Do you struggle with making decisions? We’re often told to ‘trust our gut’ when it comes to weighing up choices. But what happens when our gut is more tuned into our dinner plans than sharing any higher wisdom? While it may not feel like it, we all have intuition.
It’s the ability and sense of feeling something instinctively, without conscious reasoning or thought. There may have already been occasions where you’ve felt your intuition calling you. For example, has there been a time where your initial feelings about someone or something turned out to be true? Learning to trust your inner voice takes practice, but it can transform your decision making, selfconfidence and outlook on life. Here, we share a few simple ways you can begin to tune into your inner wisdom and cultivate a practice that strengthens your intuition.
Develop a meditation practice
Tapping into your inner wisdom can feel impossible when there’s countless thoughts buzzing around your head. Developing a meditation practice is a good first step to cultivating a strong intuition. Meditation can help to clear your mind, making it easier to hear your inner voice.
While it may not work for you straight away, incorporating a few mindful minutes each day will help you to develop a regular, calming practice. Start with just five minutes, taking this time to focus your attention on your breathing while sitting in a comfortable position. With practice, you’ll notice that these five minutes go by in no time at all and you may wish to sit for longer. Guided meditation apps are also a great way to get started. We love Headspace and Insight Timer, both available on the App store.
Take a moment to reflect
We’ve all had moments in life that didn’t go exactly as we’d expected – whether it’s a relationship, a career move or attending an event. Rather than living with regret, use these experiences as learning opportunities. They’re fantastic inspiration for connecting to your inner wisdom.
Take a moment to think about a time in your life where things didn’t work out. Journal about the experience and outline what happened. Also notice whether there were any red flags during this time that you ignored. Perhaps someone said something that made you uncomfortable. Maybe it was an overwhelming amount of work. Perhaps you never quite felt at ease, but couldn’t explain why.
Note anything that comes to mind. These hunches and gut feelings are your intuition talking to you. By identifying these feelings, you’re more likely to notice them should they show up again in future.
Pause and listen to your body
How many times have you said ‘yes’ to something without thinking and immediately lived to regret it? We’re all guilty of it from time to time. By slowing down and listening to our inner wisdom, we’re more likely to make decisions that are aligned with our true values. The next time you’re presented with a decision, pause and take a few breaths. Close your eyes and notice how each option feels in your body.
It requires practice, so start small. For example, it might be thinking about your planned self-care activity. Spend time considering how each choice makes you feel. Does the thought of attending your usual yoga class fill you with a warm, happy glow? Or is there a sense of unease, perhaps even anxiety? How does it change when you consider an alternative, like a salt bath or a mindful walk through the woods? Over time, you may notice even more subtle changes in your body.
The rate and depth of your breathing may change, perhaps your heartbeat quickens, or maybe you feel a difference in your temperature. All of these physical clues are your intuition talking to you. You just need to take the time to notice. As your intuition practice develops, you can extend it to bigger decisions in your life. From moving to a new home to saying ‘yes’ to that job, trust in yourself to make the right choice.
Practice with oracle cards
Oracle cards have boomed in popularity over the past few years and are perfect for enhancing your intuition practice. There are a wide variety of oracle cards available, from angels and goddesses to crystals and spirit animals. You can choose a deck with a theme that you resonate the most with. Alternatively, begin to tune into your intuition and opt for the deck you feel most drawn towards. Once armed with your cards, it’s time to incorporate them into a mindful practice. One simple technique is to think of a question or problem that you need guidance for. Shuffle the deck until they feel right in your hands and then select a card that you feel most drawn towards.
The majority of oracle decks come with a guidebook, revealing the specific meanings of each card. Take a few moments to see if you can interpret the card and what it means for you before reaching for the guidebook. You may surprise yourself with your insights.
Lean into creativity
We’re naturally creative as children, spending our days painting, drawing and building entire other realms with our imagination. However, as we grow up, particularly in the Western world, rational thinking is often overvalued in place of creativity and intuition. As a result, we end up disconnected from our inner voice and can lose trust in ourselves. There’s no better time than now to spend some time allowing your creativity to flow.
You’ll soon notice your intuition coming to play too! Whether it’s choosing the right design for your homemade Christmas cards and decorations, or hitting the right note with your guitar on a festive song you’re writing, you’ll know what feels right. You can then begin to extend this into other areas of your life, such as career moves, relationship milestones and other big life decisions, trusting in the process and noticing what feels right during new projects and ventures. Soon, you won’t even have to think about it. You’ll just go with your gut.
