I'm a professional photographer and videographer. I was out on a photo shoot with my buddy Sean and friend Bridget. The shoot was in Bridget's home state so we were using her sister's 4-wheel-drive car to drive around and scout the area.

We'd been to a lot of mountains and forests. I started to get the sense that we were done with our work and got the instinct on our second-to-last day to head home early. I said that idea out loud to my team but wasn't sure. Later that night, my friend Bridget had turned to me and said, "I feel intuitively like you want to go home tomorrow" just as I was thinking, "I feel like I want to go home tomorrow." Ding!

So, on our last day in the mountain we made our way to a spot on a river close to town. We didn't head up the winding, precipitous mountain road that morning to the top, like we did the day before. We had to get to the Seattle airport by early afternoon.

We'd been driving in the mountains in the early spring weather and had driven on a lot of roads with potholes as snow was melting away. The potholes were really hard on the car and we didn't do the best job of avoiding them or going slowly all the time.

As we were leaving the mountain area on our last morning, we stopped for coffee. I stood in the sun, gazed at the car, and noticed that we had a bubble in the front, left tire wall. In fact, we had three. The tire was totally shot and probably not that safe to drive on.

I did some research and we were 31 miles from the nearest tire shop. I checked my intuition and felt we were safe to make the drive. I had lived in Brazil for three years and had experienced a number of tire issues on the roads near the beaches there. I just felt strongly we'd be fine.

With my nervous friend, Bridget, next to me in the front seat, we headed off down the mountain. Fortunately, my gut was right. We made the 31 miles without hitting any more bumps in the road or having any trouble.

Once the new tires were on, I said to my friend Bridget, "Isn't it amazing that you and I both felt such a strong sense to finish early, which kept our journey this morning so much shorter. If we weren't getting ready to head home, we could have ended up way down a longer road, much further from town, with a blown-out tire because we hit a pothole. I feel like we were kept safe by this instinct to go home early."

She agreed. We'd both received such a strong intuitive sense at the same time. I could back it up with logic - we'd seen enough mountains and rivers and made decisions on where we would come back for the main shoot - but it was mostly a strong feeling. And, I was so grateful because it made the trip home much safer and easier than a busted tire, far down an empty mountain road, far from cell reception.

Story by Frankie R.

In intuition class we talked about putting things off on your to-do list or doing things in the order that they feel good. It takes some intuitive know-how.

I'm in school and had an assignment due on Monday morning. Last weekend, all weekend, I thought, "I know I need to get this assignment done for this class before the end of the weekend."

But, I got invited to the pool, so I took my kids to the pool. I got invited to go to the movies. I went to the movies. Sunday, I pretty much just vegged all day because I did a lot the other two days. I thought, "I really just don't want to do this assignment. I don't want to do it right now." I put it off all day. I got my kids into bed. Then, at about 10:30 or 11:00 at on Sunday night I instantly thought, "Okay, it's time."

I had put it off the whole weekend. I really didn't think if I could pull it off it at this point. I thought I might have to change the due date or due something different. I'm in a flex class so I can do that. Thank goodness!

But, at 11 o'clock at night I felt, "Alright, now's the time." I got it done in 30 minutes and I'm pretty sure I made an "A" on it. I'm fairly certain. I did a really good job. I felt very confident turning it in in a way that I didn't when I was forcing myself to push through some of these assignments.

​What did you learn from this experience?

I think there really is something to just listening to yourself and giving yourself that extra space to relax when you want to relax, or do something different, that kind of fills you up before you get into that daunting task.
 
You said some other magic happened over the weekend. Would you please share?

Yes. I was on my way to the pool with my kids and realized we didn't have any sunblock. I wasn't really raised with sunblock but I want to try to get my kids using it. So, I wasn't sure what to buy.

While I stood in the sunblock aisle at Walmart, staring at all the bottles, I noticed another lady nearby me and felt an instinct to ask for her advice. It turned out that she worked in a dermatology office and knew everything I needed to know about which brand and type to buy for my kids. 

Story by Tamara D.

