How to Connect and Partner with Your Intuition

Remember last week when I talked about shutting down the shoulds? That “should” voice can be a real asshole, however there’s this other voice inside of you that is anything but. It’s a quiet, still voice that is full of wisdom, that never steers you wrong, and that usually gets drowned out by all the noise around you.

It’s the voice of your intuition; your gut; your wise self. She is softer, encouraging, and truly has your best interest in mind (or soul in this case).

While she can be hard to hear sometimes, with practice you can make her a regular part of your day. And the more you do, the more you’ll learn to trust yourself. And the more you learn to trust yourself, the more likely it will be that you’ll make bold moves in the direction of your dreams.

But what if you lost contact with her long ago and you’re not sure how get her attention again? With some seemingly silly tactics, you can easily tap her on her figurative shoulder to re-engage.

Let’s say, for example, that you’re weighing a couple options for dinner. Take a few quiet moments and check in with your body.

Fish or pasta.

This or that.

See if you can sense what your gut is leaning toward. Be careful, though, because your head will jump in pretty quickly.

If you find you’re thinking about what to have instead of feeling into what you want, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and try again. There’s a reason why so many people tout the power of deep breaths — because they work. Physiologically it settles your body down and quiets your mind. And it makes space for your soul to speak.

So is it really critical what you end up having for dinner? Of course not, which is precisely why it’s a good thing to practice on. Nothing major is on the line.

Use exercises like this regularly to get back in touch with your intuition.

Pause and check in when you receive an invitation or request.

Or when you’re getting dressed in the morning — “Do I want to wear this or that?”

Do I want coffee or tea?

Once the connection is re-established, you can then consult your inner wisdom for bigger decisions like considering a job offer or evaluating the health of your relationship. The more you consult her, the more she becomes a powerful partner in your living your best life.

As if that’s not cool enough, it gets better. Before you know it, that voice starts to speak to you even without prompting. This is when you find yourself saying things like, “Something’s telling me not to go tonight,” “I don’t get a good feeling about him,” or “I need to call my mother.”

Instead of dismissing those internal messages as paranoia or just chatter, hear them for what they are — your intuition guiding you now that she knows she has your attention. Heed her guidance and you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

A client of mine who wanted to make her art more of a priority had just finished working on some projects when she was feeling a bit burnt out. Typically, she would leave her work area as is and come back to it when the mood struck her. But this time, she got a gentle nudge to tidy up her space. She chose to honor that nudge and put her tools away, organize her supplies, and wipe down her work surface. Once she had, she felt so motivated by how it looked and felt that she did another hour of creating.

This may seem like an insignificant example, however, what she learned is that she’s much more apt to create art when her workspace is organized and inviting. Since then, she’s kept it that way and, as a result, is churning out pieces left and right — which was her goal to begin with.

There are, of course, much more dramatic examples such as people who felt a strong sense to not get on a plane only to learn it later crashed. While miraculous, we needn’t wait for something that shocking to trust ourselves.

So this week, I challenge you to get quiet and listen to that small, yet powerful voice inside. Then see what happens when you follow her marching orders. Then come over to the blog and share your experiences. I’d love to hear your take on all of this and read your intuition stories!

Until next week, I wish you space and clarity.