Intuition. That little bell that gives you clues. We all have an intuition to a greater or lesser degree. We can improve our intuition and in this blog I give you ten tips on how this can be achieved. Some of the tips make regular appearances in my blogs which goes to show you how powerful they are! Here goes.
Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves being fully present and aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. This practice can help you become more attuned to your intuition by noticing and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings as they arise. Try to avoid multitasking as this is actually less productive. Mindfully listening to someone will also help you develop your intuition. In other words, don’t keep checking your phone or emails while having a conversation with someone - focus on what they’re saying and give them your full attention.
Meditate Regularly: Meditation can help you quiet your mind and connect with your inner self, making it easier to hear your intuition. You can start with just a few minutes of meditation each day and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable with the practice. It’s good to get into a meditation routine (I meditate every morning when I awake). However, there’s no harm in doing additional meditations throughout the day. These can be as little as five minutes, but finding a spot or two throughout your day can help you with focus as well as de-stress.
Keep A Journal: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you recognise patterns and gain insights into your intuition. You can use your journal to record your dreams, reflect on your experiences, and explore your emotions. You don’t have to write long essays every day (ever). In fact you could just give your self say five areas throughout your day and give each one a rating of how good or bad it felt. Of course, taking the time to write in detail will be more beneficial especially if you’re trying to fine tune your intuition. For example writing about an event or situation that happened and stating what your intuition was telling you is a good way of assessing how accurate it is (becoming).
Trust Your Gut: Your intuition often manifests as a gut feeling or instinct. When you have a feeling that something is not right, pay attention to it. Your intuition may be trying to warn you. The number of times I’ve ignored my gut instinct and come a cropper!
Listen To Your Body: Your body can give you signals when something is not right. Pay attention to physical sensations like tension, discomfort, or pain. These sensations may be a manifestation of your intuition, warning you of potential danger or discomfort.
Take A Break: Sometimes, stepping away from a situation can help you gain clarity and tune into your intuition. Taking a break can help you clear your mind and gain perspective on a situation. I know I’m “guilty” of pushing on when in reality taking a ten minute break is actually the best thing I can do…especially when I’ve been sat at the computer writing for hours!
Use Your Imagination: Visualising different scenarios can help you tap into your intuition and explore different possibilities. You can use your imagination to visualise how different choices or situations might play out, allowing you to gain insights into which option feels most aligned with your intuition. Now, if like me you have aphantasia (or to put it a less grand way you’re unable to visualise imagery) this exercise is near impossible. However, I find if I dictate or write the scenario that helps me. It’s a wrench though not being able to see the scene in my head when I’m reading a book but interestingly when I’m designing a set or writing about a scene I can use prior knowledge to bring it to life.
Connect With Nature: Spending time in nature can help you feel more grounded and connected to your intuition. Whether it's taking a walk in the park, hiking in the woods, or sitting by a stream, being in nature can help you quiet your mind and tap into your intuition. Nothing beats fresh air and peace, especially in nature. I don’t like going out for a walk when it’s raining but I actually quite enjoy it if it starts raining while I’m out walking!
Practice Self-Care: Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally can help you feel more in tune with your intuition. This includes getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and practicing self-compassion. Self-compassion is probably the most important here because if you can’t be compassionate to yourself it’s unlikely you’ll be able to show it to others. Being kind to yourself is the best gift you can give yourself.
Practice Gratitude: Cultivating a sense of gratitude can help you focus on the present moment and connect with your intuition. When you are grateful for what you have, you are more likely to be present in the moment and aware of your surroundings, allowing you to better tune into your intuition. Finding several things for which you are grateful on a daily basis will confirm to you just how amazing your life if (even when you feel in the depths of despair).