Go with Your Gut: How to Follow Your Intuition
| 2 min read
Being in-tune with what your gut is telling you could be the key to happiness and success—experts say that people who actively trust their intuition make better decisions, feel more confident and have healthier relationships than people who don’t. But how do you actually listen to what your gut is telling you and trust it? Put a few of these tips into motion and you’ll be on your way:
- Don’t let others affect your decisions: Take a moment to ask yourself: Does this choice feel right to me? Does it align with my values and my take on the world? Don’t let other opinions waver your initial gut feeling. If a choice feels wrong (or right) for you, it probably is!
- Tune into the physical signals of your body: Intuition isn’t just about your mental state; it also has a physical component. Start to tune into when your body tenses up and when it relaxes, or when you have butterflies in your stomach compared to moments you feel completely calm. Those little lingering doubts are your gut telling you that something doesn’t feel right here. Don’t let distractions like a charming person or fear of how you look to others stop you from paying attention to your inner voice.
- Analyze your thoughts and actions: It may sound a little out there, but dream analysis and meditation have both been shown to put people in better touch with their instincts. By reading into your subconscious thoughts and dreams, you might get a better grasp on underlying messages you may be missing in your everyday life. Try writing your dreams down in a journal each morning or meditating before you start or end your day.
- Test your intuition: Though it may sound a little out of the ordinary, creating a playful relationship with your instincts can help heighten them. Take a guess at who sent you a text message before looking at your phone or who is at the front door when you hear a knock. The more you test out your predictions, the more you’ll actually get them right. Experts also say that intuition can be honed as a skill refined over time, so the more you can practice it, the better. No idea where to start? Try this quiz.
Photo credit: Barn Images
