Amanda Stenberg shows how a quick meditation session can help a person when they feel overwhelmed.

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Always trust your gut. It knows what your head hasn’t figured out yet. ~Unknown

We are programmed, here in the West, to run to our physician whenever we aren’t feeling well. Of course, there are times this is warranted. But many times our gut is trying to tell us something.

By gut I mean our intuition. You’ve heard the term trust your gut? Listening to our bodies and inner wisdom can go a long way toward maintaining balance and good health.

What is Intuition?

So how do we tap into this inner wisdom? What if ours isn’t speaking very loudly? What if we can’t hear it at all?

You know how you just knew that your aunt was going to call, or were thinking about an acquaintance only to run into them later the same day? That’s not a coincidence, it’s your intuition. Sure, some are more open to their inner wisdom than others. But the good news is we all have to ability to get in touch with our intuition.

How to Tap Into Your Intuition

You likely won’t be surprised to learn that meditation is one very effective way to get in touch with your inner wisdom. Remember, this does not have to be a rigorous practice. There are many ways to meditate. The idea is to get quiet and listen to your inner voice.

Another way to get in touch with your body and intuition is by balancing your chakras. Intuitive, Jill Willard, offers a great chakra balancing breakdown on GOOP. Read it to find out how to open your third eye.

And finally, just do it. Stop writing it off as a coincidence or imagination. If you feel strongly about something it is likely for good reason. That stomach keep nagging you or just feeling off? Pay attention, dig into it, see if you can put your finger on what’s happening in your body or if your aches and pains are physical signs of stress.

Change Your Mind, Change Your Health

Did you know that our emotions can play out in physical ways? Louise Hay’s book “You Can Heal Your Life” has a super useful and comprehensive list of physical ailments and their emotional counterparts, along with healing mantras for each. I refer to this list regularly and it is amazing how often it is spot on. For instance, say you have lower back pain. The probable emotional cause is fear of money or lack of security. Have an earache? This represents anger and not wanting to hear what is going on around you.

Our emotions are ruled not so much by what is actually going in our lives as our perception of what’s going on. Our thoughts. This quote by my favorite Ayurvedic, Monica Bloom, tells the whole story — If you want to change your body, you must first change your mind.

Whoa! That’s deep. But what, exactly, does it mean?

Monica explains that our health is largely due to the decisions we make. What we eat, how much we exercise, our stress patterns, are all governed by our thoughts. Which, though it sometimes seems otherwise, we have control over.

Reigning in our thoughts and making good choices leads to better health. Sure, none of us are perfect and we all go overboard in one area or another. That’s where balance comes in. Have a margarita and three cupcakes on Saturday? Clean up your act on Sunday. This is life after all, and if cupcakes make you happy, then have one once in a while. Just remember, cupcakes everyday won’t make you so happy.

Go deep, get in touch with your intuition and what it is telling you, stop ignoring your own inner voice. What it has to say is important to your health, wellbeing, and happiness.

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Image of woman meditating on a rock via Shutterstock

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A good night’s sleep allows us to tackle things with a clear head, more confidence, and in my case, more patience. Whether it’s writing a story lede, maintaining my running pace, or sitting in traffic, having seven hours of recharge under my belt makes my days run more smoothly. While some attempts at slumber cannot be controlled (like my husband’s snoring) there are ways to get in the groove that don’t involve counting sheep.

According to the Mayo Clinic, anxiety, depression and stress add to insomnia and the quality of your night’s sleep. Here are some tried and true tips to prepare for, and enjoy much needed down time:

• Set an internal time clock
  Humans like routine; it’s comforting and the inner time clock can help regulate your sleep pattern. Try heading to bed at the same time every night. Pick up a book that you’ve been meaning to get around to and treat yourself to 15 minutes before turning the lights out.
• Develop a bedtime routine
  Try a few minutes of meditation, quiet music or simple yoga stretches.
• Curb the caffeine
  Ban coffee, tea and soda with caffeine from four o’clock. Look for calming non-caffeine choices.
• Create an inviting sleep environment
  Quiet, dark, and relaxing. If you have noisy neighbors or are surrounded by city buses and trains, try a white noise machine, relaxation music (I like Celtic Bells)  ear plugs, heavy curtains, or those sleep shades ala “I Love Lucy.”
• Increase your thread count
  Splurge for a set of good quality sheets, or at least a pillow case. The smooth, silky cotton will feel wonderful.
• Clear the air
  Considering that you’ll be breathing in the room’s air for seven to eight hours, be mindful of the quality, especially if you’re prone to dust and mold allergies. Try a HEPA filter.
• Go essential
  Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils in aromatherapy due to its calming effect. Try a few drops on your pillow.
• Grandma Jeannie’s head-to-toe technique
  My late grandmother would visualize calming her body beginning with her toes, and work her way up to the top of her head, taking a few seconds to address each area. It really worked!
• Wetter is better
  Treat yourself to a warm bath or shower, which will calm your muscles and help wind you down.
• Uber high tech
  Remember stumbling across technical journals that put you to sleep? Now’s the time to start collecting them and putting them to good use!

Image: quinn.anya

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