What is the True Meaning of Intuition?
Intuition is that gut feeling that we get when something just isn’t right. While intuition is certainly useful for spotting potential threats, it’s also a powerful tool for figuring out what’s best for us. It can assist us in making the right decisions.
Our intuition is in communication with us at all times. But we aren’t always self-aware enough to receive its messages, or maybe, we don’t yet trust ourselves and our inner knowing. Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to rely on external advice and validation instead of trusting our inner voice. But the good news is that we can unlearn this habit, and rebuild trust in ourselves.
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A Journaling Approach to Trusting Your Intuition
Recently, I started keeping an intuition journal close by to keep track of my gut feelings, and to strengthen my connection with my inner guidance. Inspired by Sonia Choquette’s book Trust Your Vibes, I write down what my gut feelings are as I feel them. I try my best to put them into words.
The idea is simple: every time you write down an intuitive hit AKA your gut feelings, you’re validating them—even if it doesn’t make sense right away. You’re acknowledging that you had them. And it’s important to acknowledge them because our body recognizes things faster than our minds can register them.
Sonia’s words resonate deeply:
It trains your mind not to dismiss or ignore these subtle messengers but instead make a note of them and expect them to make sense eventually.
This practice isn’t about acting on every gut feeling that you write down. Instead, it’s about acknowledging the messages that your intuition is trying to send to you.
My intuition journal is a small, portable notebook that I grabbed one night at Walmart. It’s so cute! The size makes it easy to carry around in my purse, which I love.
In my opinion, writing down these gut feelings feels similar to freewriting—a journaling technique where you let your thoughts flow without judgment. (P.S. I’ve shared more about freewriting and other journaling techniques in a previous post!)
What are the Benefits of Intuition?
One of the biggest perks of intuition journaling is clarity. Often, we notice bad vibes without really understanding why. By documenting gut feelings in the moment, we can start to uncover the specific reasons behind them.
Over time, you might even notice that you actually get intuitive hits quite often! More often than you might have realized.
Here’s what I’ve learned from this practice: when you stop ignoring your intuition, you strengthen the connection that you have with yourself. You begin to trust yourself more than anything and anyone else. So by paying attention to the subtle signals that your intuition sends out, you not only become more self-aware—you build trust in your inner wisdom.
Start Your Intuition Journaling Journey
If you’re looking for new ways to connect with yourself, I highly recommend giving intuitive journaling a try. It’s a really low-stress, insightful practice that will help you begin to acknowledge the guidance offered to you, always.
