Inspiration

5 Signs You’re Ignoring Your Intuition

Written by: Nick Ortner

Am I trusting my intuition… or making a HUGE mistake? It’s a question that had been gnawing at me for some time.

It was over fifteen years ago, and I was a couple of years out of college, running a successful web business. I’d moved into a great apartment in Manhattan, my very own bachelor pad, and had been offered a spot in a prime office in midtown Manhattan.

Things were going really well. Or were they? The business was doing really well and clients loved my work. Deep down, though, I felt unsettled. I wasn’t sleeping well. My health and relationships were suffering. I spent my days, nights, and weekends doing work I enjoyed, yet felt like something wasn’t right.

“It” – this success I was having – was supposed to feel great. But it didn’t.

As weeks turned into months, things only got worse…

I finally admitted to myself that my success hadn’t resulted from following my intuition. Instead, I had stumbled into opportunities and took them without really asking myself if it was something I wanted to do, or if I was really following my soul’s calling. I won’t lie. That “aha!” moment was tough. It meant that I had to make big changes – changes that would be risky, maybe even stupid. Finally, though, enough was enough.

One day, I just walked away from my prime office space (on Park Avenue in Manhattan), as well as my largest (and most toxic) client, and into the unknown. It was liberating, but only briefly. Mostly, I was terrified. My whole life seemed to be falling apart.

Worst of all, part of me felt like I couldn’t trust myself. If I had gone down this wrong path before, how did I know that I was making the right decision now?


On that deeper level, I didn’t want to admit that my life was out of alignment with my intuition and heart.


Instead of listening, I’d tried to pretend that my outer success was proof of my inner truth. A lot has happened between the time that choice to walk away was made and where I am today – a longer story for another day. But fast-forward fifteen years, my life looks very different. I’m more successful than ever, but this time around, my success is the actual result of listening to my intuition.

I now spend my days doing work that changes people’s lives. It feels incredible, and the fulfillment I have is reflected throughout my entire life. Looking back on those early years, I can clearly see the signs telling me that my early success was out of sync with my intuition. Given how many of us face this issue at different times in our lives, I wanted to share those telling signs.

Here they are:

1. Your gut is screaming at you

Listen to your gutI can no longer count the number of people I’ve worked with over the past 15 years who’ve experienced persistent clenching and/or discomfort in their gut.

All those years ago, I, too, was walking around with a clenched gut. I can see now that it was my intuition screaming at me.

Tapping Tip: Tap through the points while asking yourself repeatedly, what is my gut trying to “tell” me?

(If you’re new to EFT Tapping, learn the process here.)


2. You pretend that everything’s great

Pretending everything is okWe all know how this one goes. A friend asks how you’re doing, and you do your best fake-happy. “Things are GREAT,” you begin hesitantly. “My business is taking off. It’s a lot of work, but SO worth it,” you add, gulping down anxiety as your stomach clenches… again.

Tapping Tip: Tap through the points while asking yourself, how do I REALLY feel about my life right now?


3. Your sleep and health are suffering, but you’re not motivated to make a change

stressed out man with head in handsThe longer I ignored my intuition, the worse my health got. I was losing sleep, gaining weight, and leaking energy. I felt awful, but also unmotivated to make the lifestyle changes I knew I needed to make.

Once I began listening to my intuition, I was finally willing to make those changes. My health and wellness then improved gradually over time.

Tapping Tip: Focus on one area of your lifestyle that you know you need to change. As an example, let’s say you know you need to go to bed earlier, but rarely do. Tap through the points while asking yourself, why am I resisting going to bed earlier?


4. Your life feels wildly imbalanced

3 hands playing Jenga on wooden tableIf one part of your life is consistently taking off while the rest constantly seems to be imploding, there’s a good chance that your life is out of alignment with your intuition.

Tapping Tip: Tap through the points while asking yourself, what would my most successful life FEEL like? Notice any negative emotions and limiting beliefs that arise, and tap through them.


5. Your “in” crowd makes you feel like the odd (wo)man out

You feel like the odd one outIf you’re surrounded by people whose values don’t align with who you are, you’ll inevitably feel like the oddball.

