Sometimes we don’t see something happening. Or it is well hidden. Other times, we notice it but don’t really “see” it. Or we see it and choose not to notice it. We practice denial, that protective coping mechanism which allows us to live our lives unfettered and not have to deal with what might present a painful or challenging situation. Denial is often jokingly referred to as a river (The Nile) in Jordan–most of us have never been there, nor have we seen it. But we know it exists…just like painful clues to a situation that is uncomfortable for us. And somehow we miss those clues.
Enter intuition–that little voice inside each of us. It tells us stuff. It sends us important messages. It helps feelings surface, for us to look at vis-a-vis what we are noticing. The problem arises when we squash that little voice, rationalizing it as: “It couldn’t be. Nah, it’s impossible.” A dear friend of mine likens denial to sending that little child inside herself back into the basement, not listening to her or hearing her needs. I like to call intuition my sixth sense. And I feel it located somewhere between my solar plexus and my gut. That “gut feeling,” as we say.
And so we go about our daily life as if nothing is happening that would upset the perfect balance we have created for ourselves. Except it is not so balanced. In fact, it is downright out of whack. Because next thing we know, we are reacting to something that we don’t know or see. We might find ourselves questioning and obsessing. And while it might be crazy and crazy-making, it requires our attention nonetheless.
How do we identify that inner voice or wisdom and give credence to this inner child’s needs? We stop and listen–really listen. And we stop challenging ourselves as not knowing best. We do. Let ourselves overreact or feel outlandish in our thinking. And just sit with the possibility of it, the “What if?” of it. When we let ourselves become open to the clues, they all fit like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. Then we can make our best decisions. And we will. Because we do know best.