Intuition is a wonderful resource just waiting to be called upon

By Barbara Bowes

Intuition – the phenomenon of a gut feeling, hunch or unexplainable sense of knowing. That flash of insight or sense of inspiration sometimes called a “Eureka”. What is its logic? Where does it come from? Can it be developed?

Over the years there has been plenty of research into the study of intuition as another form of intelligence. Today as well, intuition is no longer considered a trait of the weaker sex but rather it is far more accepted as a valid tool for problem solving. You might also consider intuition as one form of emotional intelligence. By that I mean your high level of self awareness, the recognition of feelings in others and an ability to absorb, interpret and read your environment are all part of building a solid foundation of inner knowledge which then translates into intuition.

If this is the case, then intuition is indeed a skill that can be further developed. While some people seem to have a natural talent for using their intuition, still others can consciously and diligently develop this skill.

One of the first signs of your intuition kicking in is a feeling of unease when you are in decision-making mode. This is a subconscious warning sign there is something amiss about your course of action. This is an important message and must be listened to or else you’ll find your decision doesn’t represent your best thinking. And, more than likely, you’ll regret it later.

Rather than being pressured into a decision by those around you, now is the time to explore your intuition and seek help from your subconscious mind. Most power thinkers with good intuition will find a private space to clear their mind and listen to their inner messages. They isolate themselves from interruptions and then focus on the pros and cons of the issue at hand. It doesn’t have to be a long time, but it has to be clear, independent thinking time. Then they might use a number of problem solving strategies, creative and analytical thinking but they continue focusing on solutions until their head and their heart are in sync. Their final decision “feels” right and is supported by analysis and facts.

Those individuals who are beginning their journey to improved intuition can build their skills by learning to meditate and/or finding some way to deliberately rest the mind. Taking a walk or listening to music for a short period will work just as well. This so called, “breaking away” is very important because it allows you time for reflection while providing new stimuli from your surroundings. There is no standard formula for breaking away, so everyone must find their own approach. Some people for instance, schedule specific time each day to think about their challenges.

The next stage of intuitive development is again individualistic. For instance, some people deliberately spend the first moments of their private time thinking about nothing in particular. They use this as a means to clear their mind before they focus on the problem issue. Still others formally structure a question which they then direct to their subconscious mind. They next listen to their inner brainstorming, letting the ideas flow without evaluating or judging them.

As their ideas continue to flow, the intuitive thinker continually assesses their comfort level with each of the ideas. When they experience an uneasy feeling, they probe it some more and find out why they are feeling that way. They look at proposed solutions from all different
directions. They visualize themselves being successful and moving forward and find directional indicators from this vision. They then seek to unite reasoning with feeling until they reach a solid decision.

It’s easy when first starting to tap into your intuition to inadvertently focus on negative fears and anxiety. Thinking about what can go wrong rather than focusing on positive, futuristic thoughts will erode your overall creativity and create a vicious negative thought cycle. If your mind is thinking negative thoughts, it will also send messages intended to protect you. The result is that these messages will deter you from any decision that might have the potential to harm you.

Unfortunately, your focus on fear and anxiety will prevent you from thinking creatively and objectively. You will not experience the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of a decision, instead your decision making thoughts may well only justify your original fears. The
same applies to worrying. Worrying or projecting failure only serves to hinder your ability to be creative. It drowns out any positive thought and prevents you from using your intuition and insight.

Getting rid of these negative thoughts of fear, anxiety and worry is a challenge in itself. I find that most people who express these negative feeling are actually experiencing low self esteem. And low self esteem certainly prevents people from using their intuition and creativity. While there are several strategies to alleviate this problem, the most success I have seen calls for the use of “positive self talk”. While you will find positive self talk somewhat awkward at first, I guarantee that it not only removes the negativity but it releases and stimulates your intuition.

Similar to accessing your intuition, positive self talk requires that you find a quiet place, take a few deep breaths to relax yourself and prepare yourself to reprogram your mind with positive thoughts. Repeat to yourself three times, a positive statement about yourself such as, “I am a good problem solver”. Take notice that as your mind accepts this positive thought, you will begin to feel more comfortable, the weight on your shoulders will lighten and creativity will begin to return. Do this every day for six days. Take note again how you feel. Test your ability to use your creativity and intuition. Next, create a positive statement that you can repeat to yourself everyday…..release its power every morning while you look at yourself in the mirror.

Intuition is a challenging subject and a skill that takes time, energy and deliberate attention to develop. But it can be developed. However, it requires a high level of self awareness, a positive sense of self esteem, recognition of feelings in others and an ability to absorb, interpret and read your environment. As well, it requires that you develop your personal own methodology and format for accessing your intuition. But no matter what, intuition is a wonderful resource inside each of us just waiting to be called upon.

Source: Power Thinking: How the Way You Think Can Change the Way You Lead, John N. Mangierie, Ph.D., Cathy Collins Block, Ph.D, JosseyBass, 2004.