We are living in unprecedented times of stress, confusion and overwhelm. We all need resources to help navigate these challenging times and make the right decisions for the highest and best long-term good for ourselves, our families and our businesses.

Those resources can be found within each of us if we pause to consider three reliable indicators: the head (intellect), the heart (feelings) and the gut (intuition). Before proceeding in making an important choice, make a habit of checking these built-in sensors, which can warn us about danger or give us the go-ahead.

Head: Make use of intellect and past knowledge. All decisions, actions and even non-actions have repercussions. Use the conscious mind to discern questions that need to be answered. For example, is this person telling the truth? What has worked in the past? Have we done our due diligence and homework before making a decision?

Heart: I listen to my heart and ask: Is this the right direction for me? Do I naturally feel attracted to this? Am I hearing truth? The internal part of us, the voice inside, tells us when things feel right or wrong. For example, are we relaxed around the person we are asking the question about, or do we feel uptight and uncomfortable? Keep in mind that our bodies do talk to us. For me personally, if I feel shut down, tight and not good, I know something is not right. However, if I feel open, lighthearted and relaxed, I trust that my heart is telling me that, “All is well.” We have to pay attention to our own internal signals.

Gut: We need to trust our intuition. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are it’s not right for us. What may be right for one person can be wrong for another. Our gut instinct, our inner voice, is always there for us when we take the time to pay attention and listen.

Become conscious, and do not go into the default mode of past decisions or behaviors. Life has changed and requires more awareness of what is truth and what is not, and we need to utilize our senses, not the old programmed beliefs from others. It is our job to use the instincts that we have to help navigate new terrain.

Lee Milteer is the author of Reclaim the Magic: The Real Secrets to Manifesting Anything You Want and an award-winning speaker and life and business strategist. Sign up for her free weekly Gems of Wisdom newsletter. Go to FiveTypesOfEnergy.com for a free copy of her “Five Types of Energy” video series.

This article appears in the January 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.