Your intuition is the strong voice within you. It is a combination of your past experiences, things you have learnt, seen and heard, and most importantly your subconscious processing. It is that hunch, sense or feeling that keeps you in check. I like to further describe intuition as a higher sense of self that is wiser and more in tune with things that are beyond what we can see or hear, the supernatural. It is extremely important to develop your intuition, to nurture that voice inside you and keep it strong and sure. In this article, you will learn five proven steps that could help you develop your intuition and make it stronger.
1. Keep your conscious mind Quiet
Have you ever heard the theory about how blind or deaf individuals have heightened abilities in their other senses? This is because they rely more on these senses, enabling them to develop them to work better than the average individual. If you want to develop your intuition you have to quiet your conscious mind because it enhances your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind becomes heightened and you will be able to make better decisions and sense things regular individuals cannot now or sense. There are so many ways you can keep your conscious mind quiet. The most popular is meditation but most times people are discouraged by the idea of sitting and doing nothing for minutes at a time. There are other methods that would not interfere with your daily activities. These methods may include; deep breathing exercises, journaling, watching the rain or snow, journaling, you can even pick a quiet hobby that helps you quiet your mind like writing, painting, knitting etc. Doing these things everyday can improve your life.
2. Pay attention to your body
Becoming more intuitive involves understanding your body’s language. Throughout the day, pause and check in with your physical sensations. Notice if there’s tightness or relaxation, lightness or heaviness, and especially how your gut feels. A calm and open feeling might signal a good fit, while tension or a “gut punch” could be your body’s way of saying no. By becoming familiar with these subtle cues, you can tap into your intuition and make decisions that resonate on a deeper level.
Our intuition speaks to us through our body before our mind catches on. This is why body scan meditation is such a valuable practice. In a body scan meditation, you systematically focus your attention on each part of your body, noticing any sensations that arise. Are your shoulders tense? Is there a dull ache in your lower back? Is your breath shallow or deep? By paying attention to these physical sensations, you can pick up on subtle cues that your body might be sending you. This could be a signal of stress, discomfort, or even a gut feeling about a situation. By becoming more aware of your body’s language, you can learn to trust your intuition and make choices that are aligned with your well-being.
3. Trust your inner knowing and listen to reoccurring thoughts
The relationship between intuition and self-trust is a powerful cycle. As you pay attention to and act on those gut feelings and hunches (your intuition), you’ll experience positive outcomes more frequently. This success reinforces the idea that your intuition is indeed a reliable source of guidance. With this repeated validation, your confidence in your own judgment grows. This newfound self-trust empowers you to take action on your own behalf, even in uncertain situations. Following your inner compass allows you to live a more authentic life, true to your values and desires, rather than being swayed by external pressures. It’s a self-fulfilling loop: trusting your intuition builds self-trust, which in turn empowers you to live authentically, leading to experiences that further strengthen your intuition.
4. Understand your dreams and hunches
Have you ever had a dream that felt strange but stuck with you? Those dreams might be more than just weird stories. They could be messages from your subconscious mind, full of feelings, experiences, and even hunches about your life. By keeping a dream journal and writing down your dreams, even the confusing ones, you’re basically saving clues for later. Then, when you think about the dream’s symbols, feelings, and overall story, you might discover things you didn’t know about yourself, your desires, or even upcoming challenges. These insights from your dreams can then nudge your intuition and help you make better decisions in your everyday life. So, even though dreams can be puzzling, they can be a super cool way to unlock your inner wisdom and gut feelings.
5. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is all about focusing on the present moment, like chilling with your breath. This calms your mind and makes space for those gut feelings to pop up. Plus, mindfulness helps you listen to your body. Tight muscles might mean something’s off, while feeling relaxed could be a good sign. Basically, the more aware you are in the now, the better you’ll pick up on your intuition’s whispers.
NOTE: Using the idea of intuition as an excuse for procrastination and laziness will not help you become better. There are times you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and because it isn’t your ideal environment these signs will be so loud. Remember that your intuition is you but as an enhanced entity. You can also trick yourself to make decisions that will be of great advantage only to your present self. Know when to make decisions based on logic and when to trust your intuition.