I had a family event to attend and I was nervous. It was my uncle's funeral. I was sad he had passed and I was also scared to attend the celebration of his life. My father would be there. I had not been in touch with my dad for an entire year, for very good reasons, and I was afraid of seeing him.

I realized my husband could not join me on the day of the funeral because he would be out of town for work. A panic swept over me. How would I survive the experience alone? My dad really triggered me.

Instead of giving up on attending, I walked out on the lawn barefoot, put my hand on my heart and tried to take calming breaths. Soon, a thought arrived. "I'll ask my sister-in-law to come with me."

I called her right away. She agreed to come, cleared her calendar, and made me feel so much calmer.

The day of the event, I sat in the pew, away from my immediate family. Everything about the experience felt uncomfortable. I sat in my seat with my printed program in my hand.

I had recently completed a thorough, deep-clean of my home where I had removed as much "clutter" as I could from my family's life. I wasn't "holding on" to things the way I used to. Weirdly, I had the program in my hand and, despite my thought that I could leave it in the pew or throw it away on my way out, I felt a need to hold on to it. I had a strong instinct to to tuck it into my purse. So, at the end of the ceremony, I did that and started to walk to the back of the church.

As I moved toward the lobby, I felt so worried I would run into my father, who was standing by one of the exit doors. Fortunately, I saw someone I really wanted to see, my cousin who had just lost her dad. We hadn't connected in many years. I put my hand on her back, gave her a hug, and said, "I'm so sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do right now for you to help out?"

She said, "I just wish I had a program. I've looked and I can't find one anywhere."

I reached into my purse, pulled out the program I'd felt inspired to keep, and handed it to her saying, "Here. Have this one." She was so grateful and hugged me with tears in her eyes. I hugged her goodbye and managed to leave without interacting with my father.

As I left the event, It felt so magical that I held on to the program that my cousin needed to feel calm and better in that moment. I managed to listen to my inner voice even when so much was going on around me. I feel I'm learning to listen to the still voice within me no matter what's going on outside of me.

​

Story by Frankie R.

One night after visiting my sister's place, I was driving back home in the dark. I was pondering my bank account and thinking how this particular paycheck was light and I shouldn't do extra spending. I was also on my last leg of gas, and it had started sprinkling a couple miles back.

I passed someone walking on the road in the dark with no lights or reflectors. I couldn't make out anything about them and was surprised I even noticed them at all. The road I was on is a main highway and stretches for a long while. 

I had my two kids in the car and I'm a single mother. My gas light was going to come on soon. I knew those who care most about me wouldn't want me picking up strangers but I couldn't shake the feeling to turn around. 

I took the U-turn lane and circled back to find a man named Charles. I offered him a ride and he took it. He said he only needed to travel a few miles up and, even though it was out of the way, I knew there was a gas station nearby, if needed. We drove for about five minutes to reach his destination.

I dropped him off at his place of work where his truck was parked. I didn't know the circumstances of him walking but was glad I could save him a couple miles and a lot of time in the rain. As he got out of the car he asked if I would accept gas money.

My thoughts were quick about how it was only a few miles, a five-minute drive. I have a gas efficient Prius and I didn't give him a ride expecting anything. But, I could probably use the gas money given my bank account situation. Reluctantly, I said, "I don't expect you to do that but if you insist, I won't reject your offer." 

Charles dug through several bills in his wallet and looked up. He said he didn't have small change and apologized. I told him no big deal, that I didn't expect anything from him. He said, "It's not that. I want to pay you for your kindness, but I'm afraid you won't accept my offer."

I promised if he really wanted to pay for the ride -- it wasn't necessary -- I would accept his gas money if that would make him feel better. I thought maybe he had $10-20 which was way more than I actually spent on gas for the quick drive. $20 would have filled my car. This man handed me a hundred dollar bill and left me speechless. 

Story by Amy W.

I'm starting my own marketing agency. It's a ton of work and sometimes, even after I've done everything I can to put together a rock-solid, reasonably-priced plan for a client, they're still unsure. They don't want to spend the money. They're not sure they're ready to grow. Whatever the reason, it leaves me in limbo after I've invested a lot of time and heart.

