Intuition: Who’s Really Talking

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about intuition as an internal knowledge system.

The idea that sometimes we know something before we can explain how we know it.

And that perhaps we need to trust that inner knowing more than we do.

There was a catch. 😳

Other things masquerade as intuition.

Fear. Bias. Ego. Old programming.

So today, I want to continue that conversation by exploring the other side of self-trust.

How do we know who or what we're actually listening to? 😳

Because not every voice inside us is intuition.

Sometimes what feels like an inner knowing is simply a very familiar pattern.

"Don't say anything."

"They're probably not going to choose me."

"I need more information before I decide."

"I don't want to upset anyone."

"Something tells me I should wait."

Is that intuition?

Maybe.

Maybe not. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It could be fear. Or a need for approval. Or an old belief we've been carrying around for years. Or simply a default setting.

And that's what makes this tricky.

Our defaults don't announce themselves as defaults--"Hi! I'm an old belief you picked up when you were twelve." 😆

They just show up. And because they've been with us for so long...

They feel like us. Take that in.

Very familiar. Very consistent with how we've come to see ourselves.

This is where self-awareness becomes incredibly important.

The better we know ourselves, the better chance we have of recognizing what and who is actually talking.

Is this a pattern I've seen before?

Am I protecting myself from something?

Am I trying to control the outcome?

Am I avoiding discomfort?

Am I looking for someone else to make the decision for me?

Or...

Is this actually intuition?

That's the work.

Knowing ourselves well enough to tell the difference.

Listen inward.

Figure out who's talking.

Is it really YOU?

If so, lean in.

❤️ Heidi