What is a gut feeling?

         What does it mean to have a gut feeling?  How can you recognize and trust these feelings?  Why would your gut know the truth?  All human beings are born with the ability to have a gut sense about something.  This sense transcends the logical thinking mind and taps into a deeper source of wisdom.

         Some people have very talkative guts and feel these gut instincts all time.  Others rarely get a strong gut instinct, but have learned to listen to it when they do.  And some people never experience a gut feeling that they're aware of.  What is really going on here?  What are these gut feelings, and can they be reliably trusted?

         Lori Greiner, one of the investors on Shark Tank, often talks about relying on her gut when making decisions.  I rely on my gut frequently to guide me in the right direction.  You can too.  It takes some practice and some awareness to develop this skill, but it can greatly enhance the quality of your life.

         Imagine having a truth compass inside of you, one that is always accurate and always points you in the right direction.  How cool would that be?  Well, it turns out, you do!  In this article I will teach you about how your inner truth compass communicates through gut feelings and why this is valuable asset to creating a good life.

         Your truth compass sits in your gut and communicates with you by creating sensations or feelings.  It's always there, for everyone - all humans can access this wonderful ability.  Take it from someone who was so blocked to intuitive guidance that I completely shut down my truth compass for the first 19 years of my life.

         I've learned that we can never turn our truth compasses off completely - we can however lower the volume to a whisper.   If you would like to experience more gut feelings and helpful guidance from your inner truth compass, the first step is to intend it.  Speak your intention out loud - vocalizing is an effective tool to make your intention more powerful.   

          After you've done that, try practicing listening to your gut.  Hearing your gut is a skill, so try to be patient with yourself if it seems really hard at first.  One of the keys to successfully perceiving your gut feelings is to quiet your mind.  This is because thoughts can also create feelings in your gut. 

        Thoughts can create feelings or sensations that reflect fear, and may be felt as constriction in the gut area.  Don't be fooled by these thought-related sensations - these are not gut feelings originating from your inner truth compass.  With practice, you can learn to differentiate between a true gut feeling and a gut sensation stemming from a thought. 

         It is recommended to find a quiet place to practice listening to your gut feelings.  Fears and insecurities can come up during this process - that's ok.  If you stick with it, you can learn how to perceive feelings or sensations that are coming directly from your inner truth compass.