In one situation, I was ready to quit. This client had requested many changes to our plan, over months, and my business partner and I agreed it was time to "fire" him. I didn't want to. I liked his business and was sure it could succeed but I had decided no real future could be built until he agree to go forward with the marketing plan we'd created.

Nervous, I started the phone call, "Hi, how's it going?" He responded, "Well, I was talking to our main investor last night and he told me I'll never grow this business until I spend some money. So, I'm ready to spend some money. Let's launch your plan, Amy!"

Whoa! It was so unexpected, perfect, and wonderful. All at once! I'm ready to say goodbye and instead we're now able to pour fuel on the fire and get this business really cooking. I am so excited! He's going to be so happy with what we do and my business is growing, too.

What did you learn from this experience?

This stuff works! Being intuitive and open, that is. I wrote about my wish to have this situation change in my journal. I think it's magic because it happened so easily. Next I'm going to write about how I want a pony. I'm not kidding. I want my own horse to ride.

By Bridget Q.

During winter in Seattle, my mom has been coming over in the evening to read by my fire. She finds it more relaxing than watching TV. I agree!

She started with a book on how the Danish raise their kids and when we were brainstorming more books she would like she wanted a biography of Barbara Bush. She met Barbara back the 80s and always admired her as a mother and classy dame.

​

​
We figured we would find it at a used book shop or the Goodwill by some magic at some point. Or, if needed, just buy it online and have it shipped right to her.

Just a few nights later I went for a walk in my neighborhood. It was dark and chilly and I decided to wander a different way than normal. I crossed the main road I live by and went uphill, instead of taking my usual, easier, evening route on a flat road near my building.

Often when I walk I sense guided directions, like "right" or "left," or I just feel like going a certain way because the other direction feels like two magnets flipped so they repel each other. This often results in chance meetings with friends or a better workout or seeing hummingbirds (my favorite!).

This night, through a combo of vibes and tips I ended up on a street I rarely walk down and felt called to a "Little Library" of free books outside of someone's house. Not thinking of the goal of finding Barbara's biography, I spent about a minute looking through the books available and wondering which ones I might like for myself.

Just as I was about to shut the door on the tiny library and walk away a book on the bottom shelf in the far left caught my eye. You guessed it, Barbara Bush's memoir, in perfect condition, clean, and near-new. I snapped it up, laughed out loud, and thanked my always-on, super-helpful guidance for bringing it to me.

Also, Mom is loving reading the book. It's written in a really warm, fun style and her wish to read it is matching up with how much she is enjoying it. She guessed right on what she would enjoy.

​

​
Bridget, what did you take away from the experience of finding that book so quickly and for free? 

I feel like the Universe knows our wishes and brings them to us as they make sense or are in alignment with where we are at and what we are choosing. I think the reading time my mom has undertaken suits her health and well-being in this moment really well. She's totally engrossed in growing her mind and expanding her thoughts as the simpler pace of life is giving her time to go within and move slower. Finding the book so easily only reinforces this new process.
​

Story by Aris W., age almost-13

During the summer, me and my mom developed this thing called Food Feast Fridays. Every Friday morning, we’d go and get something sweet and fun to eat. We had this one shop that we loved going to called Donut Petit. They have the best donuts! They have maybe 30 varieties: s’mores, Boston Creme, blueberry, apple fritter, a croissant donut, Bear Claw donuts and they even put a macaron on a donut. Basically, they’ve made other pastries into donuts. It’s amazing.

​

​
The first magical thing was parking. There isn’t very much parking. We happened to find an open space. Then we looked at the meter and noticed that somebody had already paid for it. That was a “yay!”

We went inside Donut Petit. It always takes us a while to decide which flavor we’re going to get. This time, I had my eye on two flavors of donuts, the blueberry and the raspberry ones. Originally, I decided to get the blueberry one and then when we were ordering it, the person behind the counter gave us an extra donut for free. And, it was the raspberry one. So, I got to have both of them. Magic!

​