Our Inner Guidance

Why do we struggle to trust our inner guidance?

Call it intuition, gut instinct, a sense of something, knowing that we know something but we just can't put our finger on how we know.

The energy and connection we become aware of with some people and not with others. The way a room feels when we walk through the door, signaling to us this could be a tricky event. The sense that we've met before but knowing full well that we've never laid eyes on each other.

Awakening ourselves to our inner guidance is not only helpful and reassuring but also pertinent to our decision-making and safety.

What if we have a gut feeling about something, that it's just not right no matter how much we've invested emotionally, with time or money. The soft gentle sound of alarm bells ringing. Yet we analyse and question, rationalising that this can't possibly be true. What happens when we ignore or don’t fully trust this part of us?

We hear the messages yet still delay on correcting the course of our path, until such time as the internal voice gets louder and louder. And, then other issues manifest and arise that cannot be ignored. Hints will continue to be dropped in a more obvious way to enable us to adapt and change the decision that we will come to know, was always intended to be made.

Is this all part of the process of teaching us to trust and listen sooner?

Trusting our intuition means acknowledging our feelings that seem to come out of the blue, from nowhere, with no logical explanation. They are coming up for a reason and are vying for our attention, to be heard. In the present moment, we may not be able to understand the whys and wherefores of such information.

It becomes much clearer with hindsight and on reflection, that past events are not random and have a purpose and meaning often attributed to a greater plan or destiny. Ignoring our inner guidance could in the long run create more chaos and uncertainty, taking a greater amount of momentum and drive to change, once we’re committed to the wrong path.

We can tap into our inner guidance for many different reasons when:

💮 making big life decisions
💮 something doesn't feel right
💮 faced with information overload
💮 feeling a strong pull towards something
💮 needing to think on our feet
💮 we're readjusting our sense of meaning and purpose
💮 meeting someone new
💮 we’re at a crossroads in life
💮 our health is compromised

A helpful logical tool when we’re unsure of which way to go, is to weigh up pros and cons, formalising this practice by adding importance ratings to each item where 0=not important and 10=very important. Not only does this give us visual clarity as to which list is longest but also a score, offering us more insight into the weight of the decision.

Yet, this is only part of the story, as we may still feel unsettled, unsure and slightly out of kilt. Now's the time to tap into our gut instinct, calling on it for guidance.

It's helpful to slow down by sitting quietly with our eyes closed, perhaps in meditation or yoga, asking ourselves the question and noticing what feelings come up around the choice that has presented itself.

Our body will respond with sensations and if we allow it time to process what we're asking of it, we can reflect on a different perspective or an entirely new approach.

Feeling stuck is a sure-fire sign that something is misaligned, needs to change or shift within us. It's about what this relates to and how to realign ourselves with who we are, our values and what we truly want out of life. By listening in, we can use our intuition as a moral compass, guiding us towards the best we can be.

Taking the question for a walk in nature helps us to disengage from our rational mind and mental clutter, creating space for our subconscious mind to emerge with insights.

In this way, we are quietening the conscious monkey mind of overthinking, jumping from one thought to another, like a monkey jumping from branch to branch. We then start to tune into the subtle nudges, nuances and advice our inner voice may be sharing with us.

We can learn and practice tuning in, noticing these internal cues coming up in our bodies and minds, important information to focus on, listen to and act on. The more we listen, the more we can trust what shows up.

Here are a few ways we can enhance our awareness and connection to our inner guidance:

Guided meditation practices - Insight Timer

Yoga & deep breathing
Be in nature allowing our mind to wander
Pull an oracle card
Walk silently paying attention to our surroundings

Crystals - amethyst, labradorite, moonstone, sodalite
Create space away from distractions
Journal & taking note of any feelings or insights arising

Reclaiming our intuition takes practice given we have become so accustomed to relying on our logical rational mind to make sense of things.

Psychological research suggests that our gut instinct is all about how the brain processes information at a subconscious level, based on our past experiences and knowledge. Our unconscious may be guiding us towards something that our conscious mind has not yet caught up with and is still needing to process.

It's like background noise that won't go away.

Don't ignore it.

Listen to the sensations and your inner voice.

Trust that your inner guidance always has your best interests at heart and is there for you, it’s just a matter of listening.