Growing Wiser

A REAL SUPERPOWER? ACCESSING OUR INNER WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS WE CHANGE

- LAURIE SUE BROCKWAY

Intuition has been a lifelong companion and friend to Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatrist and empath who has devoted her career to helping people access their own inner wisdom. Her bestselling books have taught readers how to tap into their intuitive powers, create more positive energy, and nurture their empathic souls. In her wisdom years, she finds that relying on her own intuition is the key to heightened creativity and productivity as she creates new work to offer the world. Tuning into her intuition has helped her define and redefine her mission over the years. She suggests that trusting your gut is one of the ways to find new purpose in life. 

"What intuition can do, no matter what age, is to help you tune into yourself, your own heart, your own spiritual path, your own gut feelings, your own aha moments, your own premonitions, your own body knowings, and your own connection to nature, in every moment of life," says Orloff, whose latest book is Affirmations for Empaths. "It helps you to stay in the moment and be open to realizations and possibilities."

As people age, they often have enough evidence, or regrets, to know that there are times in their life when they wished they had followed their instincts or hunches. "If you've had a lifetime of worry and of concern, now is the time to dare to listen to your intuition," she says. "What do you have to lose?"

The wisdom years are a unique stage of life when people feel less inclined to waste time and more inclined to spend their energy on meaningful pursuits. "The great thing about aging is that as eternity grows nearer, things become clearer," says Orloff. "Don't second-guess yourself. There's a still, small voice inside that will tell you the truth about things. Have that be what guides you in your life. Do not argue with it or let the ego get in the way. Decide, 'This is how I want to lead my life and I'm going to trust myself."