Intuition has been something that has interested and guided us for centuries, with the earliest mention recorded by the philosopher Plato, recently studied by Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, and even contemplated by Physicist Albert Einstein who said, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
Whether you believe in a higher power or not, we can all agree we all hold a sixth sense. Some call it instinct, some may call it a gut feeling; whatever the label, it is the ability to connect to a deeper wisdom, and to perceive and understand things that are beyond the reaches of our conscious mind. When we listen to our intuition we make better choices, and are directed to the right path that is aligned with our values and heart’s desires, rather than a going for something that is perceived as the right choice but not a true fit, a perfect example of this being Cinderella’s contemplation after attending the ball in the Into the Woods trailer.
Whilst there is much encouragement to trust our instincts, there really has been no explanation as to what an ‘instinctive hunch’ looks like. Yet despite this encouragement, we’ve been taught to think things through thoroughly which guides you away from intuition as it is mostly grounded in feelings. However, when you couple intuition with a thought-based reaction, it powerfully steers you towards a happy, healthy life.
How to identify your intuitive hunch comes with practice, and the more we listen, the easier it will be to feel. Distinguishing between gut and brain can be tricky, on top of overriding our instincts with thoughts, we then have emotional reactions to those thoughts. We feel something, ignore the feeling, decide something else is true, then have all kinds of emotions about what we just made up. For example, have you ever applied for a job and felt this tightness within you, yet done it anyway? Maybe even taken the job and regretted it later? This may apply to a relationship or another type of decision. Sound familiar?
Here’s how you start to tap into your instincts. Think back to a positive experience or person which was a positive presence in your life. Do you remember any particular moments when you felt at peace, realised you were doing the right thing at the right time or felt completely comfortable with the person you’ve identified? This is about the specific details and sensations you felt – were you relaxed, did you feel moments of bliss, did you feel a warm fuzziness within you? To help, think DISNEY. Anytime the main character gets their happy ending, the result is that it leaves us feeling like everything is right in the world.
Now let’s change gears and think back to a negative situation from your past or about someone who was a burden in your life. What do you recall about the moments when you felt that person or situation was wrong? Did you breathe heavily? Were you anxious? Did you stress? Like when Little Red Riding Hood meets Mr. Wolf in the woods and despite knowing the story, we feel little knots in our stomach because we know his intentions are not pure.
Now let’s bring it to the present and use this exercise on a job, hobby, person etc. Hold the thought of the situation or person in your mind and observe the feelings that arise. Don’t censor or judge them. Are your reactions more similar to the feelings you had about the positive event or person or the unpleasant one?
By becoming attuned to these innate feelings, you are getting in touch with your instincts! From here you can now move forward knowing what you know is true and right for you, and able to make decisions you know will sit well with you later when you look back. Whether you follow your instinctive guidance or not, notice what happens. If you’ve tapped into your true feelings, you’ll discover that over time this situation or person will likely turn out to be as your instincts predicted.
While there may be a lot going on in your life at the moment, and your mind is clouded with various decisions you should be making, try not to be overwhelmed and remember that your life is bigger than any one experience. Once you’re in this space, use your intuition to direct you, and just focus on what is the next right move.
Having won 5 awards (including an AFI Award & Palm Springs International Film Festival) and received 31 nominations (including 3 Oscar nominations and 3 Golden Globe nominations), I have to see what what the uproar is about.
