I’m a woman that is constantly following that small voice inside of me. Some people call it a gut feeling. I hear it as a whisper in my mind.
It’s amazing where it takes me, in both big ways and small. So, here’s a little side trip that intuition took me on recently. I wanted to share, in case you are curious about how to follow that voice. Maybe even how to hear it! Click below if you’d like a little help getting started. And, now, let’s adventure!
There’s a hidden beach in Costa Rica. It’s not far from the main tourist area stretch in the beautiful town I was staying in. Tucked between two hillsides, it’s a bit of a walk (if you don’t have a car or moto – which I did not). Steep windy streets for about a mile. No shoulder on the road. Public transport is not available there.
I was curious about it. The locals said it was stunning. So, it was on my list to get to eventually. But, honestly, in line with being near Manuel Antonio Park – a great place to see sloths up close – I was feeling like a sloth lately. Taking everything very slow, with the least effort, in order to feel relaxed. Traveling nonstop can take a lot out of me, so I needed to feel sloth-like.
After 4 days with no planned activities, however, my cabin fever kicked in. Ironic! When you like to move (like I do), it’s in your blood. So, I heard that small whisper telling me to get outside and head to town.
I was already hot and sweaty by this time of day. There’s no AC around here (unless you’re in a nice hotel), and temperature hovers around 85 F with insane humidity, which feels surprisingly like 100 F for most of the day. My sloth self didn’t want to be wandering around town aimlessly. And, my intuition only asked me to head to town.
Ever feel like you need more instructions? Well, I’ve learned that you get them when you need them. And, sometimes you don’t get any because life wants you to follow the breadcrumbs (without preconditioned biases that might let you choose otherwise).
I thought maybe logic would help me out here. I grabbed my phone, to see what was on google maps or search for something to do online. But what? I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted to do. If you know me, you’ll also know that I don’t love screen time. What did my antsy, cabin-fevered self want? To move my body and get some fresh air.
How many times do we deny our intuition, only to find ourselves right back there with it? I heard the voice whisper “Leave now, I’ll tell you where to go. No need to go online.” (If you’re curious why my intuition uses words and phrases like this, I’ve created a relationship with it. I used to ask myself questions like, “Do I need to know where I’m going?” After awhile, I stopped needing to ask that question, and would hear the answer anyway.)
Listening, I walked to the bus and sat in silence. It was an inner silence, so I could listen with sensitivity. I quietly asked, “Can you please tell me when to get off the bus?” Another practice I have is to trust the pull. The instinct to stand up at a certain time. Or to make a move. It comes without thinking. And, it often feels counter to being socially appropriate. But, I’ve learned that we are conditioned to “behave” and not to “listen” to ourselves. When I do honor this magnetic pull, I’m taking on wild adventures that open my spirit to feeling truly alive.
Since I’ve been down this “road” before, I knew to trust that I’d be pulled somewhere. I could relax. I also knew that the voice was small and subtle today, and I’d need to act on the slightest pull.
We passed many small sections on the road, with restaurants and stores. Each followed by jungle. Since arriving almost 2 weeks prior, I’ve built up the desire to see and be around art. It gives me the inspiration I need to feel excited about life, after doing a lot of logistics to find housing, food, and transportation. It’s a whole different kind of discovery of something new, when I see a wonderful piece of art. I was missing that right now.
A few locals hit the stop button on the bus to get off. Nothing pulled me out of my seat. Two stops later, I got up, unaware of where I was, but listening to that tiny voice of intuition.
I was too hot! An ice cream store was on the corner, so I went straight there. Nobody around. I turned around to see an art gallery across the street. I entered to find a Costa Rican man, making the most beautiful pendants right in front of me. He showed me how he used Titanium etched from an ethanol bath to create the entire rainbow of colors. At least that’s what I think I understood from our Spanish conversation! Each pendant had an array of different colored powders (from the Titanium) that were arranged to look like sunsets, or birds flying over the ocean. This was exactly the kind of beauty that relaxed my whole being, and put an excited smile on my face. I tried a few on, but ultimately let the images burn in my mind for safekeeping.
A few stores later, after enjoying the touch of silky handmade dresses and soft stuffed animals, I realized that I was at the intersection of the road to that hidden beach. I made it down with so much more to the adventure. From seeing the McCaw’s for the first time on my entire trip, to leaving the beach with Howler monkeys in the background (reminding me of dinosaur cries from Jurassic park). Leaving without a plan brought me more joy than I would have had planning the trip to that hidden beach. I’m grateful to have my intuition. It’s a true travel companion – even though it’s hard to explain why it’s there and what it’ll guide me to experience next, I can always trust it’ll keep me safe and full of life.
My love and passion is to help people rediscover their free-est self. This is an adventure into what makes you happy, moves you, and lets you express yourself fully. To join me, or learn more, reach out by clicking the button above. Pura Vida!
