Think of your intuition as a muscle — the more you use it, the stronger it gets. But if you’ve been habitually squashing it down, those signals might feel faint and easily missed. Remember, trusting your gut doesn’t mean throwing logic out the window! It’s a balanced approach – using your critical thinking and paying attention to those subtle nudges that something feels “off,” even if you can’t articulate exactly why.
1. Pay attention to your body.
Intuition often manifests physically, Healthline confirms. Tightness in your chest, a fluttery stomach, clenched jaw — your body is trying to tell you something. Scan how you physically feel in various situations. Do certain people spike your anxiety even if they’re being outwardly nice? This mismatch between their vibe and your body’s reaction is a red flag.
2. Start with low-stakes decisions.
Trying to trust your gut with life-altering choices is overwhelming. Practice on small things. Which restaurant feels right for lunch? What route to take home? Notice those subtle pulls, even if they don’t seem logical. Follow them, then reflect: did it turn out well? This builds trust in your own internal compass.
3. Journaling helps you spot patterns.
After a decision, jot down how you felt in the moment. Later, did that choice pan out positively? This helps you recognize what “good intuition” feels like in your unique body and mind. Conversely, when things go sideways, analyze if there were internal signals you ignored in the lead-up.
4. Meditation quiets the external noise.
Our intuition is often drowned out by the constant barrage of mental chatter. Even a 5-minute daily meditation practice helps still your mind. In that quiet space, it’s easier to hear the subtle whispers of your intuition, separate from the worries or “shoulds” that can cloud your judgment.
5. Notice those moments of sudden clarity.
Ever get a flash of knowing the answer to something? It might be the “right” turn to make when you’re lost, or a name that pops into your head. Either way, pay attention! This is your intuition offering split-second information. Even if it doesn’t make rational sense in the moment, honor those insights.
6. Surround yourself with people who trust their instincts.
We learn by example! Have friends who seem to have an uncanny knack for avoiding bad situations? Ask them about their thought process! How they talk about trusting their gut normalizes it for you, making it less abstract.
7. Learn the difference between fear and intuition.
Anxiety can feel a lot like a bad gut-feeling. Discerning the two takes practice. Fear is usually future-oriented, a loop of “What if…” Intuition is more immediate, a sense of something being right or wrong in this situation, less about potential catastrophic outcomes.
8. Be willing to make some mistakes.
Building trust in anything takes trial and error. There will be times you follow your gut and it leads you astray. That’s normal. View these not as failures, but as learning experiences. What was the feeling like? Are the mistaken “gut feelings” similar? This fine-tunes your internal compass over time.
9. Spend time in nature.
Seriously, just do it. Something about being outdoors quiets the mental chatter that drowns out intuitive hits. A walk in the woods, sitting by water, or even simply watching birds out your window creates a sense of expansive calm, UC Davis Health explains. This primes you to be more receptive to your inner wisdom.
10. Notice energy shifts in other people.
If someone walks in the room and your mood instantly deflates, or you suddenly feel energized after a random encounter, this is your intuition picking up on the subtle vibes most people dismiss. Start paying attention! If your energy goes wonky around specific people, it’s worth examining why.
11. Practice “checking in” with yourself throughout the day.
Pause multiple times daily and simply ask: “How am I truly feeling?” Not what you should feel, not what the logical choice is, but your real, unfiltered emotional and physical state. This awareness helps you catch when you’re suppressing intuitive red flags in the name of being polite or not rocking the boat.
12. Dreams can be incredibly insightful, if you pay attention.
Jot down any vivid or recurring dreams when you wake up so that you don’t forget them. Don’t overanalyze, just look for overarching themes or feelings. Does your job stress translate into dreams of being unprepared for a test? A new romance might bring a sense of lightness. Your subconscious often processes stuff your waking mind downplays.
13. Learn to differentiate your inner voice from other people’s expectations.
So often we dismiss our gut feeling because it clashes with what we’ve been taught is the ‘right’ thing to do. Separating out whose voice is in your head – family, society, etc. – is crucial. That “should” feeling is sometimes the opposite of what’s truly best for you.
14. That nagging feeling that persists? Don’t brush it off.
Intuition often starts subtle. If something feels the tiniest bit “off,” it probably is! That sense of unease usually amplifies over time if it’s worth paying attention to. Learn to recognize this pattern as a sign to dig a little deeper, instead of dismissing it.
15. “Coincidences” are worth exploring.
Run into the same person multiple times unexpectedly? A song comes on with lyrics that mirror your situation perfectly? While there’s often a logical explanation, sometimes these events are your intuition nudging you to pay attention to something you might otherwise miss.
16. Give yourself permission to walk away.
From that party that suddenly feels off, from that date where the vibe is not right… even if you don’t have a logical reason! Honoring your intuition builds trust in yourself, even if it makes you seem a bit ‘flaky’ to others.
17. Trust takes time!
If you’ve spent years ignoring your instincts, they’ll need recalibrating. Be patient! This journey is about noticing, then slowly starting to act on those insights. Each time you do and things turn out well, it reinforces that internal system, making you feel more confident going forward.
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