Your Intuition is "Wrong" - Now What? Part II

Continuing on with our topic of what to do if your intuition is wrong, let's explore some reasons we might think it's wrong, even when it may not be!

One reason things might not go the way you'd hoped when relying on your intuition is if you're trying too hard. Intuition is subtle - it can't be forced. If you are relentlessly asking the same question, bound and determined to get THE answer, you aren't likely to be connecting with your intuition. Instead, you are forcing it and will likely get an answer that isn't correct or useful. Instead, try to be more open and less anxious when asking or searching for an answer. The best way to improve your intuition is to be open and calm or at peace - we really aren't open if we're trying so hard to get an answer that our thoughts are racing a mile a minute! Here's something anyone can do: Take a long walk, express yourself with art or woodworking, or play an instrument. You'll be more likely to find the answer you're looking for "drift into" your awareness when you're relaxed and your mind is clear.

Perhaps you are anticipating a certain answer. Sometimes we really, really, REALLY want some guidance and, worse, already know the answer that we're hoping to get. We can mistake that answer as real intuitive information and then later on feel that our intuition let us down. In this case, we've got too much riding on it or have invested too much in getting the answer. Examples include asking about a new relationship (does she like me, will he call again, etc.), should I take that job offer (well, I hate my job now, so...), should I buy that expensive (impulse) item? Remember that it is best to practice your intuition with low risk issues - those that don't have serious consequences and that are not significant to your well-being or bank account! You might try a different method to support the answer you receive, such as doing muscle testing or for more serious issues, seeking out a spiritual or life coach to give you insights. The bottom line is if you really want a "yes" answer, you will get one. That really has nothing to do with your intuition but with your determination to get the answer that you want to hear!

Something we do quite often, especially when we're still learning is misinterpreting signs or symbols. Each of us has to learn to interpret the information and insights we get through our inner voice. While some symbology is fairly well known, such as a peace sign or four-leaf clover, most others have meaning only to us or perhaps a specific meaning to a loved one that has passed. For example, many of us associate an animal or songbird with a loved one that has passed on - the specific animal or bird is different from one person to another, among different cultures, and in different ecosystems where different species are found. As we learn to connect with and trust our intuition, we start to see patterns in the signs and symbols that we see and connect them with what happens to us soon thereafter. That gives us a "dictionary" of sorts of our own individual signs and symbols. I always recommend to anyone trying to improve their intuition to keep a journal of their experiences. A journal is invaluable in tracking and recording those signs and symbols and the meanings you have learned about each of them. It also documents your progress and, in the end, helps you to gain trust in yourself as you see just how much progress you've made!

Finally, LET IT GO...my best piece of advice about what to do if you think you've received the wrong information intuitively is to let it go. For all of the reasons I've explained, it might not even be wrong, but a misinterpretation - perhaps you'll find a few months from now that you weren't wrong. Either way, stressing about it does not help! Sometimes it's just better to release it and start over.

Here's one way to do that.

Sit quietly. Imagine that you are holding the string of a big red helium balloon. The balloon is floating in front of you as you hold the string. Inside that balloon is the thought or information that was wrong - you can picture it swirling around inside the balloon, like a mini-whirlwind. It probably makes you a little anxious, maybe guilty, or sad, depending on how important the situation turned out for you. Now imagine just letting go of the string. That feeling that's inside the balloon now no longer is tied to you. As it floats up and away from you, imagine it (the feeling, the doubt, the thought) inside the balloon slowly leaving you. Watch it float away, becoming smaller and smaller until it is just a speck...then gone. All you can see is a beautiful blue sky above you. Take a deep breath and release it, letting go of whatever negative thoughts or emotions you sent up in that balloon. You are free of them.

If this visualization works well for you, you can use it for all kinds of worries or concerns. If there's a person that you need some distance from, put them in the balloon as you watch it float away...just as a temporary diversion (it reminds me of "I Dream of Jeannie" when her "Master" was always trying to trick Jeannie back into her bottle to keep her out of trouble). This isn't a permanent solution to problems, but a way to take a mini-vacation from them or to release some of the angst around them.

Always remember that developing your intuition is a learning process...it takes time to learn to "go with the flow" and to rely less on the analytical brain (which often trips us up!). I hope that you've found these tips helpful and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Carol

Dr. Carol Pollio

Director, Intuitive Investigations®