In making decisions, we have three different voices fighting to be heard.

Our heart, our brain and our gut.

It can get awfully noisy, hot and confusing in our bodies trying to hear them all.

Our heart feels, feels and feels. If we make decisions solely from this place, we often abandon logical reason. Our hearts are a hurricane of emotions—often feeling overwhelming and ungrounded.

Throwing us off center with our roller coaster of emotions when looking to make a move in our life. Whether it be a heart move, an across the country move or a career move.

Our brain, on the other hand can be short, abrupt and to the point. They sometimes look at things unattached from our messy hearts, sigh and sternly say, “It’s simple!”

Other times our brains take us on a whirlwind—leaving us more lost than before we began.

To think, or not to think?

To feel, or not to feel?

“You know that crazy heart of yours? The one with lightning crackling and moonlight shining through it. The one you’ve been told not to trust because it often led you off the beaten path. The one so many have misunderstood your entire life. Trust it. Feed it. Grow it. It’s your greatest treasure and will point the way to your highest destiny. It is the voice of your soul.” ~Jacob Nordby

I love this quote. I also think that although our brain and heart are key players in the decision making process, it’s the voice of our soul that should be listened to, above all—always, always, our gut.

Our intuition.

That little tingling that happens when we feel something is off.

The little voice that let’s us know that maybe we don’t want to walk down that street, as that man, even from a distance has dark energy.

The voice that says, quietly, if we listen hard enough—that she may be emotionally invested elsewhere.

It’s the voice clambering to be heard, beneath our loud dramatic hearts and our bossy, ADD brain.

It’s the greatest treasure we have and getting on a first name basis with our intuition is work the work.

I have fine tuned a method of speaking to my intuition—an activity I will share with you.

You can use this with any decisions you want to make.

Simple or complex.

Should you go to Hawaii, or go skiing in Banff?

Should you take the promotion at work, if you don’t really enjoy the job—but it pays better and has benefits for your kids?

Should you get a divorce?

Do you want to get engaged, or is your relationship exiting the “in love” experience and this is a band aid?

This activity is called “Stay or Leave.”

Cut a piece of paper into six pieces.

Write “stay” on three.

Write “leave” on three.

Fold them, bend them, ball them—make them as similar as you can.

Find somewhere quiet to sit and take a deep breathe.

In a moment, I want you to pull out a piece of paper from the pile.

But first, before you read the answer—I want you to press pause on your brain.

I want you to tell your heart to be quiet, for just a moment.

I want to you let your third voice—your intuition do the talking and the answering on this one.

If you don’t have the slightest clue what an intuition talking sounds like, don’t worry—it’s easy.

All you have to do is focus all your presence, attention and energy on your body and your core.

Now, choose one of the papers, and as you open it—I want you to be completely in your body. I want you to be tuned in to every feeling in your body, in your hands to your belly to your core.

When you read whatever answer awaits you, do you feel acceptance or do you feel resistance?

What’s your stomach saying? Your gut? How do your palms feel?

Whether you pull “stay” or “leave” isn’t the point of the exercise.

It’s simply a more neutral way of letting the universe prose the question and letting your gut say yay or nay.

Acceptance could feel like nothing or a relief.

Resistance could feel like little fists forming inside your stomach.

I did this exercise recently with a new man in my life. I wanted to check in with where I was and how I was feeling.

I pulled “stay.”

For a brief moment I felt nothing and then I suddenly felt a squirming resistance in my stomach.

I didn’t want to stay, with said man.

The resistance to that one word was my queue to exit with grace.

I welcome you to try this activity in multiple areas of your life.

You know best. 

You have all the answers.

You just have to listen, softly. 

~

Relephant:

Your Intuition Is Your Answer.

~

Author: Janne Robinson

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: courtesy of the author