All of us are born with powerful wisdom within us. It’s there to guide us in good times and bad. We need it most when we feel lost, alone and directionless.

We live in a time of turmoil and upheaval. The stability we’ve counted on, such as steady jobs, long-lived marriages, excellent health and financial security, are a thing of the past for many of us. So where are the directions to find sanity and safety amidst all this loss? They’re within us. They’ve been there all along. We just seem to have forgotten where to look.

I wrote a book entitled, LISTEN: Trusting Your Inner Voice in Times of Crisis, to help you tap in to and listen to your source of wisdom. You have inside information that gives you accurate guidance to make the best choices for a happy career, to improve your marriage, to help your kids, to live a healthy life full of hope, passion and purpose. Most important, it can help you get your life back on track when you’ve been thrown off course.

This wisdom doesn’t come from your logical mind. It comes from a spiritual source that you may experience as an inner prompting, inspiration, a gut feeling, a quickening, a knowing deep in your heart. It doesn’t speak to you through a megaphone or in a loud voice. It fact, most often it communicates through the proverbial “still, quiet, inner voice.”

You don’t go through this life alone. God is constantly relaying His guidance for you in His own way. You are attuned to the frequency of this message by being still and listening within. It is unfailingly there. The guidance may not be received at the exact moment you’re tuning in, but it’s there, giving you solace, direction and loving counsel throughout every moment of the day and night.

I interviewed many people for the book. They shared their advice about what to do when you are going through a life transition or crisis. Following are the top ten pieces of wisdom I heard repeated in some form by almost everyone.

When you’ve done all you can do and life still isn’t going your way, it’s time to surrender. God has a better plan. Make a space for His miracles.

Be extra kind to yourself. If you’re going through a crisis, it isn’t the time to beat yourself up or get down on yourself for some perceived failing. Simply do the best you can every day. Things will get better.

When you begin to feel overwhelmed, simply stop. Wherever you are, take a few slow deep breaths. It will help you feel calmer and realign your spirit.

Have a positive, easy-to-remember affirmation that can get you through a tough day. Many folks mentioned favorites like, “This too shall pass.” “It is what it is.” “I let go and let God.” “All I can do is put one foot ahead of the other and keep moving.” “I am (or this situation is) in God’s hand’s.” And finally, “It will all work out.”

When you don’t know what to do, just take the next right step. It doesn’t have to be a big leap.

Keep your focus on where you want to go, not on where you’ve been. All endings simply become new beginnings.

Make a list of small pleasures. These could be getting your hair done, taking a walk with a friend, renting a funny movie. Do at least a few of them every week. It’s important to take care of yourself even when you’re in a crisis.

God’s delays are not his denials. Be patient. The Universe is unfolding just as it should. You’re being readied for something better.

Keep in touch with people who love you and make you feel better. Surround yourself with “yay-sayers,” not nay-sayers. Life is too short to hang out with folks that make you feel bad.

At the end of your life, it’s not the toys, the money, the positions you’ve held. The most important thing is that you loved and allowed yourself to be loved in return.

When you’re experiencing a challenging time, it’s common to wonder, “will life ever return to normal?” When you allow yourself to be gently led by your intuition, you’re putting your faith and trust in Divine hands. God can see the big picture for your life and He knows the best path to get you where you need to go — back to a sense of peace no matter what is happening in your life.

Go within to a quiet place in your heart and simply ask for guidance. Wait with patience and confidence. The answers will come. You’re always being guided to the next right job, a shift in attitude, a path to create a more loving relationship or a way to heal your body. The answer may arrive as a huge surprise, leaving you excited and exhilarated. It may also come as a simple nudge or prompting, gently guiding you to something new. There is no right or wrong way to receive this insight.

We need to listen to this wisdom now more than ever. Open your heart and mind to the brilliance within you. Let it guide your life. You are being gently and surely led. There is always a way home.

Excerpted from LISTEN: Trusting Your Inner Voice in Times of Crisis by Lynn A. Robinson (http://amzn.to/fIfpOl)

Copyright 2011 by Lynn A. Robinson

Author's Bio: 

Lynn A. Robinson, M.Ed., is one of the nation's leading experts on the topic of intuition. Through her work as an intuitive she's helped thousands of people discover their life passion and achieve their goals. Voted “Best Psychic” by Boston Magazine, she’s also a bestselling author whose latest book is LISTEN: Trusting Your Inner Voice in Times of Crisis. Her other books include Divine Intuition and Trust Your Gut. Her free Intuition Newsletter is available at http://www.LynnRobinson.com. She may be reached at 800-925-4002 or at Lynn@LynnRobinson.com.