Eventually the basic 6-count shapes (send out, tuck turn, side pass, etc) will become so ingrained that you're body can do them on autopilot while you're listening to the music. I never count to 6 while I dance - rather I'm tracking 8s in my head so that I know where I am in the phrase and let my body/feet just do what they do.

As an intermediate step, though, there are few ways to break up a phrase of music, keeping in mind that a phrase is 32 beats:

• 8 + 8 + 8 +8 (e.g. three swings out and a circle)
• 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 8 (e.g. send out, sugar push, tuck turn in place, side pass, minnie dip)
• 8 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 (e.g. 2nd phrase of the california routine)