I'm A Professional Intuitive — Here's How to Boost Your Intuition (& Avoid Wishful Thinking)

Everyone is naturally intuitive, but when we really want something, it can be easy to mistake wishful thinking for intuition, believing we're getting genuine intuitive guidance that's actually just our strong desire for what we want overwhelming our system.

Humans have a complex intuitive system, including thoughts and feelings we internally experience that provide us guidance. Yet, you can also receive external intuitive hits—like someone recommending a book on a topic you've been privately pondering, or receiving an email from an old colleague offering you freelance work after you got slammed with an unexpected bill.

In my new oracle deck, Awakening Intuition, I explain all the ways—internal and external—that you can receive intuitive guidance, which will help you better discern a genuine intuitive hit from wishful thinking.

Your intuitive system is part of your holistic self, so the more balance you can create in every area of your life—from financial health to emotional health—the more reliably your intuition will perform.

Balance is never about doing things perfectly, but rather trying to create healthy stability in your life in any way you have control over right now. If one area of your life is chaotic and you don't have much control there, control what you can in other areas—like eating a healthy and balanced diet and having a predictable and nourishing daily routine.

Staying open-minded is a powerful practice in mindfulness and spirituality, and it can also really enhance your intuition. If you're not open to an idea (like going to a different college than you planned on or retiring a few years later than you expected, for example), you could get a genuine intuitive hit about it but then discount it because it doesn't conform to your preconceived notions about what's best for you—or even what's possible for you.

Wishful thinking occurs when we are overly focused on one specific outcome because that's what we're really hoping for and desiring. Being this rigid can shut down or block out intuition.

While intuition can speak to us via our emotions (like feeling immediately relaxed around a new colleague because in time they will turn out to be a dear friend, or feeling suddenly anxious when making social plans because you need to rest), wishful thinking is a little different.

Wishful thinking is having the intense emotional desire for something and then convincing yourself that your intuition is on board with the plan too by ignoring any red flags you receive.

It's very normal to have intense emotions about stuff we really want—like starting a family, bringing in a loving romantic partner, pursuing a passion project, making money, or being of service to the world. Practice observing and witnessing your emotions, including reminding yourself that your emotions aren't who you really are but rather a temporary feeling you are experiencing—to create healthy space from them.

Practice connecting with your intuition right now by asking your sixth sense to pick a number from 1 to 5. You may hear a number in your mind, see a number in your mind, or feel a strong energetic pull to a certain number when you scan the items in this article.