It probably won’t surprise you too much to learn that I read quite a few books on spirit guides. From well-known mediums like James Van Praagh to relative newcomers such as Yamile Yemoonyah, and all of their different methods, philosophies and experiences fascinate me. But one thing always stands out: for most of them, connecting with their guides came easily. It was either a part of their life for as long as they can remember or it began spontaneously. While honing and understanding their gifts undoubtedly took time and practice, connecting to their guides in the first place always sounds somewhat effortless.

My experience, however, couldn’t be more different. For me, it wasn’t something that just happened as if by magic one night. It wasn’t something I grew up doing (at least not that I was aware of!) And it wasn’t something that came to me as soon as I started trying.

It was something that took a lot of time and effort. It was something that took a lot of trial and error. Above all, it was something that took a lot of patience and persistence. Eventually it paid off…and then some! This is exactly why I know deep down that we can all connect with our guides on our own, without the use of other intuitives or mediums. It’s also why I believe most people are already receiving messages from their guides, but they just don’t realize it yet. 

Here are a few tips on how your guides may be sending you signs and what to look for as you begin your spirit guide journey.

#1 – Recurring Visions, Sound or Other Sensations

For at least a year before I first officially met my first guide, I’d been having glimpses of the same scene during my meditations and intuitive listening practice…a cabin somewhere in the mountains. I could see the gravel path leading up to its front porch and smell the smoke coming from its chimney. I could even feel the brisk mountain air. And it made absolutely no sense. Growing up in Connecticut, I spent a lot of time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire growing up…and I knew it wasn’t there. It was some place new and unfamiliar. I had no idea what to think about these visions and could have easily dismissed it. 

Instead, I always noted it down in my journal. When I met my guide Frank, a rancher from Wyoming, the first thing he said to me was that he had been trying to reach me for a while. I immediately knew these visions were messages from him and that this was Frank’s cabin. In fact, in the meditation I used that very first time, it guided me to envision a house somewhere…and that cabin is what I visualized. So I first met Frank in his cabin!! 

So don’t dismiss those seemingly imaginary visions you may be receiving!

#2 – New & Sudden Callings of the Heart

Callings of the heart don’t need to be huge or romantic gestures. They can be as simply as an unrelenting urge to do something new or that you haven’t done in decades. And so often, these little acts lead us to where we are meant to be next. And they are often planted in our mind by our guides. 

The more I began connecting with my higher self, developing my intuition, and attempting to connect with my spirit guides, the more I kept having one thought come up over and over and over again: Get out in nature and be near the water. It seemed to make no sense. And even though I live fairly close to the water, it also seemed irresponsible to focus on that rather than my business. But it came up so often, that I had to follow this nudge. 

It wasn’t long before I realized that when I am near the water or out in the woods, my intuition and connection to spirit is by far the strongest. To this day, my most profound connections with my spirit guides have been when I’m out on my morning walks by the water. I now how no doubt that this was a message from my guides to get into an environment where my intuitive abilities are heightened. 

Resist the urge to ignore these callings or to put them off for a “better” time – they may be signs from your guides that are leading you to the perfect next step in your journey. 

#3 – Sudden Knowings

This is definitely one of the strangest, yet most awesome things about connecting with spirit guides. So often, it is as though I suddenly know something I never knew before. It happens a lot. Whether it is recognizing a link between two things that I never saw before, like when I realized how our mind connects with the spiritual realm, or when I’m suddenly able to map out my next book in under an hour, it is clear to me that this knowledge is coming from something bigger than just me. At first, I chalked it up to the idea of “spiritual downloads” people often talk about. 

Now, I know it is slightly different than some random idea filtering through my mind unexpectedly. As I’ve learned to trust these knowing and the messages from my guides, I can now ask for specific guidance and know that I will receive the perfect information for whatever project I’m working on at any given time. One guide shared the outline for my entire spirit guide course one afternoon in December. Another gave me the format for the Channeled Writing workshop I ran for my coach a couple weeks ago. And time after time, they guide me on what to share on social media and in my blog on any given day. The information is always clear and concise…and almost always includes concepts I’d never even thought of before!

So when you suddenly know something – and know it’s true deep down – don’t question whether it’s true or not. Instead, trust that it’s a message from your spirit team!

A Final Note – Keep Looking!! 

Now, because spirit guides can communicate in so many ways, there are certainly many more things you may have been overlooking…things such as recurring numbers like 11:11 or 3:33, receiving different signs such as seeing dragonflies all over the place suddenly (for me last summer it was deer…I saw them everywhere, very up close and personal!), or recurring dreams. Our guides are persistent, so they will continue to send us there messages until we receive them. They want us to receive them because they are meant to help us fulfill our purpose in life.

So don’t give up and always keep an eye out for what messages you may be missing!