How to Unlock Your Intuition

Intuition is often described as a “sixth sense” that helps us make the right decisions, understand people, and navigate life’s challenges. Many people say things like, “My intuition helps me,” or “I can sense someone’s character thanks to my intuition.” But what exactly is intuition, can it be developed, and how can you learn to trust it? Let’s explore these questions together.

Everyone Has Intuition

There are no people without intuition—only those who choose not to listen to it. Don’t be afraid to sometimes turn off your rational mind and trust your heart. Each of us can open our “third eye” and become more successful and happier as a result.

A Bit of History

In April 1912, Mrs. Dyson, a 33-year-old aristocrat, was preparing for the trip of a lifetime: a voyage to America on the Titanic. Tickets for first-class cabins had been bought well in advance, and everything was ready. But the night before departure, Mrs. Dyson felt uneasy and slept poorly. The next morning, as the carriage arrived to take them to the port, she suddenly begged her husband to cancel the trip, claiming she felt unwell. Though her husband was upset about the expensive tickets, he eventually agreed. Five days later, when news broke that the “unsinkable” Titanic had sunk, Mr. Dyson repeatedly asked his wife what made her stay. She simply replied, “I just knew we shouldn’t go.” Her children and grandchildren later said she had phenomenal intuition.

Do you use your intuition? It turns out that opening your “third eye” isn’t as hard as it seems!

Who Hears Their Intuition?

Some psychologists argue that the phrase “develop your intuition” is misleading. The sixth sense is innate in all of us, just like sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The real challenge is learning to listen to your inner voice.

Intuition is understanding reality on a subconscious level, without logic. It’s the ability to choose the best course of action without analyzing the situation. You’ve probably experienced moments when an inner voice tells you, “Don’t do this,” or “Don’t go there,” even if there’s no obvious reason. Or maybe you felt confident about a decision despite others’ doubts, and it turned out well. If this happens to you often, you’re already in touch with your intuition.

American psychologists have found that creative people (writers, artists, journalists), scientists (doctors, psychologists, archaeologists), and those who work closely with nature (foresters, gardeners, animal breeders) tend to have the strongest intuition. Whether intuition influences career choice or vice versa, one thing is clear: intuitive people find it easier to succeed and are more likely to achieve their goals.

What Blocks Intuition?

What prevents us from using our intuition? To hear it, you need to let go of unnecessary doubts (“Am I really doing the right thing?” “What if I’m wrong?”) and listen to yourself. But how? Let’s learn together.

Did You Know?

Scientists have found that having a child helps women develop intuition. When a baby can’t speak, a mother senses their needs through her sixth sense. Parents who believe in themselves tend to have the strongest intuition.

Let Go of Doubts and Fears

Unfortunately, you can’t develop intuition with just one exercise. Psychotherapists say it requires serious inner work, starting with deep relaxation techniques. In daily life, we’re constantly tense, our brains always working, making choices and judgments. Even when alone, we often replay situations in our minds and worry.

So how can intuition break through this wall of doubts and fears? Learn any meditation technique! Try to clear your mind, focus on your breathing and inner sensations. Some people count, others visualize beautiful landscapes. The goal is to relax and give your mind a break—don’t analyze, judge, or remember. Just feel. In this state, intuition turns on. Suddenly, you understand what you need and what’s most important. Answers to troubling questions may come naturally, and you’ll simply know what to do.

Of course, you may not solve all your problems right away. Learn to control the wave of doubts that often follows any decision.

Can Intuition Be Wrong?

By practicing on small things, you’ll learn to use intuition for bigger decisions. Don’t expect an answer the moment you close your eyes. First, think about the problem, list possible solutions, weigh the pros and cons. But at some point, stop and ask your inner voice what to do. Intuition is your subconscious, which picks up on things before your rational mind does. It can make mistakes—sometimes you sense one thing, but the situation changes, and your intuition was off. That’s okay! The more you practice, the more sensitive you’ll become to the world around you, and the more successful you’ll be.

Honest self-dialogue and understanding your true motives also help develop intuition. For example, maybe you keep saying you want to learn to drive but never sign up for lessons. You tell yourself you don’t have time, but maybe it’s laziness, fear, or reluctance to give up something else. Only by understanding your real motives can you change things. The same applies to work and relationships. Listen to your heart, learn to understand yourself, and your life will improve.

