Gut Trusters

People often think they need to spend hours in meditation listening for the inner whisper of their intuition. Not so! Sometimes it’s as simple as pushing yourself away from your desk and taking a few, deep, calming breathes.

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I interviewed people for my most recent book, Trust Your Gut: How the Power of Intuition Can Grow Your Business. Here’s how they invoked intuitive insight:

• I subscribe to an “inspirational quote” e-newsletter. I print out the quote and post it where I can view it throughout the day. It helps keep me focused on what life is all about.
• Before I start my day I read a verse from the Bible or other inspirational book.
• I make it a priority to eat lunch in a nearby park or in inclement weather, even in my car. I find after I return to my desk I have a huge burst of creativity.
• I go to the gym for a half-hour during my workday. Working out gets the cobwebs out of my brain and I come up with wonderful ideas while running on the treadmill or lifting weights.
• My company has a meditation room. I go there for reflection and prayer as part of my lunch break. I come back to work feeling centered and relaxed. The answers to issues I was struggling with in the morning seem to be resolved during that brief time for contemplation.
• If I can’t actually get away from the office, I make a point of changing my location. It can often be as simple as switching from my desk to the couch in my office. The minor change helps me maintain my mental alertness and increases my productivity. I actually think of it as my ‘inspiration couch.’”
• I bring my laptop to the park. Nothing like a change of scenery to fire up my creative juices.
• I reserve time in our company conference room several times a week. It looks out onto a huge field filled with wildflowers. I use those occasions as my intuition time. I bring a notepad, colored pens and pencils and do some creative mind-mapping. I get amazing results fast.
• What are some ideas that might work for you? Give them a try today! Happy spring!

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Next time you find yourself fraught with anxiety, check in with your Divine guidance.  Get in the habit of asking questions of your intuition and expecting a reply.

“What could I do to feel calmer about the meeting this afternoon?
In response, you find an image coming to mind of a quiet lunch in the park by your office.

One of the ways your intuition responds is through images.  Your intuition is connected to a higher wisdom that always knows what you need.  It will always lead you to peace, love, forgiveness, gratitude and faith.

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Following your intuition does not have to be a time consuming process. Before you get out of bed each morning take one to two minutes to answer the following questions.

1. What do you want to do today that feels enjoyable and will move you toward a goal or intention?
2. What new ideas about your goal have popped into your mind since yesterday?
3. What action steps are you willing to take today?

Many people find that they awaken with fresh thoughts and ideas. (For others it may be after a large mug of coffee!)  If morning is a period of clarity for you, take advantage by paying attention to any intuition information that comes to you during that time.  If you’re a night person, try a meditation before going to bed at night and asking for some Divine insight.

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The Divine Consciousness speaks to our human consciousness, offering us quick, keen insights into the problems of everyday life and suggesting potential solutions through the language of intuition — the language of our soul.

Dr. Mona Lisa Schulz is the author of Awakening Intuition

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Sometimes we get so darn serious about things! I’ve had conversations with several clients this week who were incredibly intent on defining their purpose, passion and goals that they forgot to have fun!

When you’re feeling stuck or things simply aren’t working out…lighten up! My best insights and new direction have come when I’ve simply accepted the fact that I’m stalled or have run out of ideas. I’m usually sick of feeling like the energizer bunny and can’t get the energy to pursue what felt so darn serious at the moment. That’s when I know FUN is needed. (Why do I forget this all the time?!)

What’s fun for you? Here’s my top ten list:

1. Taking a nap.
2. Cooking
3. Having friends for dinner.
4. Reading a mystery novel.
5. Taking a walk in the woods or by the ocean.
6. Snuggling with my cat.
7. Taking a long weekend off and having no plans.
8. Shopping
9. Staying at a B & B.
10. Watching old movies.

Life doesn’t have to be a struggle. Intuition and new direction is coming to me. I’ve created space for it. Ahhh…..There! Now I feel better.

What about you? What’s your top ten list of fun things? Get started!

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Have you ever noticed it’s hard to trust your intuition when you’re really anxious? I had a recent moment like that. I needed to make a significant business decision in a short amount of time. Usually I’m pretty good at this. I make most decisions fairly easily and effortlessly. (Hey! I trust my gut!)

This time I felt overwhelmed by the voice of fear in my head. “What if I lost a lot of money?” “What if this didn’t work out?” “What if?…” You get the idea. I felt paralyzed by indecision and couldn’t find my intuitive voice at all.

I remembered a technique I had learned from a company called Heart Math in Boulder Creek, California. They have a wonderful technique they call “Freeze-Framing.” I have found it very helpful to use when I’m in situations when my anxiety threatens to block out all insightful intuitive messages.

Doc Childre is the founder of the program and author of the book, The HeartMath Solution. He explains, “When we’re internally self-managed — feeling balanced, in control, and powerful — we make our greatest contribution. We act, not react. We think creatively. We communicate clearly. We manage well under pressure. We make good decisions.”
If you’re wondering how to use this information next time you’re in a crisis or simply feeling anxious, try the following technique:

1) Recognize the stressful feeling and Freeze-Frame it. In other words, take time out. For example, see your problem as a still picture, not a movie. Stop the inner conversation you’re having about the situation.

2) Make a sincere effort to shift your focus away from your racing mind or disturbed emotions, and concentrate on the area around your heart. Pretend you’re breathing through your heart to help focus your energy in this area. Keep your focus there for ten seconds or more.

3) Bring to mind a positive feeling, or recall a time in your life when you were having fun. Hold that feeling for a few moments.

4) Now, using your intuition, ask your heart what would be a more efficient response to the situation — one that would minimize stress?

5) Listen to what your heart says in answer to your question. It’s an effective way to put your reactive mind and emotions in check. It’s like having an “in-house” source of wise solutions.

You may hear nothing, yet feel calmer. You may receive confirmation of something you already know, or you may experience a complete perspective shift, seeing the problem in a more balanced way. Although you may not have control over the event, you do have control over your perception of it and reaction to it.
After I completed the “Freeze Framing” I felt calmer, more centered. I could think from my heart and not from my anxiety. I found that shortly afterwards, the decision that had initially created so much anxiety, simply felt easy. This technique may sound simplistic, but it’s a powerful one nonetheless! Try it next time you’ve got a big decision to make.

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Last month my husband, Gary, and I traveled to Belize and Mexico to visit the Mayan ruins. What an incredible civilization. You can see some of the ruins at Tulum on You Tube. In the image on the left you can see me at the top of the thirteen story temple. Guatemala is over my shoulder. I was clinging onto the rocks from shear terror. It was a long climb up there and I wasn’t sure I was going to get down!

I am in awe of the complex civilization that existed there and their advanced knowledge of astronomy and astrology.

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1. Meditate. Simply calm your mind by focusing on your breathing. Repeat a word or phrase that makes you feel relaxed such as “peace,” “calm,” or “It’s all good.” Buddhists call this mindfulness. When we slow down for even a few moments, we cultivate our creativity, intuition, and inner peace.
2. Choose the right questions. Framing the questions to evoke more than a yes or now answer will elicit a more informative response. For example, “How can we get more people to sign up for our seminar next month?” Or “What could we do to create more brand recognition of product X?” Spend a few minutes writing any and all answers that pop into your mind. Don’t censor or judge the responses until after you’ve completed the exercise.
3. Ask for an image. If you’re trying to make a decision about something and your logical, rational mind is running amok, close your eyes and ask for a symbolic picture of the solution. Intuition answers often come through a visual representation.

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