Often, instead of listening to our intuition, we’re hanging out with the wrong crowd, we try to adapt by changing our behavior, appearance, and more. That then multiplies our dissatisfaction.

Tapping Tip: Focus on a group or person you often spend time with and tap through the points while asking yourself, how do I really feel when I’m with this group/person?


As you notice how you’re interacting with your intuition, remember to be gentle with yourself. I can say from experience that it can be really hard to notice toxic parts of your life when you’re immersed in them every day.

While making sudden, drastic changes isn’t always possible or even wise, by using Tapping, you can gain clarity and begin moving your life into closer alignment with what your intuition really IS telling you.

Until next time…

Keep Tapping!

Nick


Tell me below about a time when you listened to your intuition! Do any of the “5 Signs That You’re Not Listening to Your Intuition” resonate with you?



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26 Comments on this post

  1. Susan Myers says:

    This is great timing for me now. I was going through some old emails and found this. I have been making a lot of changes this past year and listening to my intuition but although my health has improved my relationships are worse. Number 5 really hits hime for me as I feel like an outsider a lot because i don’t “follow the croud”.
    Number 2 also resonates with me since when I do let people know I am not okay they don’t really want to hear any more so now I just say I am fine.
    I am a senior and sometimes I feel so alone. I do a lot of volunteer work through my church and that helps me.
    I try to talk to people about hjealthy eating and energy work like EFT but they just aren’t interested in listening. They would rather just take a pill for whatever ails them.

    • Nick Ortner says:

      Thanks for sharing, Susan. Perhaps you can use Tapping to let go of some of those uncomfortable emotions so that you can feel more confident and accepting of just being the amazing you that you are. 🙂

  2. Lalin says:

    My gut keeps telling me not to comment here, but I want to do it for one last time. My intuition keeps telling me what to do, from what and when to eat to when I should start to work; even though, it would be irrational. It is hard to fit in. I could risk my job and be procrastinated. It feels so right to trust my intuition, but I’m so confused now.

    • Nick Ortner says:

      I understand, Lalin. Your intuition would never provide you with any direction that would be harmful to you. It may not always make sense, but it does provide guidance. 🙂

  3. Andi says:

    This was an awesome read . It’s hit home for many in so many different ways . I did a search and came across it . I thank you for writing your thoughts so well . It for me brought back roots that I was born with ? and need to stop forgetting

  4. Alli says:

    Thanks Nick, this is a key issue in the lives of many as there is a disconnect between head and heart. There are a lot of people living from the neck up, who are focused purely on their goals, without consideration for their life as a whole. This can lead to being driven and exhausted. When we access our intuition (as you’ve cited beautifully here) we have access to wisdom that goes beyond logic… which is paramount to a successful life. I’m on this journey now and loving it! It’s hard going at times but well worth the work 🙂 I’m finding that aligning with my dreams in a heart-centred way is far more wholistic and calming too. It’s so much better for me on every level. Great share Nick, thanks so much! 🙂

  5. Biljana says:

    Hi Nick. These information is like that you were reading my mind. I made huge mistakes not listening my guts. And still living with that. Continuisly trying to rhyme and reason for decision that I made. How I wish getting back “in line all my sheeps. I will definitely try these tapping. Many thanks..
    Biljana .

  6. Lisa says:

    I like that you said your health got better ‘over time’. I had a huge wake up call last year , all my attentions and intentions on new baby and the family , with health spiralling downwards. Once I got in touch with intuition and true desires , changes started happening fast , in fact perhaps a little too fast … So now I have to trust that by following instinct my health will eventually heal and it will take time. I have taken faith from you as you’ve said that you healed over time … It’s hard being patient isn’t it . I tend to think because Im doing the work , that my health will improve very quickly but instinct also tells me this will take some time. Thank You for all that you do , I’ve started tapping since I bought your summit package and sometimes I have a little subtle relief and others I have some illuminating full on shifts. Your work is amazing And heart felt , thank You!

