How does your intuition affect your confidence?

How does your intuition affect your confidence?

Understanding how to recognise and be aware of your intuition massively impacts your confidence as it means you can trust yourself and your decisions in knowing what’s best for you.

There have been many famous, influential people who believed in the power of intuition:

“Don’t let the noise of others drown your inner voice”   Steve jobs

“You cannot hear the still, small voice of your instinct, your intuition, what some people call God if you allow the noise of the world to drown it out”  Oprah Winfrey

 “I believe in intuition and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”  Albert Einstein

“I rely far more on gut instincts than researching huge amounts of statistics.”  Richard Branson

How do you know how to recognise intuition?

• Physical sensations such a ‘gut feeling’, goose bumps (not from the cold), a shiver down your spine
• A deep sense of knowing that you can’t really explain (eg. It just felt right/wrong)
• A ‘hunch’
• You can’t seem to shake off a concern about something

These are all examples of moments of intuition, of that deeper connection to self.

So, the question is how can you awaken and deepen your intuition?

Here are some of my favourites, but there are so many things you can do – you will probably find there are things you are instinctively doing anyway!

Dance!

This is one of my absolute favourites! Dancing is a great way to be in the moment – it’s pretty difficult to be worrying or thinking too much if you’re rocking out to your favourite music – that’s why dancing is a great way to ground yourself. Just being in the present is a great way to awaken your intuition. I find myself regularly having a little bop in the kitchen at dinner time with the kids (mostly to Motown a nice welcome change from Frozen, Moana or Encanto)!

Keeping a journal

Writing and reflecting can be a really good way to tune into your intuition. It helps us to slow down and create space for more in-depth awareness to take place. If you want to journal regularly and find yourself forgetting or not getting around to it, it may be a good idea to diarise it like you would a work meeting. The more something is in your routine, the more likely it is to happen.

Grounding techniques

The more you practice grounding techniques when worried/anxious/in overwhelm/stressed, the more you take yourself out of automatic-pilot, back into the here and now and in a better place to allow intuition in (and feel better generally)! There are lots that I use with my clients depending on their preference, however here are some common ones:

• go for a walk (even better if you can go barefoot on grass) and notice what you can hear, smell, see. If you can’t go for a walk, you can sit outside or even sit by an open window. Really take notice of your surroundings.
• Put both hands together with just the tips of your fingers touching. Press your fingers against each other. This pressure and touch is a physical reminder to come back to the present moment. Whilst doing this:

1. Acknowledge any thoughts/feelings/emotions/sensations that are present. You can put these into words if you wish (silently or aloud). Eg. I’m having a feeling of anger.
2. Move, stretch, change posture (if you are in the middle of an office you can keep pressing fingers together and roll your shoulders or just change position).
3. Now notice where you are. What can you see in front of you? What can you smell/touch/hear?

You don’t need to spend long on 1, 2 & 3 – you can adapt it to your surroundings (for example if you are in the office/at home/out). I’ve even done this sitting in a wedding ceremony!

• Meditate (there are lots of different meditations and some very short ones). There is an example of one below.

Take time to do something that nourishes YOU

Try and take 30 minutes every once in a while, to do something just for YOU.

Psst….this does not include reading a self-help book!

This means something that nourishes your soul – whether it be drawing/writing/reading fiction/doing a jigsaw or a crossword, playing an instrument, speaking another language, chatting to a friend.

Creativity awakens your intuition, plus it’s very easy to lose ourselves in this busy, fast paced life we lead, so take some time to get back to you (and not be who you are at work, or the parent/spouse/friend/sibling/daughter/son etc).

Meditate

This is a great way to drown out the excess noise and be in the here and now, allowing you that deep sense of connection with yourself. It’s a great skill to quieten the mind and allow intuition in.

This is not for everyone and I hear you – how can I find the time, when is a good time? I struggle with a regular pattern – mornings aren’t good as I always have a kid in my bed (one always creeps into our bed in the middle of the night)! I’ve settled on evenings just before sleep, which is not ideal, but for the moment it’s the only way I can fit this into my life when I know I will not be disturbed. Like everything you have to do what works for you. If I do anything more than 5 minutes I fall asleep and that’s okay, it’s where I am in my life is at the moment. Remember there is no right or wrong, everything is flexible to suit you.

If you are short of time – you could just try something like this:

Focus on your breath.

Start by taking in a deep breath and notice how much better you feel when you do this simple action.

Take a few more deep breaths and then allow your breath to settle into its typical pattern. Next, gently close your eyes.

Keep your eyes closed and continue to breathe in to the count of four, hold it to the count of four, and then exhale to the count of four.

If thoughts arise simply observe them and then go back to your breath.

Try not to fight or struggle with thoughts that arise.

If lots of thoughts are coming up and you are finding it difficult to focus on the breath, I find it helpful to think of my thoughts drifting away on clouds or on leaves floating down a running stream.

Continue with this breathing for up to 10minutes (don’t worry if you can’t manage this long, you can build up to it or it may be at this point in your life 5 minutes is all you can fit in). Once finished gently open your eyes and go about your day (or go to sleep if you can only find a night-time window like me)!

Little tip – if you’ve had a hard day try putting your hand over your heart whilst mediating, you’ll find it very soothing.

I would love to hear of ways that you find helpful in awakening your intuition and how you feel it helps your confidence.