Intuition, also called body wisdom and gut feeling, is knowing something without being aware of how we got to that knowledge or conclusion. It is a way of instinctively feeling what steps to follow, what to do or how to react in certain situations. A way of knowing something without having rationalized the path towards that something.
It is perhaps a privilege for humans, and throughout history, there are thousands of examples of successful people, amongst which many are women, who claim that part of their success came from having followed their intuition, from not questioning that knowledge that arrives without any effort.
Anita Roddick, The Bodyshop founder, said “I think that business practices would improve immeasurably if they were guided by ‘feminine principles. Qualities like love and care and intuition”.
Intuition, usually attributed to women, is a phenomenon that happens in all humans, it just needs to be exercised by listening to it and trusting it. Perhaps more women than men are more respectful to their inner guidance, after all, we live in a society in which it is fine for women to pay attention to their emotions and feelings and to act accordingly to them, yet men are not expected to do so. Perhaps it is now time for men to allow themselves to listen to their gut feeling too, as it is not just a female sixth sense but a universal one.