Developing Your Intuition

Where were you on that fateful September day when the Twin Towers collapsed? What were you doing when you first heard the news of John F. Kennedy’s assassination? Without a doubt, you can describe the miniscule details of your day that would have been forgotten if it weren’t for the horrific events that transpired on those mornings.

Whether you can recall the weather of the day or whom you were talking to in the minutes before the event, or if you remember the physical sensation that you experienced as the world around you changed forever, there are times in our life when events transpire that absolutely alter the way we live our lives. After these events, we are often left wondering what we could have done differently if we had just known.

However, it’s not just the major events in life that leave us wondering what we could have done differently if we had just known. While it may seem impossible to divine the future for the typical person, there is a way for you to make better decisions that put you in the right place and time. By strengthening your intuition, you will gain confidence in yourself and the decisions you make so that you are in a better position to achieve your dreams.

To start with, you need to understand that intuition is not exactly fortune-telling or seeing the future. According to Merriam-Webster, intuition is, “a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without fully understanding why”.

Simple Exercises to Strengthen Your Intuition

Become an Observer—Much of what you observe in life is stored in your brain’s database without you ever realizing. As your database of observations and experiences grows, so does your intuition. By consciously becoming more observant in your everyday life you are also increasing your subconscious observations that influence you sixth sense of intuition.

Meditate, Meditate, Meditate—There is an old saying that prayer is the act of asking and meditation is the act of listening to the answers. Committing to a consistent meditation practice will give you the time and space to discover and listen to your inner self.

Record Your Dreams—Your dreams provide a rich source of information about your waking life and can lead you to insights and solutions that elude you during the day. Before you go to sleep at night, relax and focus on an area of your life that needs illumination. Upon waking, preferably before you even lift your head off the pillow, take a minute to review what happened in your dream and write it down as quickly as possible. Don’t leave out any detail, no matter how seemingly insignificant and analyze it for any relevant symbolism.

Trust Your Gut—Often times in the aftermath of difficult times, you look back and realize that you had a funny feeling, a hunch or a gut feeling that trouble was brewing. Instead of dismissing these thoughts, take time to analyze them and trust your instincts. It is very likely that your subconscious was recording important observations that escaped your notice and would influence your decision.

As with any other education or development, strengthening your intuition requires patience, commitment and trust in yourself. You will soon see that these qualities not only strengthen your intuition, but will also carry over into other aspects of your life to improve your personal relationships and self-confidence.