7 Ways to Use Your Intuition

Your intuition significantly contributes to your ability to thrive. Here’s how to tap into it.

Sometimes life doesn’t progress as you envision it, and this may lead to a melancholy mood. Often, the only thing that can pull you out of this negative mindset is following your intuition. When I don’t know the path forward, what steps to take, or which decisions to make, I am left with no other choice but to trust my gut.

You will likely experience similar challenges if you haven’t already. Despite all of the self-help advice available, there will be times when you are overwhelmed with doubt because nothing works. This is the point where you must dig deep inside and trust yourself over all others.

This guide will help you familiarize yourself with that inner voice so you can hear it when it speaks. Each day choose one of the exercises below (don't make it a chore — do only what you feel like doing). Spend 15 minutes on the exercises and keep track of any change to how you begin to think over time.

My theory, which is backed by some of the concepts and studies I've shared below as well as personal experience, is that you’ll improve your ability to trust yourself.

SET an INTENTION FOR THE DAY

The goal is to be mindful of your routine by pre-determining how you want the day to go. In addition to visualizing the course of the day, make any necessary adjustments to your schedule and calendar to align it with your vision.

I get a bit frazzled when I don't have an idea of what I want to get out of the day. In addition to committing to a more formal daily routine, sometimes simply clarifying to yourself what you want to accomplish works wonders.

Having a game plan helps generate more positive energy vs. haphazardly passing time without purpose. When you take the time to specify your intentions — owning the day instead of letting it own you — you get better at understanding what matters which will improve your decision-making abilities.

TAKE INSPIRED ACTION

There are two ways you can do this. First, as mentioned, align the activities in your day with what you want to get out of it. The second is to incorporate feel-good moments into the day. Simple pleasures, as research shows, actually make you more productive and put you in a better position to handle stress.

Sometimes we get so caught up in work, errands, and what's going wrong that we forget we have some control over our day-to-day experience. Make space for fun and indulge in simple pleasures. Commit to doing at least one thing you love or that inspires you each day. 

We tend to neglect play, fun, and pleasure because we are so focused on making things work. However, these breaks in the day can allow your intuition room to break through and be the source of creative inspiration you need.

Clean up mental clutter

At times our intuition speaks to us in a still and small voice, so you need a clear head to be able to hear what it is saying. One way to clear up mental clutter is to fix your nagging issues. These are the outstanding, annoying things that mentally or physically bring you down without you realizing it.

There's no scientific consensus about the emotion of annoyance but what we know is that it is a negative, unpleasant feeling. As a result, nagging issues are energy zappers because they sit in the back of your mind begging for attention.

It may be a task you keep putting off, an overdue conversation, or an unattractive area in your office that works your nerves. Whatever it is, it’s well worth addressing right now. It's better to just fix the situation than allow it to fester. An added benefit is mental clarity, which will help you hear yourself better.

KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Gratitude has a number of scientifically proven benefits including improvement in your psychological health and mental capacity. When you start to feel a bit low this is an especially important activity given its ability to boost your happiness and overall feelings of well-being.

When we are in a negative mindset it's hard to accept sound counsel — even when it comes from ourselves. Gratitude puts you in a more positive mood and better able to hear and accept the good advice your inner self is trying to communicate. So take the time to practice gratitude and recognize what's going well in your life.

HAVE INSPIRING VISUAL AIDS

Use physical objects as a reminder of the good you have and the good you desire. Humans have a special relationship with our possessions and we should be mindful to maintain a healthy balance with them. 

Just like we can go too far and end up hoarding a bunch of clutter, we can also strip away so much that we have nothing to self-identify with (a warning to fellow minimalists). However, our possessions allow us to express ourselves and can also serve as visual reminders of the good that has passed and the good that we want to bring forth.

No matter if it's a vision board or a small unassuming memento, select objects can help us tap into positive emotions that elevate our mindset in the process. Just like gratitude, this is a powerful way to uplift your mood and make you more open-minded to your own counsel.

STOP NEGATIVE RUMINATION

Negative rumination is the unhealthy habit of so overly fixating on a negative thought that it leads to anxiety and eventually depression if not put in check. A special feature of rumination is that there is no completion to the thought — it just keeps going around and around your head with no resolution.

One method I love using to tackle rumination is reframing. Reframing helps you gently shift from an unproductive emotional loop to a more rational way of assessing and dealing with problems. It allows you to see problems in a fresh and more positive light.

Shifting our perspective helps us exercise emotional maturity and exert more control over our thoughts. Having control over our thoughts helps us clear our mind and trust our gut.

USE INTERROGATIVE SELF-TALK

Interrogative self-talk is a substitute for affirmations particularly for those, like me, who don't seem to have much success trying to convince our subconscious that reality is something other than what it is.

Instead of making a declaration that is in direct conflict with reality (and can make your subconscious mind put up resistance against it), use positive self-inquiry.  Research shows that asking instead of commanding is a better way to bring about change.

So instead of declaring "I am" when you're not, ask "how might I become?" which turns off your inner critic and turns on the part of the brain tasked with solving problems. What is most powerful about this tactic is that inquiry gives your intuition the go-ahead to speak. And because you are open and receptive, you are in the position to hear and trust what it says.