Connecting With Your Intuition
We know that connection is important. Generally, we think of it in relation to something outside of ourselves but what about connecting to yourself and to your intuition?
I consider intuition to be at the very center of who you are. It’s what allows you to connect with others and connect with something bigger than yourself in the first place. In fact, I’d argue that you’re already connected regardless of whether you recognize it yet.
Have you ever just been drawn to something? If so, it probably felt as if that experience was meant to be in your life.
For example, I once took a job based on intuition. I knew it was the right place for me to be. For a while it was great, I learned new things, I made a measurable difference, and things went well. A few years in, I got a similar feeling that it was time for me to move on, and I ignored it. Though the job wasn’t a great fit anymore, it was something I knew, I liked the people, and I still believed in the organization. Besides, change is hard and scary, and it was easier to stay put.
Over the next year, I kept having things pop up that were signs I should move along, and I continued to ignore them. I rationalized them away and I let my fear keep me fixed in place.
Do you know what happens when you ignore your intuition and stick with things that are “fine”? Your body rebels. You might develop ulcers, constant nausea, weight gain, depression, difficulty sleeping, and so much stress that your shoulders are permanently up around your ears among other things.
My friend, your body KNOWS.
A body that knows, yells as loudly as it can until you snap, burn out, or change. Trust me when I tell you that changing is the best option. When you decide to make a change rather than have it decided for you, things happen quickly.
So, did I have a horrible job, terrible co-workers, and an insufferable boss? Nope. They're lovely people, at a good organization, and it’s a cause I believe in. It simply wasn’t for me anymore. There was something else I was being called toward. That season had ended and it was time to move on. I needed to experience the pain of ignoring my intuition in order to really understand it. My great hope is that you don’t have to go through the same thing and it is one of the reasons that I’m now a coach.
Nothing in life is meant to last forever. Knowing when to move on is a vital skill. Harnessing that skill is an asset to you and an example for others.
The thing about intuition is that there are nuances to it and this is what trips some people up. Sometimes it screams at you that it's time to make a change and other times it's a whisper so faint you might miss it. You're not always going to be dealing with earth-shattering decisions. Sometimes you just need to adjust course by taking a slight turn.
Intuition is also what helps you see far down the road. Say you know that you have certain gifts and talents that are super easy for you to draw on and you can employ them with very little effort. You should get a job doing that, right?
Maybe but maybe not.
Perhaps you're also someone who loves to learn and enjoys a challenge. You love the process of putting all of the pieces together. The charm of the easy job might wear off quickly. The volume of puzzles in the challenging job may get to be draining after a while. So which job do you pursue, one you can nearly do in your sleep or one that brings challenges and intricacies? There's no right answer here. This is where your intuition can help out. It's higher-level thinking and feeling combined that allows you to see the whole picture so you can make the decisions that are right for you.
Intuition is not independent of any reasoning process. In fact, psychologists believe that intuition is a rapid-fire, unconscious associating process - like a mental puzzle. The brain makes an observation, scans its files, and matches the observation with existing memories, knowledge, and experiences. Once it puts together a series of matches, we get a "gut" on what we've observed.*
- Brené Brown from The Gifts of Imperfection
Regardless of how the process works, how do you give yourself a minute to just listen to what’s going on? Do you meditate, walk, journal, pour a cup of tea, or something else?
How do you connect to your own intuition?
Have you ever wondered how happy you really are and what you could do to change your happiness level?
Get the assessment to find out!
*Dr. Brown cites the following in her assertion:
Intuition: Its Powers and Perils by David G. Meyers
Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious by Gerd Gigerenzer
