Leaning on Your Intuition

We’re gearing up for the end of the year soon, and I feel like this is always a very reflective season for people. Some choose to look at the year as a list of unchecked items they didn’t do and feel shameful about that. Others might be reflecting on what’s working and what’s not and what changes they may want to make in life. This is our second year end during the pandemic and I know many have consequently thought about their values, their lifestyles, their work, their families, the choices they’ve been making and the choices they may want to make/change. So, because of this, I felt called to share a post about trusting your intuition and how powerful and important that is when you’re making major decisions about your life.

I want to start by saying that for as long as I can remember, I’ve been a head thinker. Now you’re probably reading and thinking to yourself, 'What do you mean, Marisa? Where else would you think from? Your brain is in your head, isn’t it? You’re weird.' And you're right, to an extend. Reason being, there are a lot of people out there who are more heart thinkers. Some people make decisions using their head. They’re very logical, practical, analytical. Others tend to make decisions using their heart. They’re emotion driven, they don’t need a spreadsheet or a pro-con list to decide something, if it feels good to them, they do it. There is no wrong way to be. And this isn’t an all or nothing. If you’re a head thinker, it doesn’t mean you’re a cold hearted bitch and if you’re a heart thinker, it doesn’t mean you’re an idiot who is always getting taken advantage of. Of course, there are extremes. But, most of us are not the extreme, even if we tend to fall into one of the two categories.

I typically fall into the category of being a head thinker. I make decisions that make sense. I like data and numbers. I like processes and facts. I’m kind of annoying like that. But, as I’ve grown as a person, whether that be in life experiences or personal development work or the individuals I’m blessed to have met and learned from, I have been able to start incorporating more of the heart space into decisions. And this has really opened up more understanding and really another realm of space to assist me in that decision making process when I’m faced with major choices.

Because being a heart thinker is not something you can quantify and demonstrate in an excel spreadsheet, I tend to think of this area as something more in the subconscious space. Some people call this their intuition. Some people call it God. Some people call it the universe. This article is not meant to steer you in any religious or spiritual or cultish direction. I believe in God, but I never force my beliefs on anyone. I also believe strongly that God, intuition, universe, your subconscious exist. I can’t deny it and must share that belief with you.

So, let’s get down to it. How can we make time, create space, and get better and listening to our intuition, especially when we’re facing a big decision or a major change or just feeling stuck in the day to day and not feeling good about that?

I’m going to share with you some practical tips you can do when it comes to this. I’m also going to tell you, especially if you’re a head thinker, this doesn’t mean you should ditch your head and irresponsibly follow your heart. While sometimes, your intuition may be so strong it screams this at you and you have no other choice but to do just that, other times, it may be a combination decision. You may need to work with this diverse audience and talk it out to yourself. You may need to come to a compromise between the two sides.

You should know; however, your intuition is never wrong. You just need to get really good at hearing exactly what it’s telling you. And that’s what takes practice. But, don’t worry, if this all feels foreign to you, I am going to give you plenty of ways to start incorporating that practice into your day. If this also feels weird to you, I’m going to encourage you to just try one or two things and only to continue them if they feel good. Obviously, new things can feel strange at the beginning. They’re new and different, after all, but strange and new isn’t the same as ‘not for me’. There’s a difference, and you will know which one it is when you do it. I also want to mention that even if you try something right now and it feels too awkward, that doesn’t mean in three months or six months or a year or five years from now, it won’t be the right fit for you. We are always evolving. We’re on a continuous growth journey. And I know I am a prime example of that. A few years ago, I wrote a newsletter to my subscribers with the subject line: “Ommm, say it with me now.” You would think from that subject line, I was into meditation at the time. But, in actuality, when you opened the newsletter, my email started like this: "Just kidding, I don’t meditate, who has time for that shit?" Yes, I actually wrote this. If you’ve been a subscriber for a while now, I am sorry. I meant it to be funny. I really had no judgement for people who meditated. It just wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel right for me…at the time. Let’s fast forward to this morning as I write this blog post. I started my workday with an hour long prosperity meditation. An hour freaking long. Who even am I? I have become someone who meditates. If you asked me this two years ago or whenever I sent that newsletter if I’d ever be someone who starts their workday meditating, I would have laughed in your face. But, now, here we are. You are always evolving. Just because right now you’re not into something, you’re not a heart thinker, you don’t even know what your intuition looks like, feels like, sounds like, smells like, doesn’t mean you can’t become her BFF and hire her to become your #1 decision making consultant in life. Things can change.

By the way...don’t wait until you’re faced with a big decision to start doing these things. Sometimes things come through in the form of intuition that we weren’t expecting. Sometimes you didn’t even know there was a decision or direction you were meant to come across and yet, pop, there it is: your intuition planting a seedling of an idea into your brain. If you’ve already cultivated a close relationship with her, you’ll be able to more easily uncover this and explore its possibilities rather than spend lots and lots of time contemplating, analyzing, questioning, wondering, driving yourself crazy with the back and forth of what this idea even means. If you can strengthen that bond with your intuition in advance, you can be sure you’ll more easily be able to navigate the waters when they get rough.

Alright, now without further adieu, here are three steps you can take to start leaning more on your intuition:

Step #1: Carve out white space. Make a commitment that you will prioritize an unscheduled amount of time each day to just be with yourself. You won’t watch TV. You won’t scroll social media. You will unapologetically spend this time with you and your intuition (or God or the universe or whatever you want to call it). Don’t worry about what you’ll do during this time or how long it needs to be. It can be as long or as short as you want it to be. Just ensure you’re prioritizing this each and every day. 

Step #2: Ways to connect. There are many ways people connect with their intuition on the regular. They pray. They journal. They meditate. They listen to worship or meditative music. They spend time in nature. This is your unique experience, so feel free to try one or more of these examples or just do something that feels good for you. The important thing is you are connecting. When you pray, you’re having a conversation with your God. When you journal, you’re letting whatever comes to your heart flow onto paper. When you meditate, you’re clearing the clutter and connecting to your subconscious being. When you listen to worship or meditative music, you’re also opening up yourself to connect at that heart, that intuitive level. You’re listening deeper. When you’re in nature and being mindful of what’s around you, you can go deeper than the superficial level you’re likely operating on during the hustle and bustle of the day.