  7. Maryann says:

    It seems sometimes the things my intuition tells me are insignificant and I used to question whether it was really important to do what I was prompted to do. . .
    I was traveling to the second day of a seminar. We were warned that our day would start at 9am sharp, not one minute later. In fact, the teacher would lock the door at 9:00 and being late meant you’d lose the whole morning’s work. I’m sure it was her way to insure everyone was ready to work and there wouldn’t be any interruptions from late-comers. Reasonable. So I allowed myself a reasonable amount of time to travel the route I normally take and went on my way. When I got to the intersection where I normally turn left, I had the thought I should go straight there and turn left two lights up. I heard it clearly, but had no clue why I should deviate from the normal route. So I turned left and found myself in the middle of complete bedlam – a neighborhood-wide tag sale event! The streets were jammed with cars parked on both sides and traffic trying to maneuver around bargain-seeking hordes that had no interest in proper pedestrian behavior. I was delayed by at least 10 minutes because I didn’t listen to that soft voice urging me to go two lights up. (I did make it to the seminar, but only just!)
    When this kind of thing happened a few more times it was beginning to sink it. . . don’t ask, just pay attention. . . . One morning I was making the bed and thought to go look out the window – NOW! Really? There’s so much to do. I need to look out the window now? OK, OK. . . so I went to the window and watched the neighborhood bully approach my kids and their friends playing in OUR back yard. I get the impression he was about to start something until he looked up and saw me in the window. After another comment or two he walked away. Who knows the trouble that was averted just by my presence in the window that morning? It was a reminder to listen and take action, no questions asked, no matter how small or simple the idea.

  8. Rachel says:

    This resonates SO deeply – thankfully I am beginning to follow my intuition – but an area that is really screaming at me now is who I surround myself with. I absolutely thought, for a long time, that there was something wrong with me that I didn’t fit in. I didn’t like the same things they did, I was bored. And I realize, I am ready to call in (and own) that I need and want like-minded souls around me. I am looking forward to this manifesting in my life.

    Thank you for all the work you do!!! So grateful you followed your intuition so many years ago and I hope to meet you one day. Blessings

  9. Theresiu Janicki-Hardy says:

    I thank you with all my heart for your wise insights, dedication and generosity.
    You really make a difference to so many people’s lives and I am deeply inspired by your commitment.
    Thank you for sharing your knowledge and practice with us. I find it very beneficial and will continue to work with tapping and your information. I love your books!
    Blessings and love to you!
    Theresiu.

  10. jeannine says:

    Love this…and certainly spot on for me. For a long time I would say what I was looking for felt right, and it did, however the opportunities to earn money and pay the bills were never in alignment. I took the jobs with the intention of a temporary arrangement but years later was still there. My gut certainly screamed at me when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Fast forward 4 years and I’m cancer free, and working towards a business that is true for me. But I left the “money job”, now choose who I spend time with based on how it feels to think about them, and have finally inserted into my daily life, time to tune in – whether that’s tapping , meditation, or journalling (or all 3). Soreading your story and tips above shows me that actually I’m not far off, and gives me some additional focus to work with! Thank you.

  11. jane says:

    could you write a post about when it feels like there is no right choice to make? like all the options are bad?

  12. Elena Arrigo says:

    Thanks for this article, Nick. I teach intuitive development, and I resonate with and have used EFT, but I never thought about using tapping to help open up to intuitive awareness. Great tips for doing this. As more people begin to hear and follow their inner awareness, we’ll be more able to solve not only the problems in our own lives, but the bigger issues facing the world. In appreciation. http://www.blossomingintuition.com

  13. Kimmie Kay says:

    Hit me on the temple! This is me. I, kid-you-not, just got done with a phone conversation saying, “I see and feel NO direction in my life, I’m completely occupied with being the puppet to fulfill everyone else’s goals and dreams for a paycheck.” The paycheck is important, but my arms are going numb as I type, I am deeply afraid to jump ship and do my own thing. And, oh my, the pretending…geez! I’ve even tried to sit down and do a dream board–nothing, no results, no emotions…stillness. I am doing Tapping! Sounds like I have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to loose. Thank you for saving a drowning soul.

