This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

Episode 360: Practical Intuition For Bold, Better Decisions with Laura Day

Released: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Nicole Kalil explores the often-misunderstood topic of intuition with renowned author and intuitive, Laura Day. Together, they dismantle misconceptions around intuition as "woo woo," and reframe it as a practical, trainable skill that can profoundly improve your decision-making and help you build a life in alignment with your authentic self. The discussion is frank, witty, and deeply personal, touching on how to distinguish intuition from emotion, the mechanics of intuitive practice, ways to break free from limiting old habits, and why embracing even the smallest changes can lead to transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Intuition: Beyond "Woo Woo" ([03:00]–[07:09])

• Nicole sets the stage, questioning the societal bias in favor of logic and fact-gathering over intuition—particularly in women’s decision-making.
• Laura defines intuition as a non-local acquisition of facts that transcends time and space, and cautions against magicalizing it.
  • Laura (04:58):

    “My soapbox is don’t magicalize. This is a simple human skill. Train it the way you trained intellect, the way you trained emotion, the way you trained your social skills, the way you trained your body. Train it, apply it, and it will give you the guidance that you need.”

2. Intuition vs. Feeling: Clearing Up Misconceptions ([07:51]–[09:28])

• Nicole probes whether intuition is the same as gut instinct or feeling.
• Laura clarifies that intuition is not “a feeling” but rather data that emerges outside of our habitual or conditioned responses.
  • Laura (08:09):

    “Feeling is very misleading and feeling is often historical. It’s based on an old and it’s not really accurate in terms of the reliable data that intuition can provide.”

3. Training & Practicing Intuition ([09:44]–[14:46])

• Laura outlines a practical process:

  1. Set a clear goal: Identify what you want as a focus for your intuition.
  2. Document unexpected insights: Notice new impulses, synchronicities, or desires that arise, and write them down—don’t rely on memory.
  3. Regular review: Over the span of a week, patterns or meaningful signs become apparent.
  • Laura (13:39):

    “Memory is sneaky and inaccurate… I like to carry a little book… At the end of the week, I’ll look, and all of a sudden I’ll say, wow, this is a real roadmap.”

• Nicole acknowledges the challenge for “overthinkers” and emphasizes the need for curiosity rather than over-intellectualizing.

4. Action, Not Overthinking: Tiny Changes Yield Big Shifts ([15:00]–[23:49])

• Laura stresses that any change—even just wearing a different color—can reorient your patterns and catalyze new outcomes.
  • Laura’s "red dress story" illustrates how a seemingly small, illogical action (wearing red instead of her trademark blue) dramatically shifted her life and social connections.
  • Laura (23:27):

    “It’s the doing a tiny thing, tiny, tiny, tiny. Wear a different color, tiny thing differently and then confirming it by noticing what happens.”

5. Mechanics Over Mysticism: The Nature of Change ([24:07]–[25:43])

• Nicole and Laura discuss the importance of small, mechanical steps over dramatic spiritual overhauls.
• Laura (24:23):

  “We are mechanical beings in a mechanical world, in a mechanical universe. There are rules to it. ... A tiny change is actually the best change.”

6. Personal Example: Balancing Intellect and Intuition ([26:13]–[31:10])

• Laura provides Nicole with personal insights, identifying her tendency to intellectualize as a protective mechanism.
• Discussion expands to "ego centers" (akin to chakras), and how to notice where you’re “stuck” in your body during stressful moments as a cue to which part of your operating system needs attention or healing.

7. The Concept of “No New Damage” ([33:17]–[35:06])

• Nicole brings up “no new damage.” Laura disagrees with the need to “know your damage”—instead, just act, and your issues will reveal themselves.
  • Laura (33:17):

    “Try something new. Have a goal. Your damage is going to be the first guest at that party. No new damage is about… Is this new damage? ... That is new damage. And I think what we do is we tend to be lofty. ... No, no, no, no, no. In the moment... Just little tiny things in the moment.”

8. Quick Resets When You Feel Stuck ([35:06]–[37:41])

• Laura advises: When stuck, attend to your most basic needs first (water, food, movement, a hug), revisit your goal, and leverage calm support from others.
• Notice how changes show up: Whether through new thoughts, unexpected calls, synchronicities—tracking these helps clarify real intuition vs. old habits.

9. Obstacles as the Curriculum: Growth Through Setbacks ([40:44]–[42:54])

• Nicole asks about setbacks and their role in intuition and goal pursuit.
• Laura reframes obstacles as “the lesson plan”—not signs of failure or lack of intuition.
  • Laura (41:07):

    “Usually the first thing you hit or the first thing you notice are the setbacks, are the barriers... When an obstacle arises, you say yay. Now I know the course I need to take. I'm not good at saying yay, by the way. I say 'sh*t. Not again.' ... But the only magic thing in this universe is you and your connection to each other and the world around you.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Logic confirms what already exists. Intuition relies on a different kind of knowing and lets us step into possibility.” – Nicole (03:00)
• “Feeling is very misleading and feeling is often historical. … intuition is when you’re given data.” – Laura (08:09)
• “Have a goal. The first thing is have a goal. The second thing is document all the new things that come out of left field.” – Laura (11:41)
• “Everything is a sign, actually... When you set a goal and contextualize all experience within that goal, everything is a sign, everything is a guide, everything's a caution, everything's a roadmap.” – Laura (15:00)
• On setbacks: “When an obstacle arises, you say yay. Now I know the course I need to take ... But the only magic thing in this universe is you and your connection to each other and the world around you.” – Laura (41:07)

Suggested “How-To” Steps from Laura Day

1. Set a Specific Goal
Write it down—clarity brings focus for your intuition. ([11:41])

2. Take Notes Daily
Carry a notebook; jot down ideas, “coincidences,” dreams, or new impulses related to your goal. ([13:39])

3. Review Your Week
See what patterns, opportunities, or guidance emerge; look for synchronicities and new directions.

4. Make Tiny, Safe Changes
Experiment with actions outside your norm—don’t mistake discomfort for danger if it’s safe. Review the results. ([23:49])

5. When Stuck, Address Immediate Needs
Food, water, rest, movement, connection. Revisit your goal and let guidance arise from a more regulated state. ([35:27])

6. See Setbacks as Guidance
Obstacles reveal missing tools or approaches—let them inform your next step. ([41:07])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:00 — Nicole reframes intuition vs. logic
• 04:58 — Laura debunks intuition as “magic”
• 08:09 — Intuition vs. feeling vs. conditioning
• 09:44 — Laura’s practical process for intuition
• 13:39 — Why and how to document intuitions
• 15:00 — Everything as a sign; synchronicity
• 23:49 — The “red dress” story: change in action
• 26:13 — Personalized reading for Nicole; ego centers
• 33:17 — No new damage and tiny choices
• 35:27 — Simple resets when feeling stuck
• 41:07 — Obstacles and setbacks as growth

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

• Intuition is a universal, practical tool—not a superpower or a magical gift.
• Training intuition is about attention, documentation, and tiny, safe experiments, not grand gestures or risky leaps.
• Setbacks and discomfort are not failures of intuition, but part of the curriculum—signals for the next small adjustment or new tool.
• Your unique path emerges from the interplay of what you want, evidence available, intuitive possibilities, and actionable steps.

Laura Day’s Resources:

• Website: lauraday.com
• Instagram: @lauradayintuit
• Books: Practical Intuition, The Circle, The Prism, and more

“Your intuition is not woo woo and it’s not reckless. It’s your built in alignment system designed to guide you toward the life you want and were meant to live.”
– Nicole Kalil (43:41)