The Dots Will Connect Looking Back: 6 Tips to Follow the Bread Crumbs

I saw a post from Liz Gilbert recently celebrating the 10th anniversary of Eat, Pray, Love and flashed back to sitting in my windowless, gray, Washington, D.C. office when a coworker friend knocked on my door to gift me a hard copy of the book.

It hadn't gone gangbusters yet, so I'd never heard of it. The coworker's handwritten note to me inside read:

"The story of one woman's quest to find pleasure, divinity, and balance in life — from a woman starting hers to one who's mid-stride. Thanks for being an inspiration."

I'd just gotten back from a month of doing yoga, surfing, eating fresh mango, and having my mind blown by the soul connections and insights going off like fireworks during a yoga teacher training in Costa Rica.

I was feeling strong, relaxed...and confused as all get out.

The truth was, whether my coworker felt inspired by my recent choices or not, I had no idea what was going to come next in my life.

But I knew for sure that something had shifted and that some major breaking open was about to happen, even if it was wildly uncomfortable.

I had that butterflies-in-your-stomach-bordering-on-queasiness feeling.

I got up the courage to give notice at my job and booked a 5-week ticket into Buenos Aires and out of Santiago, Chile.

It was time for a walkabout to see what my next chapter wanted to be.

But on an intellectual level, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that something was tugging at me, and I was finally willing to start getting curious about it.

A lot of the steps I took (aka leaps of faith) in that next phase didn't make logical sense at the time.

But looking back, it all makes perfect sense.

The dots connect.

That's how a life of following your intuition — or following the bread crumbs, as I like to think of it — is.

You might not understand why you've been called to do the thing you feel called to do, but you do it anyway because it just feels right.

It's only in hindsight that you see how it all connects.

But while "Just follow your gut" works fantastically as a mantra once you're used to approaching life that way, I know it doesn't feel so simple if you're not much practiced at it yet (and most of us were definitely not trained in the art of following our hearts and guts above the mental chatter).

I certainly had no idea how to follow my gut at first, and spent years slogging away doing whatever I thought should be making me happy, even when it was actually making me miserable.

So if "Follow your gut" still feels like "Huh??" here are a few steps to help you start tapping into your intuition.

Get quiet. 

You can't hear what your intuition is whispering to you if internal or external chatter is drowning it out. Intuition is a calm whisper, whereas fear and "shoulds" scream in your ear. Create some time and space for silence every day.

Don't dismiss or downplay.

Don't rationalize your way out of a gut feeling. Intuition isn't logical — that's its power. Don't let fear and doubt override what you intuitively know is True (with a capital T) for you. 

Feel into your physical gut.

Breathe into your belly while you place your attention and your hands there. This is a powerful way to literally get out of your head and start to cozy up to your intuitive home base.

Write it down.

Jot down every intuitive hit you have. You'll start to notice that "coincidences" may actually be synchronicity lighting the way for you.

Yes or no?

When you're confused on which way to go, notice whether you feel/hear a "yes" or a "no" in your gut. No logic required, just sensing.

Take baby steps.

Your intuition is a muscle. It will grow if you work it. Practice consistently and have patience.

Don't sweat the details. Just keep following the bread crumbs and you'll undoubtedly end up right where you're meant to be.

Lots of Love,

Melissa

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