Follow your Gut. Oftentimes overlooked guidance, not fully understood, viewed as a cliché, and many times misused, this statement when fully realized is the only direction one will never need. If you follow what your gut is telling you, you will never again have to ask the question, what should I do or seek advice from anyone outside of yourself. You have all the answers already. Everything is inside of you. But sometimes, the voice inside your head speaks so loudly, it drowns out what your gut is trying to convey.
Your gut – also known as your instincts, your stomach, your soul, your energy source, or your solar plexus chakra. You know the place where butterflies start fluttering the minute your crush walks by, where the nervous energy resides before you give a presentation, or that deep down feeling you get when you know something is right or wrong. Yep – that feeling is your gut! And those butterflies are your energy. Your stomach is one of the main energy points in your body. It is your internal guidance system. It is the point in your body responsible for your confidence and self-esteem. It speaks a language that you will always understand. And when followed, it will always lead you down the path of least resistance. You will never wander lost when using your internal guidance system for navigation.
Having a full understanding and acceptance of your gut feelings helps you feel in control of your life. But many times, our minds get in the way. We want what we can see in front us and ignore our gut feelings. Our soul is telling us it’s not the right time, the right person, or the right decision. But we want it! That candy apple red wrapper is too appealing to the eyes to be ignored. We refuse to consider it may not be in our best interest to have it. And so, we continue down the path of resistance kicking and screaming all the way.
Recently, I decided to go through the “pleasant process” of buying a car (cue the sarcasm). As a female who loves cars and knows what she wants, nothing about the car buying process is considered pleasant. And while, this was self-induced pain because I did not need a car, I wanted one, it should not matter. Buying a car should not be such an ordeal. You have a car that I want and that I can afford – end of story. Let’s leave all the drama, games, and stereotypes out of it. But it’s never that simple. So let the games begin…
And for over a week, we played. I lost sleep, was considering accepting less on my trade, and paying more for the new one than I was comfortable with. I was telling anyone who would listen about my dilemma and my Uncle was getting blasted with text after text desperately seeking his advice. My energy was wild. My mind was working overtime trying to convince me that car was meant for me. Afterall, I would look so good behind her steering wheel. But my internal guidance system knew better. And it was doing everything to get my attention so I would not pursue making the deal.
In the end, I finally tuned into what I knew all along and walked away without the car. A dream car or not, I didn’t care anymore. All the anxiety, answer seeking, and insomnia was my gut trying to communicate with me. And I eventually quieted my mind enough to hear the message. I made the decision that was in my best interest. If only I would’ve listened sooner, I could’ve saved myself (and my Uncle) a week of despair.
Less than two weeks later, driving past a different dealership, and I see her! And she’s bigger, better, and even more beautiful than the one I walked away from. I called the dealership, scheduled an appointment, took a test drive, made an offer, signed on the dotted line, and walked away with a smile on my face. I was the proud new owner to a car that was more than I ever dreamt could be mine. No drama, games, or stereotypes involved. And my energy was calm because this was the car (and process) meant for me.
The first car was not meant to be mine. During the process, I was experiencing all the symptoms of being outside of alignment with my gut feelings. But with this car, the process was simple. Everything fell into place. I walked away knowing I had made the right decision. I followed my gut. Lesson learned (again) – if something doesn’t feel right, then it’s likely not and you should change directions or walk away completely.
When life throws a decision your way, quiet your mind and tune into your gut. Therein lies the answer you are seeking. When the mind is the quietest is always when you’ll find the answer.
Follow your soul – it knows the way. The rest is all mindless mind chatter.
Real Life Talk 