“The intuitive mind is where our genius resides.” ~ A. Artemis
Has anyone ever chided you for making decisions based on gut instinct? In today’s technological world, isn’t it an asset to be more logical, more analytical? Perhaps you feel stuck at times between following your head or your heart, because you don’t trust yourself to make the right decision. Actually, I don’t think success is dependent on being one way or the other. As complex humans, we use both! They complement each other. Never would you want to silence one of your greatest strengths – your inner voice, your sixth sense, your gut, your intuition.
While many people think intuition is only the result of the brain drawing on past experiences and external cues to make a decision on an unconscious level, there’s more going on than that. There are neurotransmitters in your actual gut that send signals to your brain. They respond to real-time environmental stimuli and emotions. When those neurotransmitters fire you feel sensations of uneasiness. Scientists are calling the gut our second brain. You can know something, without knowing how you know it. You just have to learn to trust yourself!
We often speak of women’s intuition, but men can be powerfully intuitive too. Everyone can increase their intuition or gut instinct.
Clearing the clutter of mental or external noise is one of the best ways to tap into our intuition easier. Spending time in solitude or in meditation can be profound in helping us better pick up on our inner guidance.
When we're constantly being influenced by others, what we see/hear, others' opinions or what others might think, the "shoulds" that we feel, or the general busyness of our daily lives, it makes it harder for us to pay attention to what truly feels best for us. By getting quiet and spending time alone we can better tune into our needs and intuition, free of distraction.
Practice paying attention to your Initial split-second gut reaction when being faced with a set of decisions.
To practice this now, take a moment to think about a decision you're trying to make. Remove all thoughts or analyses about them, and just focus on the feeling of when you weigh your options. You can try flipping a coin to see what that split-second moment feels like.
Generally, when something feels right, there's a pull toward it, an openness, lightness, or senes of excitement. When something doesn't feel right, you may feel a sense of contraction, resistance, dread, or pulling back. You can ask yourself: which choice feels relieving, liberating, calming, or exciting? Which one feels heavy or uncomfortable? Your initial reaction can give you lots of insight into what might be best for you.
Tuning into these feelings will help you familiarize yourself with your “gut feelings” or intuition.
The brain and body are intricately connected. When we feel a certain way mentally or emotionally, our physical body responds accordingly thanks to the connections in our nervous system. For example, if something feels wrong, you may hunch your shoulders, feel a heaviness in your chest or feel sick to your stomach, or you may have a concerned facial expression. Likewise, if something feels good, you may be smiling while talking about it or feel a sense of lightness and opennness in your body, even if there's a bit of nervousness about it.
This is where some people get confused by fear vs. intuition. To help distinguish between the two, I invite you to think about it this way: how would you feel AFTER the decision is all said and done, either immediately, after a few weeks, or even months later? Do you have a sense of relief, pride, joy, or confidence? Or does it make you feel sad, regretful, or disappointed?
Fear can typically be overcome. We can push through fears, learn new skills, and improve confidence. But intuition typically lingers by giving us a nagging feeling that something isn't right, even after we've made a decision.
Sometimes using our conscious, analytical mind can be helpful to pave the way for our intuition to shine through. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself if you're trying to make a decision or weighing a few options in your life right now. Grab a journal and write these out:
- What is the ultimate outcome I want? What is most important when it comes to this area of my life?
- What are the pros, cons, and worst case scenarios for each option?
- Are my fears (worst case scenarios) realistic or imaginary? Often we are afraid of outcomes that aren’t even likely, let alone realistic. This can drown out your intuition. Ask yourself if your fears are deep-seated insecurities disguised as convincing truths.
Acting as a safe space to release emotions, work through problems, and process my thoughts, it can allow for greater self-discovery and understanding.
Next time you are having difficulty making a decision, pick up a pen and some paper and let the words flow out of you. Reflect on the situation, explore those feelings, and consider the bigger picture.
This free-flowing use of personal writing can be a wonderful catalyst for removing blocks and letting your intuitive voice lead the way. Just let the words pour out of you.
The intuitive voice is a powerful one, but it often needs a quiet, calm, reflective environment to find its way.
Learn where you can find some peace, go there when times are hard, and listen with all your might to what your heart and soul are telling you.
Your intuition wants to guide and support you. So give it the space to be heard.
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