This article appeared on The Best Self Magazine.

My husband proposed before we even kissed. When we met, we were two Romanians living and working in Asia, within the same company but in two different countries. I was in China; he was in South Korea. Our relationship started as a beautiful, genuine friendship. After three dinners in Shanghai and many long telephone conversations that felt like a deep, soulful connection, he proposed. I will never forget that day. It came like thunder. Totally unexpected. Surreal. A miracle of love.

I was 35 and very clear on what I wanted from a romantic relationship. My wish was to feel loved, supported, cherished and appreciated. I wanted a partner — a lover and a friend — not to complete me, because I was already feeling whole and complete. I wanted to spend my precious time with someone I could share new life experiences with while building a solid foundation together.

I knew people usually spent time getting to know each other before committing to marriage. Despite knowing that, I said yes. It just felt right. It’s been three years now, and that was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Since that day, I have never underestimated the incredible power of my intuition.

So what is intuition?

According to Wikipedia, “intuition describes the ability to acquire knowledge without the interference or the use of reason.”

Can you sometimes feel an undefined voice within yourself telling you everything will turn out just fine? Have you ever felt like you could ‘smell it in the air’ that something was going to turn out bad for you? A ‘gut feeling’ that was telling you either “go for it” or “don’t do it?” Those moments when your heart is speaking to you are called intuition.

Intuition is a learning process from the inside out. Your real, authentic Self does not communicate with words. It speaks through energy and vibration, and the signs you are getting in your body. Most people can feel it like a physical tingling sensation in their stomach or chest or a lump in their throat. Others can sense it in their eyes. No matter how it manifests through body sensations, this voice is never wrong.

We all have an inner compass within ourselves, a guiding instrument that helps us to make powerful choices for our highest good. Often this happens by shutting down the illusionary fears created by our minds — all the worries and concerns that haven’t happened yet. Intuition comes from the heart, from that place of truth where there is no sense of fear and there’s nothing else apart from tranquility, calm and peace.

How do you connect with your intuition?

Sometimes, making important decisions is hard. The mind often comes with imaginary scenarios that hold us back: What if I fail? What if this doesn’t work out? What if I look incompetent or stupid? What if…?

In reality, the only thing we can be sure of is ‘time will tell’. In such situations, your intuition is a very powerful instrument. That’s why it is so important to learn how to connect to it, to fine tune it, and then see what happens.

Here is how:

Ask your heart

One way for you to do that would be just putting one of your hands (or both) on the place in your body where you feel that inner voice is speaking out. Take a deep breath then get mindful and connected to the only reality that exists — the present moment. From this place, undisturbed by the negative chatter in your mind, ask yourself: “What do I know to be true about myself right now?”

Whenever you make a major decision, ask your heart for an opinion. Like: “What would my heart say or want in this situation?”

Stay with this question for a while and just listen to what comes out from your heart. Let it be your guide and show you the way. Trust that you know all the answers, from the inside out.

Feel your heart

Another way to be sure you’re making the right choices is to check if your heart expands or is in more of a contraction mode. If you feel a sensation of openness and expansion into your chest, that’s a good sign. If you feel your chest contracting and shrinking, that’s a clear sign that something is wrong.

We all have this spiritual intelligence inside ourselves — call it ‘inner leader’ or ‘true self — an intuitive guide that supports and protects us every single moment of our lives. That’s where our power comes from.

When it comes to your own life, you are the expert. Nobody else can know who you are and what makes you truly happy because no one is YOU. While your mind may be often afraid, your heart knows the truth. Always.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”~ Albert Einstein

And now, I would like to hear from you. Can you recall any situations when you trusted and followed your gut feeling?

Feel free to get in touch at life@sarafabiancoaching.com  or post your comments below.

And if you know other women who might benefit from this information, please share. Thank you.

With love,

Sara