The power of intuition

As I used to rush through my days, I rarely slowed down to pay attention to small intuitive messages I occasionally received as whispers of warning.

And when I did get a feeling that something was amiss — like that a new prospective client was going to be hard to work with, or something felt “off” about a situation, I often ignored or over-rode the message.

I would convince myself it would be ok, or that my team would be able to handle the matter, or that it was not really something to take so seriously. 

Invariably, my initial instinct was correct.

I would have been wise to trust and heed that small voice in my head.

Sadly, when I ignored those intuitive messages, the reality sometimes turned out to be worse than I had a hunch it might be.

I finally decided to pay attention and to trust my gut.

Do you hear what your gut is telling you?

When you are perpetually busy it’s hard to hear the messages your gut — your intuition, your second brain — is sending you.

Even still, getting a “feeling” that something is not a good idea has happened for nearly all of us.

If you recall something like that, you have evidence. 

The fact is, your intuition is powerful and has a lot to tell you. The key is to create the conditions to hear what it’s saying, and then to actually listen to what you hear.

How to clearly hear the small voice inside you

It’s hard to hear what intuition wants you to know when your attention is focused on doing, or you are constantly checking in on your phone or otherwise filling your brain with “input”.

Instead, create a little quiet. Sit. Breathe slowly. Walk outside. Meditate. Take any sort of break without doing anything productive. 

You may be surprised at what shows up when you consistently make space for some quiet in your life. (Even a few minutes a day works wonders.)

The more you practice this, the more it will feel like a normal part of your life. And more messages from that wise voice inside are likely to come up.

Why it can be hard to trust your gut — and how to build that trust

A big reason people ignore or over-ride intuitive messages is fear. 

When you are afraid to give up a new project, or leave a job that makes you miserable, or stay away from someone who may be a risk to your wellbeing — even when red lights of warning start flashing inside — you are likely to convince yourself it will all be fine. 

When uncertainty about what might come next feels too risky, or you habitually try to please someone, or not disappoint them, fear convinces you to mistrust the voice inside that’s telling you “Pay attention!”

Being able to recognize when fear is at play, and see how it is aiming to influence you, you can look at a situation with fresh eyes.

You can remind yourself that your inner voice knows a lot and is trust-worthy.  Look again at what it is urging you to consider. Proceed with eyes open and make choices that will ultimately serve you best.

Over time, you will have evidence that your “second brain” is filled with great wisdom and is a trustworthy guide.

It’s time to listen and trust

Take a moment to slow things down and get quiet today. Listen — to the subtle sounds around you and to messages that may show up.

Be patient. It may take a while for you to hear intuitive messages. 

They will come.

And they may come at unexpected times, like in the midst of a conversation, or while doing something routine, like washing dishes or driving a route you know so well it does not take a lot of concentration.

As you spot them, listen, trust, and choose your best way forward. You are sure to see how powerful your second brain is — and how powerful you are as you move ahead to create your best life.

5 Techniques to move through fear

Fear is a universal experience. So are tough emotions such as anger, worry and desperation.

These powerful forces challenges all of us.

Today, let’s look at fear and how to move through and past it. (Stay tuned for emails about other difficult emotions, that will follow soon.)

We all feel fear!

Sometimes that fear is related to something that puts us, or someone we care about, in mortal danger. More often we are afraid of things that are not actually dangerous.

Because our lizard brains were wired in ancient times, when mortal danger was frequently a risk, we instinctively find ourselves experiencing fear.

Happily, we have far less danger in the modern world, and there are a number of good ways to end that suffering no matter the cause.

Common advice falls short

I have heard well-meaning people advise that you can tell yourself that fear is not real, and that doing that will make the fear go away.

But when you are afraid, you are responding to something that feels very real to you. In my experience, and observing others, being told that fear is not real, so just let it go, is not helpful.

What to do instead

Of course, fear can have a different degree of hold on you at different times, and depending on what brought it on.

Sometimes a small shift in thinking and perspective can work wonders, or employing a new way of responding can do the trick.

Try some or all of these techniques and see what works for you.

1. The power of hope

No matter what the fear relates to, bringing hopefulness to mind can make you feel much better. 

Hope is powerful. It helps reduce the anxiety that can accompany fear. As you focus on hope and more positive thoughts appear, the fear that gripped you will begin to recede.

2. The power of love

It may surprise you to learn that another great antidote to fear is love. Actively bringing a focus to love — for yourself, for someone else (even the person you feel anger toward), for the world — produces chemicals in the brain that reduce fearful thinking. 

Then, whatever made you feel afraid can be considered with a calmer, clearer and more hopeful frame of mind.

3. The power of awareness

The fear you feel may be sending you a signal — that you have a desire to try something new (like a physical challenge) or go for something different (like an exciting new job) — and that your fear is there to help you resist giving it a try.

The fear may be trying to protect you from the possibility of failing, or embarrassment. 

The truth is, you will never know if you can or will succeed (right off the bat or after several restarts), until you try. 

And if this kind of fears shows up, remind yourself that it does not entail mortal danger.

4. The power of choice

The truth is that in any situation, we can choose a new way of thinking and a new way of responding.

We can choose to bring a new perspective to the matter. We can choose to look at our circumstance through a new lens.

We can also choose to trust — ourselves and our creative thinking, and particular people who can support us. 

When you hold the awareness in your mind of all the choices you can employ, and practice using those choices, you can cope with things that have felt really hard in the past.

5. The power of gratitude

The science is clear. When you focus on gratitude, levels of the stress hormone cortisol get lower. This works to block toxic emotions of many kinds. 

Neurological studies show that your brain cannot be in a state of appreciation and fear at the same time. When you focus on what you have and what is good, and not on what you lack or fear, the fearful feelings fall away.

Email me to share the approach, or approaches that work best for you.