Gut instincts are those feelings you get when you know something but can’t explain why you know it. It’s an instinctive feeling you get regardless of the facts of the situation.

I got myself into such a money mess because I constantly went against what my gut was telling me. My gut would say, “You really shouldn’t spend that money.” And I would say, “Oh, hush. I’m already in debt!” By continually going against my gut I not only got myself into a crap-load of financial trouble, I was also slowly deteriorating my ability to trust myself in other areas of my life, and let me tell you, that’s a pretty horrible way to live.

Trusting your instincts may be easier said than done, especially if you feel like your gut has led you astray in the past. Slowly though, you can start to change how you make decisions and get to living a more true and authentic life with not only your finances but with every aspect of life.

Here are 8 ways to start trusting your gut more and live a more confident, joyful life…

1. Get In Tune with You

In order to be able to follow your instincts you have to know what they are. It’s super easy to have those feelings get muddled and confused especially with our fast-paced lives, we don’t often slow down enough to get in touch with ourselves. Sometime it’s just easier to follow the masses but that can be to our own detriment. Try to take time out for yourself each day. Meditation can be highly beneficial to zeroing in on what is going on with you and in being able to obtain some clarity around the spending choices you’re making.

My sister recently told me about a meditation app called Headspace and I’ve really been enjoying it lately. I always want to meditate and think it sounds like a great idea but actually getting myself to do it is a lot harder. With this app I’ve found that I not only look forward to meditating, I also enjoy it! (I wasn’t compensated to mention that app by the way.)

2. Learn to Gauge Your Gut

When you are in a comfortable place, your life will continue to move forward smoothly. You feel what I like to call a “hook” in you pulling you in another direction. When you are off the course you should be following, you’ll feel it, and life will become more of a struggle. During these times you need still your mind and listen to what your gut is telling you. Soul-search your deepest feelings without judgment and recognize what you are feeling.

I have a friend who always says, “Bless it or block it.” Meaning, if it’s meant to be then she is essentially asking the universe/higher power/God to bless the situation and if it’s not meant to be then she asks that it be “blocked” and that obstacles be put in the way.

3. Journal Your Intuition

People often don’t go with your gut because it may seem to go against the grain of societal rules. Don’t let that stop you from identifying what your gut is telling you. Take pen to paper and just let your thoughts flow without censoring yourself. You can use your notes for reflection later to see where your true feelings are concerning the different areas of your life.

It’s often easy to dismiss those gut feelings because they aren’t convenient. By writing out what’s going on we’re able to get some space between the issue and ourselves so that some clarity can be found.

4. Practice Daily

Trusting your gut instinct may not be your natural tendency so you need to learn to fine-tune your trusting skills. Each day you will need to make a variety of decisions. Take a few extra minutes before each decision to see how you feel instinctively. By staying in touch with your feelings each day, you may be more inclined to make those feelings a natural part of the decision-making process.

5. Build Your Self-Confidence

In order to have some faith in your gut instincts, you have to rely on your self-confidence. If your life struggles have caused you to lose some of your self-confidence, take steps to start rebuilding it each day. Set reasonable goals you can achieve each week to regain your sense of accomplishment and boost your self-esteem.

6. Challenge Yourself

From time to time you should step outside of your comfort zone and do things to challenge yourself. Engage in a new activity you’ve never tried before. The achievement of the challenges you give yourself will boost your self-esteem but it will also give you an opportunity to stir up your feelings and instincts when trying new things.

7. You May Not Like What You Hear

In some cases people ignore their instincts because they are not happy with what their gut is telling them. People may fear what their gut is telling them but to find happiness, you must at least give your gut a chance to speak to you and to listen to what it is saying. If you continue to deny what you are feeling, you can put your life into a tailspin of anxiety and depression.

8. Understanding the Right and the Wrong Instincts

Your gut may guide you in right direction most of the time but also in the wrong direction on occasion. It is important to identify the difference between the right and wrong. If you occasionally follow a wrong instinct, forgive yourself. Consider it a lesson learned and don’t give up on listening to what your gut is telling you.

Especially if you have a history of making bad decisions it can be tricky to start trusting your decision-making skills again so in the meantime ask some trusted friends and family members for their take on the situations you’re going through so you can get different perspectives. Then, after compiling all the opinions and after reflecting on what you should do you’ll likely feel more secure in making the decision. Start small and work your way up to larger decisions. It gets easier with time!

Are you in the habit of trusting your gut? How do you have the courage to act on what your instincts are telling you if you’re not used to living in that way?

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