Listening To Your Inner Compass

There are moments in life when the “right” decision doesn’t look right on paper.

No amount of research, outside opinions, or logical reasoning seems to bring clarity. And yet, deep down, something feels steady. Even when it’s uncomfortable and even when it goes against what others expect.

I’ve come to believe that this is how purpose often shows up; not with guarantees, but with a persistent inner knowing. A pull that asks us to trust what we feel before we can fully explain it.

Purpose doesn’t shout. It nudges.And that quiet nudge is what I call your inner compass.

When the Decision Makes Sense on the Inside—but Not to Everyone Else

Recently, my husband and I made the decision to bring a 15-year-old foster son into our home, with the intention of eventually adopting him. It was not a decision we made lightly. People around us were nervous. Some voiced their concerns openly; others were quieter but clearly hesitant. And if I’m being honest, we had our own fears too. We could easily imagine all the things that might happen. All the unknowns. All the reasons to wait.

But beneath the questions and cautions, there was a deep sense of clarity.

We knew in our hearts that this was the right decision for our family. So we chose to look past the fears; ours and everyone else’s. We chose to trust what felt true, even without knowing exactly how the path would unfold. And while it hasn’t been perfect or easy, it has been one of the most meaningful and life-giving experiences of our lives. That decision didn’t come from certainty. It came from alignment.

Holocaust survivor and philosopher, Viktor Frankl once said,

“When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.”

Meaning often asks us to move toward uncertainty; not away from it.

Following vs. Ignoring Your Inner Compass

Experiences like this have taught me how differently life feels depending on whether we are listening to our inner compass or trying to override it. When you are following it, the decision may still feel heavy, but it also feels grounded. There is a sense of peace underneath the fear. You can stand behind your choice, not because you know how it will turn out, but because you know why you’re choosing it. Confidence doesn’t come from certainty. It comes from clarity.

When you are ignoring your inner compass, everything feels louder. Your mind starts working overtime, you overanalyze, replay conversations, and look for reassurance wherever you can find it. You try to logic your way into feeling better. And even when everything looks “right” on the outside, something inside you remains unsettled. Ignoring your inner compass doesn’t make decisions safer.It just disconnects you from yourself.

Learning to Notice the Guidance That’s Already There

Our intuition doesn’t speak in clear sentences and there’s a reason for that. It lives in the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotion and survival. This part of the brain has very little capacity for language, which is why intuition often shows up as a feeling we struggle to explain rather than a thought we can articulate. The good news is that intuition can be strengthened with practice. The more you listen, the more familiar the guidance becomes.

Here are a few simple ways to begin noticing what’s already there:

• Create moments of intentional pause. Quiet allows clarity to surface.

• Notice what keeps resurfacing. Repeated nudges are worth paying attention to.

• Pay attention to how decisions feel in your body. Tension, ease, or relief are all signals.

• Resist the urge to immediately explain or justify. Sometimes understanding comes after acknowledgment.

Reflection Prompts to Strengthen Awareness

Clarity doesn’t usually come from having all the answers. More often, it comes from asking ourselves better questions.

You might reflect on:

• When have I trusted my intuition in the past and what became possible because of it?

• Where am I currently trying to logic my way out of what feels true?

• What fears are keeping me focused on what might go wrong instead of what could go right?

• What patterns do I see in the decisions that have shaped me most?

• Who has helped me see a path I couldn’t see on my own?

These questions aren’t meant to rush you.They’re meant to help you listen.

Alignment Is What Builds Resilience

Resilience isn’t about being fearless or always getting it right. Resilience is built when we make choices that align with who we are, even when the outcome is uncertain. When we understand what truly drives us, we have something steady to stand on when doubt, fear, or judgment show up.

Simon Sinek says,

“When we are clear on our WHY, the HOWs and WHATs have greater impact.”

Listening to your inner compass doesn’t mean the path will be easy. It means the path will be honest. And when your choices are aligned with who you truly are, confidence grows, trust in yourself deepens, and resilience becomes less about pushing through and more about knowing, deep in your core, why you chose the path in the first place.