How to Listen to Your Body and Intuition

I want to stress how important the simple act of listening is. Be aware of the signals guiding you in your life. You don’t have to know what to do about those signals right away. Trust that Life will continue to show you the way. Even if you only get one little step at a time, that is all you need! You don’t have to figure everything out all at once, especially if you trust Life to show you the next step as you’re ready for it.

When you’re learning to listen to your body, it’s important to get still and quiet. As you first start to listen, the signals you get may be very quiet, like a whisper, or very vague, like a slight feeling or symptom. The more you tune in to that signal, though, the more clear it will get.

As you begin to practice, here are some tips that may make listening to your intuition much more successful:

Focus on Being Present and Aware

Pay attention to what is happening in the moment and drop any thoughts about the past or the future. The more you’re aware of this moment, the easier it is to tap into how you are feeling. Think of it as taking a moment to put your radar up and scan the environment, noticing exactly what is happening, and then noticing how you are feeling. This is the best way to develop your intuition. And there’s a bonus: being in the present moment reduces the stress of mind chatter and worry about the past or the future while you’re doing something else in this moment. Multitasking is stressful, and many people are on autopilot while they are moving through life because they are constantly focused on the past or the future instead of being in this moment now.

Develop a Relationship with Yourself – Think of it as Dating Yourself

Think about going on a first date: You don’t know much about the other person, what they like or dislike, how they behave, or whether you will “click” with them. You are just getting to know them and might feel a little uncomfortable. It’s likely that you are really listening to what they say and watching their body language.

Sometimes thinking of this process as a first date is helpful because if you don’t yet have rapport with yourself, it can take time to get comfortable and get to know how your body responds as you communicate with it. By the second or third “date,” you’ll feel more comfortable. Maybe communication is a little easier. You may have started to recognize the signals or language your inner voice speaks.

Get Quiet and Still

You might want to begin by setting aside some time in your day so that you can get quiet and still. Choose a space where you won’t be disturbed for a period of time. You can use this time in any way that supports you. At first, you may want to spend time in meditation, clearing your mind of all chatter and focusing on not thinking at all. As you reduce mind chatter, you can invite your inner wisdom to speak to you in whatever way it chooses.

Another option is to do a listening meditation. I’ll upload a few here for you to choose from in the near future. These allow you to focus your attention on your body in specific ways and tune in to any symptoms or signals that come up, learning what they have to tell you.

Or you can ask yourself a question and remain quiet, seeing what shows up.


If you don’t hear anything right away, that’s okay!

Just tell yourself that you are open to hearing an answer in the right time and space. As you stay open, you may find that an answer comes to you at another time during the day, in a dream you have, or in something another person says. Life works in magical and mysterious ways, and if you trust that answers will come, they will!

Remember, simply asking and being open to an answer in the perfect time and space is all that is necessary. You may be guided to do your own entirely different process during your quiet time, so go with whatever feels most supportive as you learn to listen to your inner guidance.

Tune in to Your Body During the Day

It can be great practice to check in with your body as you do various things throughout your day. For example, on your commute to work; in a meeting; as you’re making a decision; when you’re with friends, family or pets; or as you plan your schedule. Tune in to your body to see how you feel during these activities. Look for signals that may be telling you what is right or not right for you. Be willing to take more time for a decision if you aren’t feeling right about it and want to sit quietly to learn more. Tuning in to your body allows you to get very present and aware in the situation, which can heighten your intuition.

Keep an Open, Judgement-free Mind

Because everyone’s intuition works in different ways, it’s crucial that you stay open and avoid judging the signals that you get. It’s best not to judge the importance of a signal, whether it’s big or small, clear or vague, or the way it shows up. Stay open and curious as you learn the language of your inner wisdom.

Keep a Journal

Journals are wonderful because you can record your experiments and the results. Have fun with this! Write down what you learn about yourself and document the language of your inner voice. With time and practice, this language or the signals you get may change, and journaling can help you pay attention to how things progress. It can also help you to remove doubt by focusing on the successes you have with your intuition, particularly as time goes by. Sometimes, it’s with the passage of time that we can look back and see the true wisdom of our intuition.

Start Small and Build

Start listening to your inner guidance in ways that feel easy for you. These are very simple steps that will tell your body that you’re listening and that it matters. Here are some examples:

  • When you have to go to the bathroom, go! Most people put off urinating or having a bowel movement until they have the “time.” Instead, go when you feel you have to go.
  • When you’re thirsty, get a drink of water. Thirst is another signal that people tend to put off until they have time. Even if you have to stop what you’re doing, get up and get a drink.
  • Ask your body when it’s ready to stop working for the day. Many people push on, even when they’ve put in a full day of work and are starting to feel like they want to stop. Notice what happens when you listen and stop working or when you push on. Some people report that their neck and/or shoulders start to ache if they push beyond their limit. Tune in and see what the right balance is for you, and then notice what happens when you follow that inner guidance!
  • Notice what other people are saying or doing; listen to their words and watch how they behave. If you do this with curiosity and not with judgement, you may pick up some helpful inner guidance.

Recognize what feels like “truth” to you. When Louise first started attending the Church of Religious Science, the information was completely new to her, yet she had a feeling that what she was hearing was true for her. When you feel that something is true, it’s probably true for you, regardless of what others think. There will always be people who argue about what is true. The key is what you feel – practice listening to your own feelings about what is true for you.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The more you tune in to your inner guidance and the more you follow it, the easier it is to understand how your body and life speak to you. The signals tend to get clearer and it becomes easier to trust your inner guidance.

This practice goes a long way in trusting life.
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As a coach, writer and recovered former executive, I understand the challenges of creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle when over-scheduled. In my journey to radiant health, I created a whole health system of eating, exercise, renewal and recharging -- a roadmap toward health & vitality. I empower clients to create their own whole health systems, in their own unique ways. I have seen amazing results in working with my clients!