When your intuition is trying to tell you something, you should listen to it. It’s incredible how our inner voice can guide us in the right direction – even if we can’t really see or hear it. Here are ways to understand your intuition better.
Some things in life defy explanation, like the popularity of the Kardashians, the disappearance of one sock in almost every load of laundry, and the feeling you get in your body when you know something isn’t quite “right.” Call it butterflies, red flags, sixth sense, or gut instinct, but whatever you call it, pay attention to it! Your intuition is a powerful tool that can often sense when something or someone is wrong long before your conscious mind realizes.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines intuition as “the power of knowing immediately and without conscious thought.” It’s intuition, instinct. It’s the thing that tells you not to take this job, or trust this person, even when all the evidence suggests otherwise.
“I define intuition as the pipeline or flow from your higher or true self to you,” says Danny Frank, a life coach in Seattle. “I think the ability to tap into that higher, truer self is always there, and when that flow happens, we can feel it.”
Intestinal examination
One of the central places where we feel what Frank refers to as “that flow” is in our gut, or microbiome. That’s why intuition is often described as a gut reaction. Studies show a clear relationship between brain health and gut health. “The enteric nervous system that regulates our intestines is often called the body’s ‘second brain,’” notes a Harvard Medical School article. The article goes on to add that “this extensive network uses the same chemicals and cells that the brain uses to help ‘digest’ and alert the brain when something is wrong.”
Frank, who has been running workshops on gut health for more than five years, agrees and explains that approximately 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, along with a high percentage of dopamine. These “happy hormones” are the neurotransmitters responsible for increasing mood and positive emotions. A deficiency of any of these chemicals has been linked to addiction and mood disorders.
“If the gut isn’t healthy, we won’t get all the chemicals we need in the brain,” Frank explains. “The connection is real and strong, and it’s everything to our mental health.”
Fortunately, a healthy gut is largely within your control. Limiting things like processed foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol, and including plenty of whole foods and probiotics, can improve gut health, which in turn can improve the mind-body connection. When all systems work, you can better tune into your intuition.
Don’t ignore the signs
Intuition manifests itself in many ways, most commonly through physical symptoms such as sweaty palms, an upset stomach, or changes in breathing. But other symptoms occur in the nervous system and appear in less obvious ways depending on whether we listen to our gut or not.
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“Our nervous system provides us with little breadcrumbs that can tell us when we are exploiting or ignoring our intuition,” Frank describes. “If we can take advantage of that, we will be in a state of balance,” she continues. “When we ignore that, we can start to experience things like depression, disrupted sleep, unhealthy food cravings, and a general feeling of stuck or unable to move forward.”
Why would someone ignore their intuition? Maybe it’s because it tells them something they’re not ready to hear or highlights something they’re not ready to admit.
“Change is hard,” Frank admits. “We don’t like discomfort.”
She explains that our minds and bodies are adaptable and get used to being in a situation, even if that situation is not ideal. This is why people stay in toxic relationships or jobs they hate. Physiologically, they may feel that walking away is the worst thing they can do, even though they know, logically, that they should.
“When you’ve been in an unhealthy situation for a period of time, you adapt to that level of toxicity,” she says. “Moving to a safer place is uncomfortable.”
Strengthen communication
It can be difficult to hear intuition in a world full of external noise. Social media, friends, family, and other factors can make us check ourselves and what we know is right for us. It’s easy to be influenced by what we think we should do based on what the world says is smart, strong, or acceptable.
“You have to create moments of stillness and silence to hear your gut talking to you,” Frank advises. “If we don’t create those environments, we can lose sight of our intuition and what it’s trying to tell us.”
Some of Frank’s favorite ways to tune into the world and tune into her intuition include:
Breathing: This process does not have to take an hour, just sit quietly for five minutes and focus on your inhalation and exhalation.
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Unplug: Find a quiet place and unplug from technology, social media, and any other distractions. Nature provides a great place to do this.
Journal: Frank says journaling is a powerful tool for tapping into your intuition. Don’t worry about grammar or whether it makes sense. Just let the words flow freely onto the paper and pay attention to what appears.
Meditation: If you’re not sure where to start, there are some beautiful, guided meditations that can help you. Frank loves Insight Timer for its wide and free selection.
