How My Conscious and Subconscious Minds Protected Me

Ever thanked your mind? No? I’m guilty as charged here too.

We rely on it every day, but as you know, I often criticise both the conscious and subconscious. Why? Because the subconscious tends to stir up trouble, and the conscious isn’t always great at reigning it in.

Today, I would like to write them a love letter to express my gratitude.

Thank You Subconscious Mind for Monkey Defence Skills

One of my favourite pastimes is taking the kids out into nature. It’s cheap, healthy, and leaves them nicely exhausted for a long nap. On a recent trip to MacRitchie Reservoir, my older boy happily walked beside me over long distances. My three-year-old, surprisingly, hiked a few kilometres without a single complaint—a big win! Because I played babysitter to the 2 boys so I whipped up scrumptious sandwiches for lunch and a cold homemade chocolate oat milk.

By lunchtime, however, the kids were tired, and I was carrying the little one around on my shoulders. After what felt like miles, I found a pavilion where we could eat. There was one problem: monkeys. They’d already taken over most other resting spots. These cheeky macaques were bold enough to steal food if given the chance.

As soon as I pulled out our sandwiches, one cheeky critter made a run for it. In a split second, my subconscious mind triggered a swift kick (gently, mind you!) and sent it flying a few metres away. Our lunch was saved!

Arigato, subconscious! If Mr Conscious Mind paused to critically analyse the situation, that monkey would’ve won lunch—and maybe a trip to the hospital for us! I was in awe at its speed and precision.

The subconscious mind is lightning-fast, a bit like a personal bodyguard you never knew you had. It’s wired to react to danger before you can even process it.

Thank You Conscious Mind for Saving My Butt

Recently, a Chinese teacher from a renowned school offered a golden opportunity to conduct a health and nutrition workshop. I had planned to foray into the private training space and it felt like the man up there heard my prayers. After a brief exchange, he asked me to meet him the next day for a conversation with the principal.

Everything seemed perfect, until the teacher asked me to help him with a quick favour—buy some equipment from a vendor because the school had a fallout with the Malaysian supplier. I was hungry for the job so I reluctantly agreed.

He sent me the funds, but they were delayed because the bank was verifying the large transaction. He then asked me to pay the deposit out of my own pocket while the transfer “processed.” The funds are trotting over to my bank, he assured me. To tip me over the fence, he said he needed the goods by 3pm and the vendor needed the funds by 12pm. It was 11.30am by then.

I’ll be completely honest with you… My subconscious said, “You can trust him; go ahead,” but my conscious mind screamed, “STOP!”

Thankfully, a ray of clarity jolted me out of the trance and I saw through the scheme. I listened to my critical mind and dodged a potential scam. The conscious mind may be slower, but its power lies in its ability to critically analyse, make sense of situations, and, sometimes, save your butt by overriding the subconscious.

Final Thoughts

In retrospect, both the conscious and subconscious parts of my mind played their respective roles in protecting me.

Your subconscious helps you navigate daily life with ease and protects you from immediate and obvious threats, but it’s also responsible for some of the mental patterns that keep you stuck. The conscious mind, meanwhile, is your creative, analytical powerhouse.

When life feels out of control, it’s often because we’re running on subconscious autopilot. How then can we regain control? Meditation strengthens your ability to stay in the present, and hypnotherapy can help clear the emotional baggage that clouds your judgement. Both methods help you become more mindful so your critical mind gets more airtime from the resulting zen-ness in the subconscious.

Many of my clients report feeling more in control after hypnotherapy. That’s because once you deal with the mental and emotional baggage weighing you down, both your conscious and subconscious minds can work in harmony.

Want to gain better control of your mind? Consider hypnotherapy and meditation. Contact me for a FREE discovery call! I’m here to help.

Photo credits: Gabrielle Henderson, Rosalind Chang, Shashi Chaturvedula