Where Is Your Inner Compass Guiding You?
By: Nicole de Fulgentiis
Founder and Creative Director of H3R Magazine
You know that nudge inside your stomach? The push-and-pull that arises when you least expect it? That gut decision telling you what to do in moments of indecision and fear. That’s called the wonderful phenomenon of our intuition at work. How does anyone—believers, skeptics, doctors, and scientists—begin to explain it? You can’t. It’s just there. Some call it our consciousness at work. Whatever that feeling is, it’s a beautiful gift from the Universe that helps heal and guide us.
Photography: Mark Salazar
There have been a lot of moments in my life where I listened to my intuition over what seemed “logical” at the time, so much so that the result of listening to my intuition yielded one of the best years of my life. Listening to that inner instinct filled this past year with an immeasurable amount of personal growth, new friends, and the start of this beautiful company.
Was any of it comfortable? No, truth be told, quite the opposite. My year was filled with change, transition, and a lot of simply figuring out the best courses of action along the way. I often felt like I had no idea what I was doing, yet I continued to feel deeply empowered to learn and pivot along the way.
I think the perfect way to describe this “gut feeling” is to think of it like an “inner compass.” Think of how a compass directs you. The hand stays still no matter what direction we turn; instead, we align ourselves to the compass needle's inherent sense of direction between north and south. That inner sense of direction, between up and down, wrong and right, is already laid out in tune with the polarity of the universe. The choice then becomes up to us whether we want to follow that sense of direction.
I think it’s an important reminder to check in with your inner compass every day. When I listen to this inner compass, I feel aligned. Life feels balanced and I feel strong. Listening to this inner compass is not always easy, because sometimes our ego gets in the way. Ego wants to do it all, with no trade-offs, and least of all wants to obey discipline. Our inner compass might lead us into a season of healing, hard work, no partying/dating, and straight-up discipline. Our ego, on the other hand, might try to justify cutting corners, or checking things off a list just to “get it done”. Our inner compass always knows what’s best for us, it asks us to honor it by following its gentle guidance.
My inner compass has served as the primary tool while operating my business. It always provides me with insight into the people, brands, and products I am working with. If any element of those transactions doesn’t feel right, I don’t go through with the collaboration. If you are completely unfamiliar with this practice of listening to your inner compass, I want to invite you to start becoming more aware of what it is telling you on a daily basis. You can practice becoming more aware of your inner compass by:
Photography: Mark Salazar
Incorporating moments of stillness and silence into your morning routine.
Be slow to speak/make decisions. There is never a rush. Sit with the decision for a while and ask yourself, “How does this feel?”
Read a book or listen to a podcast on this topic. Listen to others who understand how to listen to themselves.
As we approach this new season, I want you to ask yourself: “What is my inner compass telling me to do?”
Journal your answers, sit with them, and allow your compass to guide you.
I would love to hear how listening to your inner compass has shaped your life for the better. Please email me at: nicole@h3r.space. □
Article Credits
Dress by Selfie Leslie @selfie_leslie | www.selfieleslie.com
Necklaces by Tiny Tags @tinytags | www.tinytags.com
Heels by Jessica Rich @jessicarichcollection | www.jessicarich.com
Photography: Mark Salazar @theautographer | www.modernviewm.com
Shoot Location: Santa Monica, CA
