“I don’t know, something just told me…”, “My gut is telling me…”, “It’s my woman’s intuition…”

You know that feeling when you are pondering how to take action on a complicated matter? That feeling that something just isn’t right in some area of your life? That’s intuition.

Dictionary.com defines intuition as a “direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.” I believe that intuition comes in part from knowing God and having a relationship with him.  Even Dictionary.com touches on that when it says that intuition is “independent of any reasoning process.” I think that wisdom, intuition, and hearing from God are all interconnected, and I believe a life led by God’s guidance is a life that, while not trouble free, will lead you to the grandest version of your life possible. I recall seeing bumper stickers in the 90s that said “God is my copilot.” Well, I would like to update that to “God is my life coach!”

What’s shocking to me is the number of people who are giving life advice that don’t have the lifestyle to back it up. A lot of people’s entire social media niche is them giving advice, sometimes from the front seat of their car,

Did you know that you can take an online course to become a life coach? I don’t think that one of the prerequisites of these courses is to have your own life together.  If you’ve got the money and the desire to advise others, you can take a course and become a certified life coach even if your own life is in shambles.

I have an acquaintance who got certified to be a life coach, and from knowing this person intimately, I can say I was shocked that this particular person had the audacity to become a life coach and actually give others advice about their lives. She had three juvenile delinquent children, never married, bounced from job to job, chronic debt, poor health, and a certificate to be a life coach. Because she “gave advice” daily in her salon, she felt especially experienced and qualified.

Before you take advice from just anyone, decide what your non-negotiables are. Is this person’s life one you’d aspire to have?

Full disclosure, my husband did not like Oprah Winfrey. He had a thing about her always giving advice that he felt she wasn’t qualified to give. Yet, she became a billionaire. She has changed American society in so many ways. As they say, the proof was in the pudding that Oprah could give advice. But even for her, I wouldn’t say the “proof” was in every aspect of her life. Still, in many areas, she is probably one of the most qualified people to give advice. Maybe we need several people to look to for advice and life coaching in different areas of your life: a financial advisor, a marriage counselor, a fitness trainer, and a prayer partner among others.

Go about increasing your own intuition strategically. Determine to become self-actualized. The same way you would go about learning a new skill or developing in any area, develop a plan to increase your intuition and self-awareness. If you wanted to run a marathon, you would  surely talk to other women who had run marathons. You would get proper running shoes and clothes. Maybe you would even talk to your physician. In training you would probably have runs that are better than others, and you would probably get discouraged and have times when you would think to yourself, “Why am I even doing this?”

Don’t be surprised if, when you take an action toward developing your intuition and tuning your ear to God’s voice, something goes sideways and you are left thinking, “I thought this was what God said!”

It’s a process.

Just like Solomon in the Bible who specifically advised readers to seek wisdom, you too can ask God for wisdom. Take time to read through Proverbs (written by wise old Solomon). Proverbs have even been revered for practical advice beyond the spiritual. Ecclesiastes, another book written by Solomon, is not only thought-provoking but full of wisdom and direction. Askfor God’s guidance and to hear from Him clearly.

My daughter said she started asking God for signs and to speak to her in a way that she will definitively understand so she’s not left wondering, “Was this a sign? Was this from God?” Ask for His guidance on who you can look to for advice. There are excellent books written on learning to hear from God.

Some suggestions outside of the spiritual would be reading autobiographies and biographies of people whose lives you admire and aspire to model, people whose success and seeming joy has stood the test of time.

A life led by God’s voice to develop our own wisdom and intuition, supplemented by some carefully chosen people to serve as earthly guides, is a life that will surprise you. It will be the best version of your life.

Do you consider yourself wise? Can you count on your intuition? What are some steps you can take to develop your wisdom and intuition?