Quietly Influential: Leadership Lessons for Introverts'. Please hit the subscribe button and stay tuned for more insights and actionable strategies. And until next time - keep being unapologetically you, keep being quietly influential.