Trust your inner voice: A guide to cultivating inner guidance

Have you ever wished you could trust your instincts instead of doubting every decision you make? For years, I struggled with that too—I felt like I needed others to tell me what to do, afraid I’d mess up if left to my own devices. Back in 2017, when I was trained in Pranic Healing, I learned this practice that I called “my body pendulum” to help me identify a clear yes/no response for when I was doing energy work on clients. This practice was recently brought up in our Codependency Alchemy Mastermind (waitlist is open, just click here) and I am excited to share it with you here, too!

In this newsletter, I’m sharing why learning to trust your inner guidance is such a big deal when it comes to healing codependency. You’ll also get a simple, step-by-step guide to muscle testing (which I just learned is the actual name for this practice, it’s not actually called '“body pendulum, although I might like that better), so you can start listening to your body’s wisdom today. For paid subscribers, I’ve included a meditation to guide you in this practice and shadow work prompts to deepen your practice.

By the end of this post, you’ll have tools to make decisions with more peace and confidence—and reconnect with the most important voice in your life: your own.

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Why cultivating inner guidance matters

When you’re stuck in codependency, it’s easy to rely on others to tell you what to do. You might second-guess your choices, fear making mistakes, or feel like you need approval to move forward. Ultimately, this way of living can leave you feeling disconnected, anxious, and small.

Learning to trust your inner guidance helps you break that cycle. It puts the focus back on you—your needs, your truth, and your wisdom. By tuning into your body’s wisdom, you can start making choices that actually feel right for you.

When we don’t cultivate inner guidance:

• We stay stuck in self-doubt and indecision

• We rely on others to validate or direct us

• We make choices that don’t align with who we really are

• We feel out of touch with our intuition

When we do cultivate inner guidance:

• We feel more confident and self-assured

• Decisions become clearer and less stressful

• We build trust in ourselves and our intuition

• We live in alignment with our truth

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What is muscle testing?

Muscle testing is a simple practice that uses your body’s natural responses to help you get clear yes/no answers. You can think of it like a pendulum, except your body is the tool. By setting an intention and noticing subtle movements or shifts, you can tap into the wisdom your body already holds.

This practice can be especially helpful when you’re feeling unsure or overwhelmed. It’s like having a built-in compass that helps you navigate tough decisions.

Pretty neat, huh?

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How to do muscle testing

Here’s a beginner-friendly way to try muscle testing:

1. Set your intention:
   Find a quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted. Take a few deep breaths and set an intention to connect with your body’s wisdom. You might say something like, “I’m open to receiving clear and truthful guidance that is aligned to my highest and best good, and the highest good of all that is.”

2. Find your yes/no:
   I find this to be the easiest when you stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Relax and let your arms hang naturally. Say out loud, “Show me what a yes feels like.” Notice if your body subtly sways forward, backward, or stays still. Then say, “Show me what a no feels like,” and observe how your body responds. These movements are your baseline signals.

3. Ask simple questions:
   Start with something easy that you already know the answer to, like, “Is my name [your name]?” Pay attention to your body’s response. Practicing with familiar questions helps you trust the process. You can check it by saying your real name, and then a fake name to see your body respond with a yes/no.

4. Move to real decisions:
   Once you’re comfortable, try asking questions about choices you’re facing. Be specific and phrase them in a yes/no format, like, “Would it be in my best interest to take this opportunity?”

5. Practice and trust:
   If it feels a little awkward at first, that’s totally normal. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel. Trust that your body knows what’s best for you.

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Integration: Bringing this into daily life

Here are a few ways to make muscle testing part of your routine:

• Use it for small, low-stakes decisions to build confidence

• Pair it with journaling to reflect on what comes up

• Practice daily, even for just a few minutes, to strengthen your connection with your body

Recently, I agreed to carry out some tasks for a friend, and I felt really good about it when I said yes. I agreed to do several things for them, but after completing the first couple of tasks, I noticed I started to feel differently. I began to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and resentful.

I paused as soon as I noticed the resentment. I acknowledged the fears that were coming up, which sounded like:

• “You agreed to do this, so you must honor those agreements.”

• “If you don’t honor your agreements, this person is going to be mad/disappointed/not like you anymore.”

I was spiraling. I knew that resentment is my indicator that I need to assert boundaries for myself, but I had fears telling me that my needs were not as important as someone else’s. Hello, codependency.

I couldn’t discern if I was just avoiding something or if this was genuinely a “no” for me. Then I remembered this practice. As I stood over the sink, washing dishes erratically, I turned off the water, took a few deep breaths, and set my intention to receive a clear answer for my highest and best good—and the highest and best good of all. I asked:

“Is it in my highest and best good to do (the agreement)?”

I got a clear no, which made me uncomfortable, so I asked in a couple of other ways:

“Is it in the highest and best good of everyone that I say no to this?”

I got a clear yes, and that’s when things got even more uncomfortable. Now, I had to decide whether to lean into my body’s wisdom or override it. I chose to listen. As uncomfortable as it was, I have lived a whole life overriding my needs and boundaries. I am committed to doing something different. This was my opportunity.

I let my friend know that I was unable to do the last task I had agreed to and that I appreciated their understanding. I was true, brief, and clear, without defending or over-explaining why, and it felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted off me. My anxiety, which had nearly escalated into a full-blown panic attack, dissipated, and all the intrusive thoughts vanished.

I anchored into that felt sense of relief, and I am holding it as evidence of what happens when we listen to and attune to our body’s divine guidance.

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Your meditation and shadow work questions to explore

For paid subscribers, I’ve recorded a guided meditation to walk you through the muscle testing process step by step. This is a great way to build confidence and start practicing with ease. You can listen to the meditation when you upgrade your subscription to paid by clicking here.

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