When should you trust
your instincts?
That gut feeling – trust your instincts!!
When I was a teenager, I often got a sixth sense about things but very rarely would I listen to it. I was too impatient to listen to my inner voice and I if it meant I wasn’t going to have fun – I would squash that little voice with a hammer. I didn’t understand what trust your instincts meant and why something deep inside me would be talking to me anyway.
As I have grown and matured (just a little) my ability to trust my instincts is very strong and very powerful. I believe in the power of my instincts as I believe the body, mind and soul are all connected to help us thrive in life. The connection between the Body, Mind & Soul influences the life we choose to live. The mind has thoughts that cause the emotions the body feels, while the soul communicates to us through our emotions – soul being the inner essence of you.
As an NLP Practitioner, I believe that our feelings are caused by our thoughts – and our thoughts are a choice. Feelings are like signals given to the body to help you understand how to interpret the world around you. Your instincts are just feelings in your body telling you the environment you are in may not serve you. It’s like a little warning but so many of us never listen to the warning.
As adults, most of us want our children to always trust that inner voice inside. Children can be taught about what that funny feeling you get inside is like an inner voice talking to you and you should always trust what it says. If you learn to trust your gut feeling from a young age, then as you get older, you will not abuse it and make excuses to not do things. You will actually trust your subconscious, believe in yourself and avoid things that do not feel right. The worst case scenario is your instincts were wrong.
I have explained to my children about interpreting that funny feeling they may get in their stomach before they are about to do something. As they are getting older, I want them to always trust that feeling as it may be the only thing that saves them.
Here are some situations when you should trust your instincts:
- When you think you may be in danger. Logical huh? Well, too often people don’t listen to that inner, nervous voice. Walking home from a party late at night. Sitting on a train carriage on your own. An unusual car sitting out the front of your house. Hearing funny noises outside then going to check. I have told my children if they think something is wrong or they are feeling nervous about a situation or person – trust that feeling and react accordingly.
- When you need help. That overwhelming feeling that everything is about to come crashing down on you because life is out of control. Ask for help. People actually like to feel needed and most times want to help. If your instincts are screaming you are about to have a breakdown, ask for help. Too often people wait until they are in a mess, laying on the bathroom floor before finally listening to themselves and getting the help required.
- First impressions count. I make a strong effort not to judge people I don’t know but if my instincts are warning me – I listen. Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t like someone when you met them? Often there is a reason and it doesn’t always have to be that the person is an axe murderer or rapist. It might simply be your personalities will clash and in the end, you will constantly be hurt. It might be they are a controlling person and get you at a weak moment. Trust first impressions without judgement.
- When it comes to your children. If you think your child is sick – trust your instincts. If you think your child is different and struggling at school or socially but you can’t put your finger on it, take the steps to find out what it could possibly be. If you wake in the middle of the night and you feel like you need to check your baby – do it. The worst thing that can happen by trusting your instincts is you are wrong.
- When it comes to those who actually care about you. Sometimes we can be blinded by reality and cannot see beyond what we want to see. Our mind is so powerful that it can create a reality that may not be beneficial to you. When someone who cares about you is trying to warn you and your instincts are screaming they are right but your heart (and mind) are fighting back screaming they are wrong, believe that inner voice. They usually have your best interests at heart.
When do you trust your instincts?
Love Always
Linking up with Kylie for #IBOT and Leanne @ DeepFriedFruit
Good post. It’s funny that we have this instinct and the instinct to try and crush the thoughts….?
So true. The thoughts we create from our own thinking to not pursue something, can be pretty powerful
I trust my instincts when it hasn’t been socialised out of me. Right now I have a bug. I’ll get over it. But it’s hard for me to take sick days becuase I spent so many years on contracts without right to leave so even now, with paid leave, I have a history of fear over sick days becuase I won’t get paid or still by habit think I’m casual and they can fire me (totally NOT for being sick of course).
It’s interesting Ness how our beliefs – just a thought we have thought so many times we believe it to be true – can still control our life even when it no longer serves us.
Great read, Natalie! I have always had very strong instincts when it comes to people. There aren’t many people I don’t like, but the two times I’ve had a terrible feeling about someone new entering my life, I’ve been right in the end. It’s very hard to explain this to others (eg my husband) who are incredibly trusting and try to see the best in everyone.
You sound like you are very trusting too but also listen to your inner voice. I am the same and I don’t say much about many people, but when I do, my Hubby always listens.
I have really learned to listen to my instincts. Ignoring them has previously led to far too much heartache!
If more people listened to their instincts, it will help eliminate more unhappiness.
I have learned that ignoring that voice, that cue from yourself, will always end badly. Mostly when it comes to knocking breakables off benches and locking keys in places, but sometimes big things too. Great post!
I love the way you have put that – the cue from yourself. It’s when we understand ourselves and back ourselves is when instincts are so powerful.
Great post – as always. I tend to trust my instincts – especially the ones about first impressions – although I still tend to trust most people. Of late I’ve found myself becoming a tad anxious about uncontrollables & have to actively remind myself that what I’m feeling is anxiety and not a gut feeling. The 2 can be similar but very different.
The fact that you are thinking consciously is a great step to making changes.
Excellent points Natalie. I used to mostly ignore that inner voice (or gut feeling) when I was young too because back then I was all about having fun and I had very little fear. I didn’t want anything to interfere with that. It’s not like that anymore! I’ve learnt that my intuition (gut feeling) is very strong and generally right and so I listen to it now. 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
I have found that most people ignored it when they were younger, maybe it was that our brains weren’t fully developed.
I always try to trust that gut instinct, I’ve found it’s never led me astray (yet!). Have you read the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell? It’s a really excellent book and is all about gut instinct, with excellent case studies and examples of how gut instincts can save lives. If you haven’t read it you definitely should!
#teamIBOT
Thanks Kylie. I haven’t read Blink but i will put it on my list and check it out.