For the past 5 years, whenever I have been asked what my biggest weakness is, my answer has been “Intuition”. I fully believed that intuition was something you were born with- you either have it or you don’t- and I fell into the category of the latter. I thought that, maybe, I was just too optimistic for my own good- I couldn’t help but see the best in people. I thought that, maybe, I was naturally too analytical to base my own opinions or decisions on a “feeling”. And I knew that I was simply wrong- a lot– whenever I listened to my gut. So I figured that I just wasn’t one of those “intuitive” people.
I was wrong. Looking back now, it’s very clear to me that my lack of intuition had nothing to do with my inherent skills and everything to do with my lack of self-esteem. Somewhere along the lines, I had stopped trusting myself. I had been the one to quiet my gut, and I had been the one who decided it wasn’t worth listening to in the first place.
The past year for me has primarily been one of healing and growth. I’ve developed new routines (like weekly therapy, daily exercise and meditation, alone time, and a diet largely consisting of fruits and veggies) and, in the process, I’ve developed a deeper level for respect for myself. And my intuition? It’s impeccable. I can predict the craziest things now, like the exact amount of wait time at a restaurant, the next sentence someone’s going to say, and even when someone’s pulling into the office without so much as a window to check through. It’s a level of awareness that I used to be SO envious of, but never believed it was something I could obtain.
I have been a long-time subscriber of the “hustle” mentality, and while I CERTAINLY value hard work as much as I ever have, I know now that it’s not enough to just work hard on achieving goals. You have to hustle for your SELF. You have to work hard at taking care of yourself. Of loving yourself. At paying attention when you need a break and then having enough grace to take it. You have to work hard at your relationships. At your health. At developing hobbies and finding things to look forward to and ways to give back. And the best part? Most the time it doesn’t feel like work. It’s fun to build healthy relationships. It’s fun to take bubble baths and read books outside and eat food that makes you feel good. But it’s still work. And, if you ask me, I think it’s some of the most important work that you can do.
We Came To Catalyze 