How to Trust Your Intuition Again
I've met a lot of new people recently. As in, I've met nearly as many as I did when I started college. For an introvert like me, this volume of people-ing can be overwhelming at times but this time it hasn't been. These new people have been MY PEOPLE and I have resonated with them deeply. Small talk is just not my thing and these beautiful souls have the same desire for real talk as I do. So we've had some deep conversations despite not knowing each other for all that long. It has been surprising, enlightening, and a real breath of fresh air.
One topic that has come up over and over again is the concept of intuition, and the ability to access and trust it. I'm trusting my own in sharing this with you.
Intuition is central to why I do what I do - mine, yes, but more importantly my clients'. We all have intuition, but women specifically have been trained not to listen to it. We've been trained to value others' comfort over ours, put others first, and not tend to our own needs enough or at all. We've been praised for being selfless. When we've voiced doubts, we have been told countless times that "it's fine" or "this is how we do it" or "this is for the best." After thousands of interactions like this, our default setting is to listen to other people's priorities and opinions more than our own.
And then, one day, we realize it's all bullshit and we have to get to work figuring ourselves out.
So how do we even start?
The first thing is to create a mindset that allows you to tune into and trust your intuition. This means you actually decide that you’re going to test your connection to your intuition and see what you feel.
The second thing is to practice. This is where the travel piece comes in because a really easy way to do this is to practice in a new or foreign situation. Since most of my clients travel overseas, the bucket list trips we put together allow them many opportunities to listen to themselves. They're already in a place where they don't know all of the rules and "shoulds". There certainly aren't reminders on every corner of what their parents, bosses, roommates, or exes told them. It's a fresh new place just perfect for trying lots of new things.
This is when I hope my voice rings in their head. “Walk down that interesting-looking side street. See what's there. How do you feel? If it feels like something's off, it is. Change course and try something else. You don't have to explain it, just trust that you know what’s best for you.”
We can't logic our way to trusting our intuition again but we can feel and practice our way there. You don't have to fly over an ocean to do so; you can do it in your hometown or on your weekend getaway. Find somewhere new to wander. Then listen to your gut and see where it leads you. You might just find your new favorite person or place