What is intuition?

Ever wonder how animals know when a storm is coming? They sense that danger is present. You have that sense also and it is called intuition. Some people call it instinct.

Intuition is essentially instinct. It comes from past experiences. If you learned that a stove is hot as a child, then you will instinctively stay away from stoves when you notice they are hot. That is a simplified explanation that we all can relate to.

Another aspect of intuition is learned behavior

Here’s another simple explanation. Have you ever visited family or a friend on the land and found your senses are heighten as they point out the various aspects of farm life? Those lessons teach you to hear sounds and look for signs that you never knew existed before. It’s actually quite amazing.

With each new experience and learned behavior you acquire new skills. Every time you have choice in your life you don’t consciously run through everything that you know before you make a decision. However, what you do know, that information pertaining to the choice you are making gets processed unconsciously and generates a feeling of being right.

Intuition is seated in your feelings

Some say that they don’t use their intuition because it is based on feelings. Intuition may come across as a feeling but it is backed up by a lifetime of experience and learning. So, you really don’t just trust a feeling or a hunch you trust your experiences.

Always check in with your feelings. Your unconscious mind will always point you in the right direction. Your intuition can save your life in certain situations as well as enhance your life.

Goal setting is best when using your intuition

Use that same process to set your goals. When you identify a goal you want to achieve, use your instinct to decide how best to achieve it. Truly your intuition will show you the best way to proceed. When one path doesn’t pan out, your intuition will help you decide the next course of action.

One reason we don’t always achieve our goals is because we go with someone else’s intuition without checking in on our own thoughts and feelings first.

Intuition requires ongoing practice

Intuition has to be practiced just like anything else. The greatest challenge we have is recognizing that it is really intuition. Think about what goes through you mind if you have to walk down the street at night. You wouldn’t go into a dimly lit street without some trepidation. Why? You have learned that there is inherent danger in these places.

I couldn’t say it any clearer – Don’t be afraid to trust your intuition