We all have that gut feeling. You know the one; the feeling that warns us of danger or tells us to proceed with caution? It's a real thing, and it's called intuition. But how many times do we ignore this inner voice?

Maybe it's because we've been conditioned by society to think our intuition isn't as reliable as using facts or figures. Or maybe it's because we're just too busy to pay attention to what our intuition is trying to tell us. If you want to improve your decision-making abilities and be more confident in your choices, then start connecting with and trusting in your intuition more often!

What is intuition?

Intuition is a distinct form of knowing, with its own rules and process. It occurs when you receive information about a person or situation that is beyond your normal sense-based information. It's the feeling of knowing something without being able to explain it. 

This can happen in several ways:

• You have a feeling about something but can’t explain why.

• You have a dream about something, and it comes true (or not).

• You see an image in your mind that just feels right for some reason.

There are many ways to get in touch with your intuition and work with it for better decision-making: meditation, journaling, writing, or beginning an affirmation practice are all excellent ways to connect with your intuition.

Intuition is often associated with women (have you heard the term "a woman's intuition" before?) and viewed as an "inferior" form of intelligence or decision-making, but I think it's time we started paying attention to this powerful tool in our lives.

When to trust your intuition.

You should trust your intuition when:

• You get a feeling that something is off but can't explain why. For example, if you're planning to go out with some friends and they invite someone new along who doesn't seem like their usual type of person,

• You have a gut instinct about an upcoming event or situation in your life—and it feels right! It's more than just a hunch; there's something solid behind the feeling.

• You need to make a decision quickly and want guidance from your intuition about what path to take next.

• You're trying to make a decision that's important to you but aren't sure what the right choice is. For example, if you're wondering whether to accept a job offer from a new company.

When not to trust your intuition.

There are some occasions when you should not trust your intuition:

• When you're tired, anxious, or stressed, it's hard to make good decisions. You may be too tired to think clearly and rationally or stressed out by the task at hand. When we're stressed or anxious, we tend not to notice the subtle cues that tell us what to do next, and those who can't recognize them often end up making bad decisions that have long-lasting consequences.

• Intuition can be affected by pressure from others. If someone is pressuring you to make a certain decision, whether it be family members or coworkers, this can cloud your judgment and lead you to make a bad choice based on external factors rather than what feels right internally.

• When emotions are high, like if there's conflict around the decision-making process itself (e.g., "We've been debating this for hours!"), don't trust that things will work themselves out—they won't unless someone makes a clear call for change. Try taking a break from the situation or thinking about it later, when your emotions have cooled off.

Remember, the best way to make sure your intuition is working well is to be in a calm, focused state of mind. It's also more accurate when you have time to think about the decision rather than making it on the spot in an emergency. After all, when anxiety, stress, other strong emotions, or the loud voices of others are drowning out your inner voice, it is difficult to hear it.

How to use your intuition.

But just how does this process work? How do we use this tool for better decision-making?

There are many ways to get in touch with your intuition and work with it for better decision-making.

The first thing to do is ask yourself if the decision or situation feels right or not. You need to listen to that inner voice that tells you whether something is good for you, even if other people may be advising against it. Some people find listening to their hearts the easiest way to know what’s right for them. Remember, this inner voice can come in many forms: gut feelings, instincts, knowledge from past experiences, training, etc.

Another way of knowing what’s right for you is to ask yourself:

• What do I want to achieve with this decision?

• How will it help me get there?

• Is this decision aligned with my long-term goals?

• Is this decision based on facts or assumptions?

If you can’t answer these questions, then that’s a sign that something is off.

Other ways include checking for biases, fighting feelings of imposter syndrome, and making sure that there aren't any signs pointing toward an incorrect decision (e.g., confirmation bias).

If you’re not sure which approach to take, try this: Think about the situation for a few minutes. Then ask yourself two questions: "What feels right to me?" and "What would be the most responsible choice here?" If your gut answers are different from each other, go with the one that feels like it's in alignment with your values.

Lastly, it's important to realize that when faced with a tough decision, there are no wrong answers. There are very few decisions in life that can't be undone. As long as the consequences fall within reasonable expectations, then there's nothing wrong with making an informed choice based on your preferences and values.

Keep your intuition sharp.

Keep your intuition sharp by practicing, learning, and improving. The more you practice using your intuition for decision-making, the better you'll get at it! You want to hone your intuition so that when you need it most, it's ready to go.

Keep in touch with what's going on inside of yourself! If something doesn't feel right or make sense, pay attention to your feelings and follow them until they stop speaking up, even if what they're saying isn't true (yet). Your intuition might be trying to tell you there are other factors involved that need more consideration before making a decision, or perhaps there are external influences that could affect how things turn out later down the line (and thus may influence how useful being certain now really would be). Either way, listen closely!

Don't let yourself get caught up in a fog of certainty. It's easy to fall into this trap when making decisions because it feels good, but it's important to remember that feeling good isn't always the same as doing good. If you're not sure about something, there may be a reason why—so keep listening until you hear it!

Final thoughts on how to connect with your intuition and use it to make better decisions

The key takeaway from all of this is that you should try to get in touch with your intuition, and when you do, use it for better decision-making. It’s not always easy to do this, but the benefits are huge! You’ll feel more confident in yourself as a leader and have less stress about making decisions because you know they will turn out well.