Gut Feelings

(Originally posted on September 9, 2015)

I trust my gut.

This trust has been nurtured and well earned over many years. I have paid attention when it has warned me, and experimented to find out how accurate it is. There have been times that I have felt one way, but done something different because my brain thought otherwise. And more often than not I found that my gut was correct, and I should have followed it.

When I talk about my gut feelings, I am referring to those initial tendencies and feelings that just come to you. That feeling you get when you meet someone. That slight nudge that makes you pay attention when you hear something. That “I don’t know” that comes when you read something. That small pull that comes when you are faced with a decision.

And decisions are where I have learned to trust my gut the most. Those feelings don’t necessarily come right away, but as I think about a decision, mulling it over, I just get a slight pull in one direction or another. Sometimes it makes sense right away, but many times it doesn’t. But it is right so often I pay attention to it. And for those times it doesn’t make sense initially, I watch and wait, and most times I find out that it was right, and it makes sense.

It is hard to communicate gut feelings to others, especially when it can be confused with spiritual promptings. It is just a feeling after all. And not having a logical, ready answer why something is right has caused problems. It takes a lot of trust to be able to go with someone else’s gut instinct, and I never blame anyone who isn’t comfortable with it. Thankfully, in those circumstances where it is important, my brain or the spirit lets me know enough additional information so I can communicate why I feel a decision is right.

So go with your gut when you can. Experiment and pay attention to it. Try to hone it and listen to your instincts. You may be surprised at how accurate it is. And if it isn’t, pay attention to why. That may tell you more about yourself than you might think.

Take care and good feelings!