We already know that psychics don’t win the lottery, so if the people who are already most tuned into their intuition can’t profit from it, how can a normal person do it? Why should we try?
The reason we need to continually hone our intuition is that no other resource gives us better life navigation. As a planner, I rely more on intuition than people think, because there is an X factor in everyone’s financial life … for example, my gut will tell me it’s okay for one person or company to take on debt, but not another. The more an individual develops his or her intuition, the less you pay attention and weigh the value of the endless stream of data from the outside world. And once you cut out that noise, you have more peace of mind!
The Five Traits of Intuition
Most people aren’t sure if they are having an intuitive flash or a hot flash. Here are five characteristics that intuitive insights share:
Intuition is rarely earth shattering. Just as I mentioned that psychics never win the lottery, the average person isn’t going to get an intuitive flash that they know is going to make them millions. More likely, it will just be something that helps them on their life paths. J.K. Rowling talks about how the entire structure of the Harry Potter series came to her in a train ride. That was cool, but she had no idea how the series would change her life, and it took 6 more years to complete and publish.
Intuition is moment specific. Intuition helps you in the course of what is already happening. I might get a flash to do my errands in an order that I wasn’t planning—bank first, instead of grocery store—but I only get it while I am driving out of my garage, not first thing in the morning. With a money decision, your intuition might tell you to put off buying something, and you discover later your spouse picked up the item on the way home.
Intuition is not urgent. Most intuition is a thought or flash that drifts in and out of your mind pretty quickly. If you miss it, no big deal. Your intuition isn’t usually trying to force you to do something; it’s just there trying to provide additional information to help you make a decision. Intuition gives you information as to HOW to navigate, but leaves the WHAT and WHERE to you. For example, my intuition gave me some hints as to how my friend should deal with marital conflict, but it would never suggest she stay or go unless that was already something being considered.
Intuition is not emotional. Intuitive flashes have nothing to do with anxiety or urgency. Your intuition is not vested in things playing out a certain way. If you’re getting stressed or anxious over a decision and having thoughts about it, that’s plain old fear . . . which shouldn’t necessarily be discounted, especially with money decisions! But it’s not your intuition talking to you.
Your intuition does not know the language of regret. Your intuition can only look forward and help with what is in front of you. If you’re caught up in re-hashing something that has already happened, or hanging onto a bad decision, your intuition won’t be able to get through. It can only help when you focus on possibility and potential opportunity.
How To Open Up Your Intuition
Empty the gunnysack. My old business partner had an expression for all of the resentment I held onto long after an incident played out: Gunnysacking. He said that I kept all of these bad incidents (things he had done) tucked away in my gunnysack and whenever I felt like he had “wronged” me again, I would dump it all out and he would get blamed all over again for something he had done months before. I learned that intuition (and peace) can’t coexist with anger and resentment. As soon as I started to let go of these things, my intuition fired up and I got on my right path, bit by bit.
Let your mind stray. As you go through your day, ask yourself before starting each new project, “Is there anything I should know as I do this?” Obviously I don’t do this as I am filling my cats’ food bowls or scooping litter, but doing this blog post came to me as I took a break yesterday. Why should I do this post? Who knows, I just know it came to me within minutes and took about 30 minutes to write. I’m not going to mess with that kind of productivity!
Plan less, trust more. When I first started out in self employment, I didn’t trust myself to know what to offer in the moment—so I would plan for hours and cover every contingency. The more I learned to trust that I already had everything I needed to provide to my client, the more I was able to pull from my intuition and “coincidentally” be more on target than if I had planned for hours.
Assume everything is supposed to happen. Bad things happen, we all know this. But resisting against the bad stuff blocks our intuitive guidance. The more you can just say, “Okay, that happened . . . and now what?” the more easily you’ll be able to move past the stressful situation and intuit the best next steps. I’m smiling as I write this, remembering my mother—one of the most intuitive people I have known—screaming at other drivers as she barreled down Interstate 5. So, it’s a process. :o)
Wear other people’s shoes. This is the single most consistent way I “creep out” loved ones. I’ll be sitting in the same room with them (or car), and I’ll let my mind stray . . . and eventually, I’ll ask myself, “I wonder what X is thinking about right now?” After I internally follow a line of thought, I’ll ask them about it. Many times, they’ll tell me, “I was JUST thinking about that!” One boyfriend truly believed I could read his mind (which I think may have been his greatest deterrent not to cheat on me).
Actions To Take
- Go on an information diet. Resolve to make all decisions based NOT on data, but on intuition for one week.
- Procrastinate on decisions. If you’re having trouble making a decision, don’t make one. Often I find that new info shows up down the line that makes the decision clear. If it’s not clear, perhaps you’re not supposed to decide yet.
- Experiment using intuition with your work. Where can you prepare less and use your intuition more? There might be a task to complete or work with a specific person that emerges naturally.
- Practicing unnerving your loved ones. This is just extra credit! :o)
P.S. I think intuition can be a great tool in your arsenal of eliminating money blocks. If you resonate with this, you might like my free ebook, Money Chakra, which goes over how to eliminate your money blocks from an energy standpoint. You can download that here.