Intuition is More Than a Feeling

Intuition is not just something women have. It is inborn insight or instincts that we all possess. Learning how to recognize your own sense of intuition at work and harness it is beneficial in so many ways. We've all had experiences that we look back on and say, "if only I had listened to my gut feeling" than that wouldn't have happened. What exactly is a gut feeling? In reality the gut feeling that people refer to is that tiny bit of adrenaline that is pumped out of our adrenal glands when we are faced with a 'flight or fight" situation. Most times the situations are not really a threat of mortal danger or something we need to run from. Often, they are incidents that cause nervous feeling or an emotional response. That old animal instinct to run or fight will still kick in because it is an inborn protection system. Mother nature put it there way back when we had to protect our caves from large toothy animals.

If you have ever encountered someone that made the hair on the back of your neck stick up, that was your intuition warning you that for whatever reason that person was not safe to be around. You don't have to understand it to listen to it. If you hail a cab and the driver makes that hair stand up it would be wise not to take that ride. There is a part of our subconcious mind that can access and assess situations faster than our conscious minds do. That is what intuition is. Another way of describing it is that little voice inside you that so often you ignore because what it tells you doesn't make sense. So, you go ahead and take that job or marry that man and eighteen years later your thinking, "why didn't I listen to that itty bitty voice telling me to put the brakes on?" The itty bitty voice can be ignored when we don't want to see or accept the truth. Most of the time our intuition is ignored on purpose because being wreckless is more fun and daring. Following our instincts or gut feelings can make us feel as though we don't take chances on life. It is easy to reason our way out of following those instincts. If we don't take chances we may never get anywhere, meet the right person, or win the lottery.

Throwing caution to the wind has been glamourized in movies and fiction for years. In Thelma and Louise the main characters never listened to their intuition. Sure, Brad Pitt was handsome and who wouldn't want to pick him up and drive him around for awhile. Even if he was a total stranger, he was gorgeous. Why were Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon so surprised when he robbed them blind? After watching them for two hours continually ignore their intuition and gut feelings again they throw caution to the wind and drive off a cliff! How many of us left the theater thinking, 'but, they could have survived that, we didn't actually see them die!"

Think back to everytime you ever had the slightest inkling not to move in the direction you eventually moved in and wished the outcome had been different. What were the signs, intuition or gut feelings you were ignoring? Learn how to take your time and listen to your inner voice and intuition and stop making the same mistakes again and again. If something sounds too good to be true we all know it probably is. The dream job, dream home, or dream date often turns into a nightmare when we don't follow our intuition. If you have thrown thousands of dollars away scratching tickets because you are hoping to win that million what is your intuition telling you about your future chances? The next time you are walking into a club on a Friday night and you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach turn around and walk out. Mr. Right isn't in a dark hovel waiting just to meet you! Mr. Let's Just Get Some Tonight is most likely there in clone form.

Tune out the world and all of it's advertisements and come on's and tune in to yourself. If the volume around you is too loud and there is too much activity go somewhere quiet and just "be". Practice getting quiet and your intuition and inner voice will be heard. You have to be in a position to be aware and waiting for what it has to say. Once you have become adept at interpreting your intuition then you can make the choice consciously to heed it or not. There will be no more need for excuses for bad decisions or second guessing once you learn to follow your instincts. We all have the capacity to expand this practice. Meditation is a very good way to tune in to yourself and a higher power. Dare to be silent and still in a world that never stops moving. Once you discover how intuitive you truly are it will open up a new way of navigating through life. A wolf in sheeps clothing will not get by you. The world is still filled with "toothy animals" prowling outside our caves. Following your instincts and intuition is so easy even a caveman could do it!