You may have heard of the phrases, ‘go with your gut feeling’ or ‘go with what your inner voice is telling you’. Albert Einstein once stated, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” My own interpretation of these words is intuition first, then rational thought. Our intuition these days isn’t as finely tuned as it should be. We’ve simply lost touch with how we are feeling in our body: the butterflies in our belly, the discomfort in our chest, our rapid pulse, etc. Furthermore, our rational thoughts and our intuition are surprisingly linked to both our brain and our gut; hence, we often hear the frequently used phrase, ‘go with your gut’. So, intuition v’s anxiety? How can you tell the difference?
Our prefrontal cortex is the part of our brain that is also known as our ‘rational brain’. This part of our brain is heavily involved in our decision-making process. It expresses our personality and moderates our social behaviour, controls our motor functions, and helps us to plan and organise. Beneath our cerebral cortex lives our limbic system, the part of our brain that is involved in our behavioural and emotional responses. This part of our brain often knows the right answer even before our logical brain does. It’s also well researched and widely accepted that there is a direct link between our brain and our gut, so paying attention to our gut should be imperative when we’re making important decisions. This is because our gut receives messages from our brain, and these ‘messages’ are then magnified via a physical response and sent back to the brain as a signal to warn us.
If we experience physical sensations in our gut, for example, butterflies or tightness, it’s usually for a very good reason, and we shouldn’t simply ignore them as they are there to guide us. When we meet a person that we may feel is not trustworthy, or when we fear someone is not being truthful with us, if we sense danger, or if we just have a niggling feeling that something isn’t quite as it should be, it’s often wise to go with our gut feeling or intuition.
Trusting or paying heed to what our gut is telling us is important in determining whether it’s a good idea to proceed with a situation, offer, friendship, or relationship. Sometimes, a person or situation may seem almost too good to be true. Although the person or situation may appear to be very attractive to us, there may be a feeling that something feels ‘off’ or ‘not quite right’. Narcissists and those with other antisocial personality disorders (formerly referred to as psychopaths or sociopaths) covertly portray themselves as being wonderful individuals who seem to have nothing but our best interests at heart. These individuals present themselves to the world wearing a ‘mask of deception’ which they commonly use to take advantage of others. We can learn to avoid these situations or individuals before things go too far if we learn to pay attention to our gut feeling.
Individuals who experienced anxiety in their childhood are most likely to be anxious adults. Anxiety has been shown to shut down a person’s ability to make intuitive decisions or act on their gut feelings. When we’re feeling anxious, we may lack the optimism and trust in ourselves that is needed to take a leap of faith and go with our gut. Even people who have had traumatic experiences in their early lives, whose intuition has been shut down, can learn to develop their intuition and feel more confident in going with their gut when faced with people or situations that make them feel unsure or uneasy. https://sydneyhillscounselling.com.au/blog/are-you-living-with-anxiety/
Here are some tips on being more in touch with your intuition and gut:
Hit the Pause button and clear your mind:
When we’re busy, our gut feelings can be tricky to identify, and we may tend to miss vital information when making important decisions. Take time to hit pause and don’t just jump into a situation that you may come to regret down the track. This can mean stepping away from a situation to determine if it’s right for you, for example, placing a hold on a career move that may not be the best move for you right now. Instead of mulling something over and over, take a break from thinking about it for 24 hours and see what comes up for you after that time.
Listen to your gut (literally):
Pay attention to your body’s physical reactions. There are neurotransmitters in your gut, so if you get a gut feeling, don’t ignore it! Set an intention before meeting someone to listen to your mind and your gut. Notice any physical sensations in your gut area and notice whether you feel any tightness, butterflies, discomfort, or queasiness.
Scan your body:
Take a few moments every day to scan your body. Notice anything that may feel different; perhaps any tension, twitching, pain or queasiness. When you are faced with a situation that feels off or if you meet a person whom you’re just not sure about, you’ll find it easier to identify any irregular feelings inside your body. Here is a link to a quick 4-minute body scan: https://youtu.be/YYCjJdnp3nw?si=laC-XJfHTvB51qfv
Observe your energy levels:
How are your energy levels around a particular person or in this situation? Some people can drain your energy and leave you feeling exhausted. If you feel this way about someone, your intuition is telling you something.
Pay attention to your Aha moments:
Our aha moments are usually closely linked to our gut feelings or intuition; investigate further and go with your gut.
Determine whether you’re feeling fear rather than intuition:
If you find that you’re unable to determine whether what you are feeling is fear or intuition, or if you fear that something is making you feel uneasy, you may want to consider making a list of everything that you’re afraid of. When you’ve done this, keep the list handy and refer to it when you suspect a gut feeling may be driven by fear.
Practice Mindfulness Meditation.
Clearing your mind of repetitive thoughts and worries can be a good way to listen to your inner voice. Just ‘be’ and let ideas and solutions come to you during this quiet time. Just a few minutes (three to five) each day can help you better connect with your intuition and become more aware of any unsettling sensations you may feel in your gut. You don’t necessarily have to sit and meditate; sometimes taking a walk can help you to clear your mind just as effectively. Noticing sights, smells, and things you touch in nature can put you more in touch with what you may be feeling inside. https://sydneyhillscounselling.com.au/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health-and-wellbeing/
When our anxiety or fear is being triggered, it can be easy for us to experience an overwhelming swirl of thoughts and emotions. At times, these feelings can mask our ability to be able to use our intuition. Speaking with a registered, professional counsellor can help to determine whether anxiety or fear of making the wrong decisions is clouding your ability to use your intuition when making important decisions.
Sydney Hills Counselling offers face-to-face counselling or telehealth sessions via Zoom. Please contact us today to see how we can help you. Due to a recent increase in inquiries, contacting us via email at [email protected]rather than calling us will ensure a timely response to your inquiry. You can also leave a voice message on (02) 9159-6277.
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