Signs of a Strong Intuition

Psychologists have identified habits and abilities that indicate a well-developed sixth sense. If most of the following statements apply to you, your intuition is enviable:

• Your first impression of people is usually correct. Others rarely deceive you, and if they do, they regret it.
• Your projects and plans usually succeed.
• You make purchases without hesitation—you know exactly what you need and don’t doubt your choices.
• You easily navigate unfamiliar places and can tell the time within 10 minutes without a clock.
• You quickly solve puzzles and crosswords, and remember small details in pictures.
• When you look at clouds, you see shapes and figures, not just formless masses.
• You’re full of creative ideas and plans, move easily through life, and feel lucky.

Another View on Intuition

One theory suggests that intuition is unconscious information from accumulated experience stored in a small part of the brain’s cortex. When we encounter a similar situation, this information surfaces and helps us decide.

Has your intuition often helped or hindered you? Some people think they’re intuitive, but it’s really just fear of change holding them back. If something is stopping you from advancing at work or solving personal problems, maybe it’s fear, not intuition, telling you not to act.

Personally, intuition helps me quite often. I rarely misjudge people and am hard to deceive. Sometimes, when I see someone lying, I give them a chance to come clean, because I believe habitual lying is a kind of illness that people can overcome. There have also been times when intuition saved me from unnecessary worries.

Tips for Developing Intuition

• Success in life depends not on money or talent, but on your ability to use them wisely.
• By learning to hear your intuition, you’ll always make the right decisions and protect yourself from mistakes.
• Intuition doesn’t need proof or reasoning—it gives instant and accurate understanding of reality.

Some experts believe there’s a universal field of knowledge, an information field of the Earth. When you open your intuitive channels, you tune in to this field and pick up subtle signals meant just for you. According to this theory, psychics and seers can “read” information not only about themselves but about others, too. While scientists still debate how clairvoyance works, the existence of the phenomenon is widely accepted, with many examples like the healer Vanga and the psychic Wolf Messing (who predicted the start of World War II).

How to Train Your Intuition

Intuition can be trained, just like a pianist develops musical hearing or a taster develops their sense of taste and smell. Our education system focuses on developing the logical left brain, but we’re rarely taught to listen to our hearts. Try turning off your rational mind sometimes, and you’ll learn to pick up intuitive signals. The first step is learning to relax and quiet your inner chatter. Meditation, yoga (especially the “Surya Namaskar” sequence), and other relaxation techniques are helpful.

Make time for hobbies—creativity is the shortest path to intuitive insight. It’s hard to imagine someone painting passionately while worrying about unfinished financial reports. Whatever you choose, do it with joy. Don’t focus on results or praise—enjoy the process itself.

By the way, the famous detective Sherlock Holmes was not only a genius of deduction but also had amazing intuition. After gathering clues and forming hypotheses, he would play the violin for hours, letting his mind relax. Then, he’d come up with the perfect solution!

It’s also important to distinguish the voice of intuition from your fears and doubts. The more confident you are, the more you trust yourself (and care less about others’ opinions), making it easier to hear your intuition. To break free from stereotypes and discover your true values, try this exercise:

• Alone and relaxed, close your eyes. Imagine you have only a few years—or even one year—to live, but you’ll be healthy and financially secure. What would you want to do in that time? Don’t analyze—write down the first thought that comes to mind. That’s likely your true desire and the direction you should pursue.
• If your first thought is fear about the end, you may have a fear complex blocking your potential. Many people, when faced with limited time, either withdraw or accomplish amazing things, sometimes even overcoming illness. Here, too, intuition pushes people forward and helps them not give up.

Once you’ve let go of fears and learned to relax, you can start working directly with your intuitive channel. For best results, don’t do this when you’re experiencing strong emotions like excitement, anger, or rage. Train your intuition when you’re calm and balanced.

Try writing or drawing with your non-dominant hand, or count backward from 10 to 1. These exercises activate parts of your brain that are usually at rest and help develop intuition.

Another method is to ask yourself questions with simple “yes” or “no” answers. Start with questions you know the answer to (your name, birthdate, etc.) and notice how the answer comes to you—do you see a word, a color, or just know it? Gradually move to more complex questions, like “Should I change jobs?”—your intuition will likely provide an answer.

5 Conditions for Developing Intuition

• Surround yourself with inspiring people you want to emulate. Avoid empty conversations and gossip.
• Seek new and vivid experiences and travel. Even a weekend trip to the woods can refresh your perspective.
• Read more positive, interesting, and useful information.
• Laugh more—when we laugh, our inner control relaxes.
• Spend more time on your favorite activities, attend concerts, theaters, clubs—anything that brings you joy.

By learning to listen to your intuition, you’ll make better decisions, reduce mistakes, and find more happiness and success in life.