  14. Kirsty says:

    My big ‘Ah ha’ moment came during a meeting. I was the VP of the parent participation preschool. We’d been struggling for awhile, people just don’t want to volunteer their time anymore. I had been getting sicker and sicker, I just pushed through. people needed me to be there. When we asked the meeting if we should close the school or continue, most said continue. (the same people who didn’t show up for their shifts.) I suddenly felt light headed and tense. I knew I had to make a change. So I voted to close. The gasp that went around the room, is something I will never forget. They expected me to do all their work. The school is now closed, and I have learned to say no. I only get light headed when I do more than I should.

  15. Aida says:

    Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, I am fascinated how our minds can hold on negative ideas, thoughts or experiences that can influence our life, and how by clearing those beliefs we can achieve more productive life .

  16. Patrice Beck says:

    Recently finished the world summit. The presenters were clearly world class. As someone with something on every burner, ALS and the death and dying of most of my family of origin, it was centering and really helpful. Christiane Northrup is a national treasure. I was an owner of her encyclopedic book on women’s health, but she has evolved into a place of immense and deep wisdom and spirituality. And there were so many others. Thank you for the sharing!!! Very, very generous. Patrice Beck

  17. Connie Freeman says:

    My daughter and I were just talking about this today. I’m so proud of her for deciding to change jobs in order to be in a more supportive environment. She’s such a neat gal, even being gracious with the persons, when she left, that prompted her leaving. We’re very blessed to have her in our family.

  18. Wendy says:

    I’m like that guy in the cartoon. I look at all the paths in front of me and I ask myself: Which one?
    And I get: . . .
    Meanwhile, I’m in this life that I’ve been pushed into, I know it’s not right, just the least wrong that I can find.

  19. Deb says:

    Nick your emails always seem to be spot on definitely must be putting out a good vibe for help and you are picking up on it at least for me! I have been struggling with the same exact thing not able to trust my intuition because I’m worried that I have made decisions in the past that haven’t worked out so how do I know I can trust it now how did I know what I was listing to then how do I know what I’m listening to now situation and underlying chatter…will definitely do some tapping with this and appreciate all you do thank you so much.

  20. Cindy Massey says:

    I will go even one better!!! Btw, your tapping information is FAB!! Ok, so I have been manifesting and tapping for financial success…nothing. And the uneasy feeling is there and has been growing for a couple of months. I was overcoming some health issues which have since aligned so the financial stuff needed to be on the back burner.

    All of a sudden the financial stuff is on the front burner. Well, the butterfly flutters are getting stronger and the uneasiness is getting bigger. So, I am walking home one rainy night and I almost get hit by a car….it was dark, driver had attention elsewhere and it was less than 3 inches and my whole left side of my body would have been impacted….ohhhh not good at all. I never saw him and maybe he did not see me either….I was blind sided. My coat sleeve caught on his side view mirror and flipped my umbrella… I stopped to talk with him and told him, BE CAREFUL. I was ok.

    So, few days later I was on the way to the orchid farm. I was talking to my friend in the back seat and all of a sudden out of nowhere comes a high boulder right on the windshield. The driver who swerved and the passengers were all blind sided and had that boulder gone through the windshield and if the driver was hit all three of us well I would not be sending you anything.

    So, why was I being blindsided….coincidence? Hmmm, maybe not. So, during this time I was working with someone to begin learning about currency trading and he began to look at my portfolio…. some critical errors….so is there hope?? Yes, the monitoring begins and changes will be made. Meantime, the flutters and uneasiness have diminished. Thank you for listening.

  21. Holly says:

    I would appreciate help understanding my intuitive feelings where my relationships are concerned–both as a single (widowed–so there is no input from a father) parent to teenagers to the personal rocky relationship I have been in for 3 years.

  22. Sandra says:

    I do tap and have done for years. Following tapping on Youtube and seeing it done in various ways has made me more relaxed about ‘getting it right’.
    Hearing concise statements, that resonate with me, helps a lot as I often don’t have the words.

    Thank you

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