Intuition is your ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. Most people get far too caught up in their thoughts to recognize their intuitive hits --and that's a real shame. Your intuition is a sense of knowing, without any logic to "back it up." It's that feeling that something's right or wrong, fitting or unfitting, safe or unsafe.
When you're disconnected from your intuition, it can be nearly impossible to know what you should do in important situations. Should you move in with the guy you've been seeing? Should you take that job offer? Should you go to that event that's thousands of miles and a hefty plane ticket away?
How can you answer fully and completely from your heart and soul when you're too busy weighing the pros and cons or thinking about the how-tos and what-ifs?
Check In With Yourself.
Checking in with your intuition is a matter of checking in with your body and energy. What do you feel when a big decision or opportunity is presented to you? Not what you think you feel or think you should feel. What do you physically feel?
Is it a sensation of physical resistance? Some tension in your chest and shoulders? A slightly nauseating ball in your stomach? Or is it an open and airy energetic feeling? Do you feel light? Flutters in the heart? Do you feel pulled in one direction or another? Most importantly, did you have an instant response from the depths of your soul that you may have thought your way out of?
The important part of checking in with yourself is to recognize what you feel immediately after something is presented to you. If you take too long to assess your reaction, you're going to start over thinking it. This is completely natural, but it's not very helpful when trying to connect with your intuition!
The sensations that you feel in your body will have a direct link to the answer that you're seeking. If you know the difference between feeling open, light, compelled, drawn towards, etc... and feeling resistance, tension, heaviness, unsettled and physically ill... you'll be able to extract guidance from checking in with your body and what you're feeling.
If you're someone who goes straight into your head, this will take time. Start by pausing when something is presented to you instead of reacting verbally. Pause. Check in with your body. Note what you're feeling immediately and begin to trust and honor those responses.
How Do You Know If You Really Know?
First, it takes trust and true connection to yourself. This will come with time and practice. Be patient and don't beat yourself up if you can't always make that connection. I promise that with practice, you'll find yourself making most decisions with ease and grace, which will lead to greater happiness and synchronicity in your life.
As for really knowing? The old saying rings true: When you know, you know. Simple as that, though it can be frustrating to hear if you're unsure if you know!
So let me say this... if you're questioning whether or not you really know something, you're over thinking it. Chances are, if you're not sure if something's right for you, the answer is probably no, it's not. Because when something is really, really right for you, you know it with every fiber in your being. Your senses are automatically heightened, and the physical response is undeniable. It's the same with really knowing that something's not right for you. You know. If you ignore that immediate response and start over-thinking and weighing options, you're just going to confuse yourself.
Take Action Now
What's a decision that's been weighing on your mind lately? Take a moment to check in with your body and see what it is that you feel in response to this decision. Don't think about it. Don't take too much time to check in. Pause. See what you feel and make note of it. Share in the comments below and let me know what insights you've gained from this simple exercise!
Stephenie Zamora is the founder of www.stepheniezamora.com, a full-service, life-purpose development, design and branding boutique. Here she merges the worlds of personal development and branding to help young women build passion-based businesses. Click here to download her free guide, "The Unexpected Trick to Transforming Your Life With ONE Single Question."
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