Woman, Your Intuition Is Your Power
“Compliance causes a shocking realization that must be registered by all women. That is, to be ourselves causes us to be exiled by many others, and yet to comply with what others want causes us to be exiled from ourselves.” -Clarissa Pinkola Estés
When it becomes a conflict between being accepted by others, or honoring yourself, which do you choose? From a survival standpoint, it would make sense to choose the former. However, as adults, that is no longer such a concern as we can survive while still being “exiled” from the “pack.”
To choose oneself is, at times, extremely lonely. There is a felt experience that comes from isolation from one’s former community. Whether it be family, friends, colleagues, or a partner. It takes courage to honor one’s intuitive knowings when they have been dismissed, invalidated, and made to feel wrong by others. In my experience, honoring oneself is also a recipe for establishing unshakeable self-trust. For when we continue to ignore our feelings, needs, and desires because they are received as a threat, or not able to be met by others, we quiet the part of us that knows. The part who knows at a deep level that we aren’t listening to us. When this becomes an ingrained pathway, we slowly deteriorate our capacity to trust ourselves which contributes to experiences of anxiety. In consequence, dimming our light otherwise known as, life force.
I define self-trust as…
Confidence to handle life’s curveballs, most importantly, the pain that accompanies the hard moments
Honoring of one’s emotions, experiences, feelings, needs, sensations, and intuitive knowings
Faith in the capacity to make decisions and act on one’s values
Following through on executing goals and greater life visions
The capacity to set boundaries and say “no” to who or what doesn’t feel right
If you struggle to trust your experience, how you feel, and what you need, how can you be sure when something is in or out of alignment with your heart? My belief is you can’t be sure because there is not solid ground on which to pivot from.
Your capacity to trust yourself is of the utmost importance. For your intuition knows and senses what is best for you in each moment. Every time you honor the wisdom inherit in your bones, it grows. Like a muscle, you must practice trusting your intuition if you want it to stay alive. This is your gift as a woman. Your intuition is your power.
Ali Kammerling
Founder, Reclamation Psychotherapy