Intuition is the treasure of a woman’s psyche.  It is like a divining instrument and like a crystal through which we can see with uncanny interior vision. It is like the wise old woman who is with you always, who tells you exactly what the matter is, tells you exactly whether you need to go left of right…

Ask within for her advice. She is the Mother of the Ages.

Nothing surprises her. She has seen it all.

Clarissa P. Estes Women Who Run with the Wolves

Do you recognize the small still voice of your intuition?  Have you cultivated a relationship with your inner wisdom?  To develop self confidence and to know ourselves in the deepest way, we need to understand and respect our inner knowledge and direction.  Whether it is in a situation of immediate danger or whether we are living our lives in a manner not aligned with our inner values – ignoring our the wise voice within can create disasters for us.

A friend of mine – Lilly – was in New York City with a friend.  Across the street, she saw two men and her eyes locked with one of them.  She become aware that she might be in danger; that her fur coat and purse might be targets for theft.  She ignored her intuition and continued on her way.  The man who had locked eyes with her mugged her.  She has since learned to hear and heed her inner voice.

Lilly’s story was on my mind recently when I went out for a hike.  I often hike by myself and have rarely felt nervous or afraid of either wildllife or other people.  When I was parked at the trailhead getting ready to hike, a car pulled up and two young men – one of them in a short sleeved shirt (it was 32 degrees) jumped out of the car and began running up the trail.  I thought their behavior was a little odd, but I got my gloves on and started up the trail.

With every step I took, my small still voice got louder – telling me that the situation might not be safe.  I ignored that voice for a few more steps.  Then, I stopped and realized that I did not feel safe and my anxiety was preventing me from relaxing and having a pleasant and healthy hiking experience.  So – I turned around, got in the car, and went back down the road to another trailhead.  As I was getting ready, the car with the two men in sped by, weaving dangerously.  I’m not sure what might have happened to me, had I continued on the trail, but I was glad that I didn’t.

Now, everyday, I try to listen in to my own inner voice.  I ask – what is wrong, why do I feel bad, why do I feel good.  When I meditate on a question, often the answer comes to me – softly and slowly – but surely.

As we increase our ability to access our inner wisdom, our decision-making feels more solid and we become more wholly ourselves – full of swagger.

Look for more swagger tools in the days to come.  If you want to join the discussion, please visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GirlsGuideToSwagger.