Are you listening enough to your intuition?

I have come across various names for intuition such as sixth sense, hunch, gut instinct, sudden feelings, & many others in more than 30+ articles I have read in the last few weeks. Such a fascinating subject yet we know so little about how exactly it works.

Photo by cottonbro studio

It is the same recurring thought of knowing without knowing that nudged me to write intuitively on topics that interest me and share collective experiences that can be helpful for everyone in their daily life. Personally, intuition feels like a black box that I have never seen yet experienced in different ways. Over the years I have learned to use intuition as a guiding force along the logical & emotional side.

My first encounter with the intuition was in the 10th grade. As soon as I finished my board exams and started traveling for the holidays, I had recurring thoughts and visuals of securing 80% marks. They coincidentally turned out to be correct. Back then, I had no clue about the subject ‘intuition’ itself.

An interesting fact is that there are 100 million neurons lined with our digestive system. Hence, making them excellent in their processing abilities. Our intuition is well connected with the brain & gut as they work in tandem to help make our key choices and decisions in life.

That’s why the sudden rumbling feeling before an important phone call, the sudden fear when you walk alone or the excitement before meeting your friends form a part of our cognitive system. It recognizes & predicts the patterns & outcomes based on past experiences & behavior. In my view, intuition is at the intersection of science & spirituality.

Why should you listen to your intuition?

Our everyday life involves making constant choices. Like, deciding the menu for your breakfast, deciding the type of attire to wear at the office, choosing the driving route to meet your friends, planning a new strategy for your business, etc. which is driven through logical, emotional & various sides of our brain. But when you tune into your intuition correctly, they guide you to the right path. From my past experiences, I shared some interesting examples below.

1. To help you understand the situation.

• Back in 2020 when I started getting burnt out at work, I procrastinated to finish tasks, woke up late, despised talking to my colleagues, and started developing imposter syndrome. I kept ignoring all symptoms for months until I started getting dreams and visual signs to switch & find a better workplace.
• Finally when the switch happened, I felt relieved for the longest time. Since then, I never looked back. So intuition not only helps you understand certain situations quite unknowingly but you also learn to trust them over some time.

2. To help you make the right decisions along with added logic.

• In the summer of 2021, I was traveling to a career fair to explore new opportunities, and all of a sudden I felt a strong sense of discomfort. Although I could not interpret the reason, I kept going on the train. I reached and stood in a queue for about 2.5 hours with another group of people who were equally tired of standing & waiting for hours.
• In the middle, a few organizers arrived and started yelling at the other participants who questioned them on mismanagement. That was the deal-breaker and a lot of us left. I could have saved time if I had made a timely decision based on the intuitive signals early on. But that was a lesson for the next time.

3. To forecast the outcome of your choices

• Once I was visiting an Italian restaurant and to my surprise, I knew exactly how the food would taste & feel. So I entered the restaurant even without checking the reviews. That was like hitting a bull’s eye. I didn’t know how but I just knew this place would serve delicious food and that’s all I craved at that moment! As your intuition turns stronger, you can trust them enough to make quick and bold choices.

4. To help you align with your core values

• While I was researching my thesis topic for my Master’s degree, I was unsure of the topic to choose and write. So I listed about 10 topics and narrowed them down once I started exploring. Only a few days later I realized that I was constantly drawn to sustainability as a topic and it has been a part of my existing values.

Symptoms that you are receiving intuition

The most interesting thing about intuition is that you don’t know ‘WHEN’ you will receive the next cue. But here are some clear signals that you are receiving them:

1. A strong gut feeling about a person, situation, or thing
2. A recurring thought of specific people or situation
3. A profound dream about a specific person, place, or situation
4. A sudden visual of a place or people
5. Hearing specific phrases and words in different situations

Ways to tap into your intuition

Intuition is like a muscle that needs strengthening and conditioning with time. It is like learning a language starting with the alphabet, words, & sentences and weaving them in our minds forever. Once you start talking, you don’t have to remember every single alphabet. They are stored in the RAM of your brain and they pop out subconsciously from our cognitive system.

1. Take a break in solitude

Break away from your busy routine and pursue activities that resonate the most with your values. Go on a hike, trek, walking, or anything you prefer the most. When your stress levels go up, your intuition can turn hazy. So it is essential to de-stress, focus, and align yourself in solitude. You will be surprised to see how you can de-clutter and re-think your problems like never before.

2. Pour yourself into a journal or diary

Get a journal or diary to write about how you feel or think regarding any problem or challenges. As the words flow, you will start understanding how to deal with them. In my experience, writing helps in analyzing and building solutions with a free state of mind. Since there is no fear of judgment, you can easily write as much as you like and reflect clearly on your circumstances.

3. Excercise your mind, body & soul

Perform yoga, meditation, or any suited activity regularly. Over the years, both rituals have tremendously improved my ability to sense when things are about to go off the road, to collect new ideas, or to deal with challenges. As the soul and body are aligned in oneness, you will see yourself filled with an increased ability to sense everything in and around you. So you learn when to pick the right signal between the clutter around you.

4. Note your observations

Observe how you feel about certain situations, people, or places. For example, when you meet certain people you feel drawn or repelled, exhausted or energetic, cold or warm, & scared or loved based on their energies. You will already have a sense of whether you want to be connected or disconnected from them in the long term.

Look for visual signs that appear out of nowhere when you’re walking, traveling, praying, sitting, or simply doing nothing. For example, when you are traveling, you may find a graphic or object that may appear as a sign just when you are pondering about something.

5. Take a tarot card reading

Take a tarot card reading whenever you are stuck on your intuitive signals. They will give you clarity on the current situation based on your energy level. In my experience, Tarot card reading can be at your disposal for making big decisions in life.

I’m sure intuition works differently for everyone. There is no ONE standard approach that suits everyone. But if nourished well, intuition can guide and serve you in your best interest. Intuition can be your super tool even when the rational or emotional side of your brain isn’t sufficient to make decisions. Learn to use it wisely and you will see the magic!