Our intuition shows up in a multitude of ways.
I often experience it as an inner knowing or a clear seeing that’s wordless without an internal monologue. Other times though, my intuition shows up as a simple message but then it’s followed by an inner dialogue that involves second-guessing. Luckily, that conversation can easily become comedy if I allow it, which is much easier to manage!
Years ago, I was driving on a busy road and I needed to pull into a gas station for a refill. There were three gas stations ahead of me, and I chose the first one because it was closer and there were no cars in the way getting to the pump. Immediately, my intuition told me: “skip that gas station and go to the next one.”
Instead of following that gentle message, I second-guessed it and responded with a seemingly logical question: “Why? What’s wrong with that gas station? It’s the closest, and it’s empty.”
Intuition (gently): “Skip it and go to the next.”
Instead of following my clear and calm inner guidance, I pulled into that empty gas station where I immediately received the answer to my question: “what’s wrong with this gas station?”
As soon as I started trying to fill my gas tank, I discovered the pump was broken and gas squirted onto my hand. I then went inside to ask the cashier if I could use their bathroom to wash the gas off my hand, but they told me they didn’t have a public bathroom! I had to buy a bottle of water just so I could at least rinse off my hands.
Thankfully, my sense of humor had already kicked in at this point, as I recognized the comedy of the situation. I knew immediately this was going to be a funny story to share with friends. So rather than holding on to it and allowing any frustration I felt in the moment linger throughout the rest of my day, I was able to release the experience and laugh it off.
Once I pulled back onto the main road toward the next gas station, I thought to myself: “It’s not rocket science, just follow your intuition!” Because if I had followed it to begin with, I would have sidestepped a mess I didn’t need to walk into in the first place, saving myself a lot of time and energy. Having found myself in these kinds of experiences so many times, I now know the answer to my ‘why’ question will be clear in time – could be one day, one month, or possibly even one year later.
No matter what way your inner knowing shows up, the goal is always for you to ask and receive your own clear answers that are in alignment with your highest good, skills, talents, tasks, relationships, and your greater purposes. When you second guess your true inner guidance, notice the difference in the energy of your inner monologue and take note. You can learn a lot by just observing the energy surrounding your inner conversations.
If you can hear your doubt in that conversation clearly, as I did in this situation, that’s you being aware – you should humorously validate yourself for that! Often, our self-doubting inner critic goes unheard in the mind, as if it’s not there at all. When it’s totally unconscious like that, it can distract you from your true intuitive guidance.
And that’s one reason why exploring and discovering your intuitive awareness is so rewarding: with conscious practice, you’re shining a spotlight on the areas where your awareness has been temporarily overshadowed. Once you spot it, you realize you don’t have to sit and stew in the negative chit-chat, you can apply intuitive tools to fully release it and then move on with your day.
Above all, have fun with this because pressure gives your intuition stage fright, whereas your loving appreciation lets it shine brightly within yourself.
by Gwyneth R Flack, M.A.