There are times when we know that something is right. We can feel it in our gut. While this is wonderful, when you do not know how to follow your intuition, being told to follow your gut can be unhelpful. You can learn to trust this gut feeling and know your intuition is speaking to you. Intuition is that suspicion you feel when something is off, but you cannot quite tell why. It can be powerful as a guiding force, and it is more developed for some than others.
Some people will feel a strong urge in their core when something is wrong, while others may just get an inkling, they are not certain how to interpret it. It is okay to not know what the feelings mean. It is easy to confuse intuition with the ego that keeps you from doing something new. This is just a natural reaction to try to keep yourself safe. The ego does not want you trying things that are new, even if the risk is worth it.
Learning to listen to your gut has a great deal to do with trust. This can be difficult when there is fear involved. Following your intuition means that you do not have to put any conscious thought into whatever decision you are making. This intuition and the decision will come naturally without judgment.
This can be tough when many people have been taught not to trust their own judgment. Whether you want to learn to better follow your gut or just learn to be more self-aware, below are eleven ways to know if your intuition is trying to tell you something and how to listen to it as it tries to offer guidance.
Peaceful Feeling in the Chest or Stomach
Sometimes, intuition is so strong that it has physical effects. While some individuals may feel a peace in their hearts, others may feel it in their gut as a sinking type feeling. Some even feel a tightness in their chest or stomach when something is off.
Feeling Confident and Happy Even When It Does Not Seem Rational
If you have ever daydreamed about something like quitting your job, but do not do so because of financial concerns, the moment of clarity is intuition trying to lead you in a specific way. It may not be a logical answer, but it is likely to be the one you need to see. You have to learn to tune into this intuition and feel confident when it arises.
Vivid Dreams
Intuition can come in many forms, including vivid dreams about things like being chased or falling off a building. Dreams are a major form of communication by the spirit. Intuition does not come with a time stamp, and we can intuitively pick up things about our past, present, and future. If this occurs in your dreams, record it for the record at a later time.
Same Opportunities
When your intuition is trying to communicate with you, it may try to gain your attention through life patterns. Pay attention to the things that come up repeatedly during your day even if they are only loosely related to what you are considering.
Clarity When Not Busy
Have you ever been showering or driving a well-known route when you had an ah-ha moment? This is your intuition that has taken advantage of your mind being at rest.
Thoughts Being Pulled in a Certain Direction
Your intuition is meant to guide you in the right direction for your life, but sometimes we all miss the signs or simply ignore them. If you start to notice that your mind continually wonders back to a particular thought, you may want to investigate the feeling. Look for patterns, repeating thoughts, and repeated thoughts in a specific direction.
Intuition and Instinct are Not always in Sync
Sometimes, your rational side, the ego, will try to protect you from an error or failure. The instinct is there to help you survive. This means that sometimes the two will fight because you fear failure, so you do not go after your dreams.
Instinct and intuition are different because instinct is an automatic response while intuition is more focused and evolved. To help decide when your intuition is servings you or not, practice visualization or see a therapist to get rid of poor coping mechanisms and build self-trust.
Feeling Uneasy
When you learn to listen to your intuition, you will likely feel happy. If you choose to ignore your intuition, you may feel a wave of uneasiness. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and the emotional connections to the pain or discomfort. Then you can learn to do what feels right.
Getting Sick
When you ignore your intuition, you may end up in a place that causes further stress in your life. Physical signs like anxiety, or illness can be a sign your intuition is telling you that a change is needed. At first, it may just feel like something is off, but notice that as you continue to ignore your intuition that things can get worse. If these symptoms are ignored even longer, an extreme illness can manifest.
Feeling Will Not Go Away
There is a reason that a particular thought continually pops into your head, and this is because it is your intuition. Be receptive to the nuances so life flows more easily. If you sense the feeling is not going away, lean into it to learn more about yourself and what your intuition is saying.
Feeling Inspired
When you feel excited and inspired, you know your inspiration is speaking. This can happen any time that your intuition is sparked.
Learning how to listen to your intuition takes time and practice. Your ego may try to interfere, but eventually you will learn the difference between the two. The more you learn to listen to your intuition, the more secure and happier you can feel about your choices.