By Samantha McKenzie

Have you ever felt it? The nudge. It’s a thumping feeling inside of you that’s telling you that you have something else to do. It’s a nudge and it’s strange to explain, but you know it when it happens because it won’t let you loose.

Sometimes it feels like a palm pressing gently at the base of your back, pushing you towards a mountain you’re just not ready to climb. Sometimes the nudge wakes you up in the middle of the night and won’t allow you to rock yourself back to sleep. You can count sheep all night long, but it won’t work. I’ve started to just get up and pull out my laptop and write down everything that I’m thinking about. The nudge has trained me well.

I believe the late Sen. John McCain felt it when he decided to break party lines and support the Affordable Care Act – killing his party’s third serious attempt to destroy former President Barack Obama’s legacy.

That nudge goes after us all.

It’s an indescribable feeling. It startles you at first. It can even upset you for long periods of time. But it will sit uncomfortably in the pit of your stomach until you submit.

That nudge is my reminder to stop being lazy, to stop thinking that tomorrow will deliver. That nudge forces me to stop lying to myself, to be more honest about the things that really matter to me. It’s like an internal alarm that goes off when I allow my dreams to fall by the way side or when I put projects down for extended periods.

Nudges can be seasonal. For some, they’re more constant. But when they arrive, they can not be ignored.

Nudges say – chase after your dream. Marry that guy. Take the job. Buy the beach condo. Open the business this spring. Cut him loose. Invest more. Introduce yourself. Have the baby. Learn a new hobby. Speak up next time. Book the flight. Find your way. Try it again.

Nudges are the universe’s way of telling us that there’s more work to do. They are the universes message that spur us into action. They tell us to start over. To stay focused. To go in a totally different direction. And if we pay close attention, they always come back right when we need them.

Listen to your nudge.