Let me start by saying I’m not a “woo woo” person.  To my very intuitive friend Karen H’s dismay, that’s a world to which I have only the slightest inclination.  Now I consider myself a creative thinker, but that’s different.  With a degree in art, I do claim (and call upon) my creative side in every way.  But “woo woo”?  Nah!

I’m telling you this because I’m re-evaluating all of it – for myself and for how I work with my clients.  Am I going to switch to doing intuitive coaching work?  No, not at all.  But listen to this…I was recently at a training with a woman entrepreneur just recognized by Inc. 500 and one of the exercises she took us through was on decision making as entrepreneurs.  For the most part, it was – you guessed it – based on listening our own instincts.

I was irritated for a minute.  I couldn’t believe that we were actually spending time on this stuff when we had so much “important” training to get through in just two days!  I sat there thinking, “What’s this ‘woo woo’ got to do with business for heaven’s sake? After she took us through the steps, though, I could see that using my instincts was something I used to do all the time.  I just hadn’t ever framed it quite it that way.  What I also saw so very crystal clearly was that every single time I’d ignored my gut, I had suffered.

Why should it matter to you?  Because if you, like me, have been ignoring your instinctive reactions to things, you might be doing yourself more harm than good.

Somewhere along the line, I got too pragmatic and logical.  I stopped listening so much to what I felt I should do and started paying more attention to what I should logically, common sensibly do.  When I look back, those times that I just “knew” but didn’t listen, I lost in some way.  Even when it worked seemingly in my favor, it didn’t “feel” right and I didn’t savor the win or my experience of the whole thing was “hard”.  And to be even more honest, there were more times that it went miserably not in my favor and I suffered even more – from regret or frustration, resentment or self doubt, you get the picture.

I don’t want me, you, my clients to suffer, be miserable or to experience running their business as something difficult.

So I’ve been thinking of you – yes YOU – and wanted to share this with you.  Universities and consultants, lenders and most other “experts” teach us that if we want to be in business, we’ve got to do research, know the numbers, create the Business Plan, design a Strategic Plan, a Marketing Plan and all the other things that we indeed must do for success.  However, no one speaks much about the fact that as entrepreneurs, we don’t really care about what we “have to” do. We make up our own dang rules! We don’t fit the “ordinary” mold.  We walk a different path!  We are the risk takers of the world.

As entrepreneurs, we (YOU) are a different breed that utilizes our own resources and tools to do the things others don’t have the courage and the FAITH to do! We utilize ALL our senses and ALL our talents to do what others won’t dare to do.  It makes pure sense that we should also include our intuitive instincts in our arsenal of success tools.  As a Business Coach, it makes sense that I at least, address it and better yet, honor it.

Since the training I referred to earlier, I’ve been making choices and decisions in my business (and life) with a lot more emphasis on my instincts.  I’m paying a lot more attention to what my gut tells me is best.  Now I don’t confuse intuition with emotions – I keep the emotions to the side when making decisions otherwise things get too wishy washy.  I’m also not saying I don’t look at the facts and reason – I do. Yet, in that mixture, I’m also throwing my own gut instincts.  I’m reconnecting to my intuition and using it to guide me where I know I need to go – and it’s making a difference! A difference in how I experience my business and my life. A difference in how things “show up” without me looking so hard. A difference in how things FLOW.

I highly recommend you consider doing the same.  You can leave out the foo foo woo woo, but definitely add some “woo woo” intuitiveness to your business tool kit if you haven’t already or if you’ve pushed it aside to favor the more practical things. How, you ask?  Let me share what I learned at my training.

When making decisions, answer this for yourself:

1. Does it logically make sense for me to take this action or direction (head)?
2. Does it “feel” right to the core for me to take this action or direction (intuition)?
3. Will this align with my short term AND long term growth?
4. Does this action or direction excite me even though it’s definitely outside my comfort zone?
5. Am I acting on FAITH rather than FEAR?

If you answer all “Yes”, then JUMP right in and make it happen! Let faith and intuition take the reins. Don’t stop to ask HOW until you’ve committed yourself. (Then, by all means, look at the logistics.)

If you answer any “No”, then seriously reconsider and remember, if you do say “yes” you may end up regretting the decision when you’re in the whirlwind of it.

Interesting footnote: Two months ago, my dear friend Catherine C gave me a lovely set of “Goddess Cards” which I so appreciated for their beautiful design and illustrations.  I had no real intention of giving them much significance, if I’m honest.  Yet, I can’t ignore the fact that in the last two months, I’ve been feeling 100% certain I’m on the brink of exploding my business.  I can’t ignore the fact that indeed, things have been moving along incredibly well with a new biz course starting shortly, people calling out of the blue interested in my “Eat~Play~Learn” biz course in Tuscany coming up, new radio interviews, new opportunities to joint venture with other powerful people, new speaking engagements and on and on.  The relevance of the Goddess Cards? Probably eight times – including this morning – I pulled out the card with Yemanya on it.  What it says is “Important doors are opening for you right now. Walk through them.”  I kid you not, while I was writing this, I got a call from a prospective client wanting to book me for a training for their business, with the possibility of a more indepth Team Training to follow for the Leaders of the business and oh yes, she’s interested personally in the “Eat~Play~Learn” course for her and her husband!  The doors are open and I’m walking through, skipping through, bolting through.  Thank you Catherine…and hey Karen – I’m listening to the “woo woo” 🙂