When the traffic light turns green, I’m usually quick to hit the gas and barrel through the intersection. But on this day, for some inexplicable reason, I feel the need to hang back for several seconds. Suddenly, a car runs the opposing red light at high speed. If I’d hurried into the intersection, as I usually did, I’d have been broadsided.

My brother and sister-in-law are heading home from an afternoon get-together at a friend’s house. My brother would usually turn right to leave the development. But on this day, for some inexplicable reason, he turns left—and sees the tornado heading straight for them. He’s able to make a u-turn and get back to the shelter of his friend’s home. If he’d gone the other way, as he usually did, he wouldn’t have seen the tornado that devastated much of the neighborhood until it was too late.

We’ve all had those gut feelings telling us to hold still, to turn left instead of right, to proof the report one more time, to be wary of a new acquaintance. When our intuition proves right, we sigh in relief at our good fortune—and then we forget about it. And that’s too bad because if we paid a little more attention to our intuition, we might be able to improve it. Try these suggestions:

• Adjust your attitude. Stop thinking of intuition as some sort of spooky-cosmic thing. Intuition is nothing more than perceptive insight. It’s a skill—and like any other skill, it can be improved. The more you practice listening to your inner voice, the better you’ll be able to hear it.

• Turn down the sound. It’s almost impossible these days to find time for quiet reflection. Not to be all Grinchy, but sometimes it’s hard to take all the noise, noise, Noise, NOISE! Set aside time each day to turn off the boss, the coworkers, television, the iPod, the kids, the coffee grinder—whatever—and spend a few minutes in quiet meditation. Take a few deep breaths and try to to help push the stress and chaos from your mind. As you become physically and emotionally calmer and more centered, you’ll find it easier to get in touch with your intuitive self.

• Exercise your senses. Just as you exercise your body, don’t forget to take time each week to exercise your senses. Sit still with your eyes closed to see what subtle sounds you can detect. Cover your ears and look into the distance to spot faraway images. Close your eyes and feel the texture of different fabrics or taste different foods or smell different scents. See how much sharper your individual senses become when they’re not used in concert with other senses.

• Start a journal. Track incidents when you listened to your intuition and whether it proved to be on target. Look for patterns. For instance, do you tend to have good instincts about people but poor instincts about financial matters? Having a record can help you determine your intuitive strengths and weaknesses. You’ll discover when you need to seek additional counsel before making a decision and when you can rely heavily on your own judgment. But when in doubt, always trust you inner voice.