…. And you don’t open the door.
The call wasn’t a surprise. Somehow I had been anticipating that something was going to go wrong with our newly rented house. There it was, the call to let us know that the manager of our new house had run off with a lot of money, including the deposit we had paid upfront. And the truth is, I wasn’t completely surprised.
You see, I had chosen to ignore that passing moment in time when I knew. The moment when I met him and from somewhere inside there was a voice that said, something isn’t right. Something about this person is not ok. I could sense that something was off. There was just something about this guy that didn’t feel right.
But it happened so quickly. It was only there for a couple of seconds. And more than anything else, rationally I couldn’t explain it. There wasn’t any reason for me to not trust this guy. We had all the paperwork in place, it was all ok. My desire to close the deal, to have everything lined up and organised, said “It’s ok. There’s no reason not to trust him. You want this house, just go for it.”
I chose to ignore one of the most powerful instruments I have. My intuition. That feeling in my gut that said NO. And I did it because I couldn’t rationally support the feeling and because I wanted to have something.
The end result?
Losing a chunk of money, not being able to move into the new house, and a slightly bruised ego and trust. Nothing earth shattering, and all things that eventually were quite easily overcome. But that’s not why I’m writing this.
Like with any negative experience, I wanted to look back and see whether there was anything that I could have done differently. Was there any learning in this? Because otherwise, it would just be a wasted opportunity.
More than anything, I learned a really powerful lesson: To trust myself. To trust that voice inside. Even when it’s telling me to do something that I can’t really explain. Intuition is real.
And in fact, this is something that I see with my clients too. So often you’re more comfortable with seeking out information from sources outside of yourself, when in fact, there’s an infinite wisdom within yourself that you can tap into if you learn to listen.
So what is this thing called intuition?
Intuition = the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.
It comes from the Latin word “intuir”, which means knowledge from within. It’s not some magical, woo-woo thing, although granted, it can seem to have that effect. Intuition comes from the right part of the brain, and includes the reptilian or limbic brain that is the oldest part of the brain that also regulates our “fight or flight” response. Most of what goes on in this part of the brain is at a subconscious level. While intuition might feel magical, it’s in fact a group of cognitive processes that operates at a much quicker pace than the rational part of the brain.
(And that is my oversimplified explanation. Any neuroscientist would likely have my head on a chopping board by now. )
In essence, as human beings we have an amazing ability to process a lot more information than what we are consciously aware of. But just because we can’t rationalise it or because we’re not consciously aware of it, doesn’t mean that it’s not real or not to be trusted.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. – Albert Einstein
The great news is that we can actually strengthen our intuition in many ways. Here are a couple of things that you can try:
- Meditation. Yes, yes, there it is again. As some of you might have figured out by now, mediation is a big one for me and such an important tool in so many ways. Intuition speaks quickly and softly. In order to be able to hear it, it helps to become more aware and quieten down the mind.
- Listen to your body. I’m sure you’ll have had those moments when you tense up, you suddenly get goosebumps, or somehow feel awkward. Your body will be the first signpost for your intuition. If something doesn’t “feel” right, pay attention.
- Create downtime. When we’re running around like headless chicken, it’s so easy to miss out on any signals that you’re getting. Slow down to become more aware and more focused.
- Spend time in nature, it’s good for the soul. Get away from the daily grind & your normal surroundings. Take a walk on the beach or in the forest. Literally come to your senses.
- Be open & listen to your intuition. When you hear that voice, don’t ignore it. This doesn’t mean that you should immediately follow the feeling, but investigate it. Listen, quietly, openly. It does take a bit of practice, but the more you listen, the easier it will be to start recognising when your inner wisdom speaks.
- Learn to distinguish between fear and intuition. Most of us have a few inner voices, including the inner critic who speaks from fear. So how do you know when it’s the inner critic or the inner wise person? It feels different. The inner critic will be pushy, harsh, and forceful. And it will keep on nagging you. It’s the mind speaking. Intuition is often quick, you’re not sure where it came from, and it’s more of a “gut feeling”. It will feel more comfortable rather than a fear-based pushiness that is trying to get you to do something quickly.
Ok love, that’s it again for today. I hope my adventures here, some of them not always so fun, but useful nonetheless, are of some use to you as well! For now, if anything, I hope that you take away the core message:
To listen to that voice inside & see what it has to say.
Don’t just rush by. Take a moment and listen. It always has something important to tell you.
Would love to hear from you as always! Have there been times when you didn’t listen to your intuition or cases where you did? What was the outcome? How do you make sure that you connect to that voice inside?
With love,
Naomi
