CE Insight: Following Your Impulse & Intuition

I have been working with some clients in my somatic and nervous system health coaching, and one thing that comes up a fair amount is the desire to get in tune with intuition and gut feelings more clearly.

This can be a tricky thing as we have to discern the difference between our intuition and our programmed responses which can feel like intuition.

With stress, fatigue, and the busy minds of our modern world, how can we truly tell the difference?

The truth is, getting in tune with your true intuition and gut feelings begins by getting back in tune with our body.

This starts with building daily consciousness of your body, its feelings, and its impulses.

Let me explain a bit more with an observation about my alpacas.

My wife and I have 7 alpacas here at home. I love tending to animals which is why we have them. (Plus their poop does wonders for soil restoration!)

Over the years I have noticed that the moment they feel like they need to use the washroom, they just go. Their stance changes, and out it comes. No thinking, no "I'll go once I'm done writing a couple more paragraphs." They just go.

Their thinking doesn't get in the way of their needs like it often does with humans.

This keeps these animals beautifully in tune with themselves and their environment. Maintaining a sense of calm and peacefulness that is noticeable the moment you lay eyes on them.

Nature acts like nature. Humans, a part of nature, can often disconnect from our nature by means of our higher order thinking.

This higher order thinking (from the pre-frontal cortex of our brain) is what makes humans so brilliant. But it also has its downside when our daily consciousness of ourselves and our body decreases, causing us to ignore our needs and impulses.

Impulses like when we are thirsty, when we are hungry, when we are uncomfortable, when we are tired, when we need movement, or... when we have to use the washroom.

We have become good at overriding these natural impulses that are telling us to stop, slow down, take a break, get active, or go relieve ourselves.

Over time as we repeat these patterns, we stop listening to our impulses altogether and they become foreign to us. Our relationship with our body changes, and thus our relationship with our intuition, gut feelings, and heart intelligence changes as well.

This pattern of being in our minds so often and overriding various impulses literally re-shapes the wiring of our nervous system and brain, and it snowballs into greater levels of disconnection and un-wellness.

I know, because 6 years ago I let stress and overwhelm push me to 'keep going, keep working, keep focusing' even when I was hungry, thirsty or tired. I watched as 2 years of this pulled me away from my body, and it took me quite a bit of time and practice to get back in tune with myself.

I think many, if not all, of us can relate to these patterns, and the good news is we can take small steps to get back in tune with ourselves.

Something to Try

The first step is to begin increasing your consciousness around your body and its impulses.

Simply put, listen to your body.

1. Intentionally take time to attune to your body.

You can do this by setting an alarm on your phone to go off a couple times a day. When it does, take the time to notice where your body makes contact with a chair or couch as you sit. Switch from contact point to contact point slowly, noticing how your body feels.

For a bit of a guided version of this, you can use the neurosensory exercise I sent out about a month ago here.

2. Attune to your body's needs and voice when you notice it.

If you are tired, choose to rest if you can. If you are thirsty or hungry or need to use the toilet, attune to the needs. Notice if you choose to put things off, and instead consciously make a new choice.

The pathway towards a strong relationship with our intuition, gut, or heart intelligence begins with expanding your consciousness of your body. Getting deeply in tune.

It's simple and powerful, but does take some focus and commitment.

Have fun, stay curious, and keep exploring.