Storm Waning

Written by: Dinelsa Morales, Ph.D, TFC, MSW Intern

For: Hispanic Family Counseling Inc. Newsletter January 2024 Edition

This year began with great energy and intensity, news, events, alarms, and warnings. This causes people to wait for something to happen. I think that since 2020 many are afraid that a new year will begin. To complete this story, there is a major winter storm warning approaching and it is something new for me, so my body, mind and emotions are aware of the danger that could be approaching.

As human beings, we all have an internal alert system that is completely natural. In psychology, it is called the stress response system, which includes various behaviors that human beings could develop depending on each person's coping skills: Fight, Flight or Freeze (that is not being able to respond). But, just as our body activates in moments of news of danger our emotional and thought changes respond in the same way.

I don't know if it makes sense to you to think that on many occasions we have an internal sensation that warns us about what we are going to experience next, about whether a person suits us or not, about whether I should initiate a change or stay in the same place, etc It is what we call "Intuition" and it is an internal voice that warns you of those sensations or energies that you receive in relation to everything that surrounds you and happens to you. Therefore, we must learn to balance it to be able to hear what we need to hear.

And sometimes we need to learn to listen to what our body is letting us know. "Fight, Flight or Don't take a step."

In every decision we need to make, we know the answer beforehand, but we ignore it. Many people think that they are going crazy, or that it is their imagination, but when you develop an internal conversation with yourself, you realize that it is something that you are experiencing and that you need to address. Therefore, when you perceive that internal storm warning, talk to it, ask it, evaluate what it is that you urgently need to attend to and what steps you need to take so you can return to a state of balance and inner peace. Do not perceive internal warnings as something negative, sometimes emotions such as fear and anger are there to protect you and to warn you that your personal limits are being hurt or vulnerable to danger.

Learn to know yourself more every day!