Here's how you can benefit from trusting your gut
Many of us can say we have experienced moments of knowing something was going to happen, before it actually happened. That’s called your gut instinct, similar to intuition and it's truly a magical thing. Understanding your gut instincts is almost like having a super power!
So what is a gut instinct anyways? It's an immediate feeling both physical and instinctual without any logical rationale. For example, you have a strong, tingly sensation in your stomach that something good is going to happen.. Then bam it does! It’s like an i told you so moment, but nobody believes you because how could you explain that you just predicted the future? Hence, a superpower -- duh!
One theory suggests you can “feel” events approaching due to the dopamine neurons in your brain. Meaning if something in our environment is even slightly off, let’s say a car is approaching very fast, your brain releases dopamine which produces that weird, gut feeling. Trusting your gut however is a pretty cool feeling when it comes to fruition, of course your instincts are not always going to be warning you of something positive in the works, but a warning nonetheless is better than being blindsided!
What is a gut instinct supposed to feel like? Typically gut sensations are accompanied by a physical sensation such as sensing: warmth, stomach in knots, being on high alert, or a wave of goosebumps for example.
TRUST YOUR GUT
The human body is much more intelligent than we can explain or comprehend, just like our gut feelings, it may not tell us the answer we need but it is preparing us for something on the road ahead. Whenever you receive a gut feeling try to remind yourself it’s simply your body’s way of sending you a message, and by trusting your body and your instincts you will become more aware and aligned on the path you're destined for. The renowned Judith Orloff, Psychiatrist and author of Second Sights believes there are many benefits associated with listening to your gut that go beyond life-or-death situations. By that she explains that living more intuitively helps to keep you living in the present moment, therefore you're not as focused on the past or the future (which is a huge cause for stress and anxiety). So not only does listening to your gut help guide you on the right path, but it also keeps you living in the present moment and can therefore increase happiness while lowering stress and anxiety!
HOW DO I CHOOSE WHAT GUT FEELINGS TO TRUST?
That’s half the battle, yes our gut instincts tend to be right, but sometimes certain environments or factors can pull a false trigger on our gut instincts. The key is to find your personal balance between gut instincts and rational thinking. Once you get a gut feeling, start to engage your rational mind to weigh out your choices in the scenario then decide the best way to act on them. Truth be told though.. you will just know some of these things and no one can tell you otherwise. That’s the amazing thing about the human body, there’s no way to explain our intuition and just “knowing” something -- as they say, when you know, you know! Here’s a quick round up of the top signs to never ignore that will help you get started with better understanding your gut instincts:
5 GUT INSTINCTS YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE
- Something doesn’t feel right in my body
- I sense danger
- I want to help
- I know how to do this/I know the answer
- This is it!
The Takeaway
- Trusting your gut will align and lead you on the right path
- Listening to your gut instincts will help you stay focused on the present, not on the past or future which in turn can help improve happiness and reduce stress and anxiety
- If you're unsure of how to gauge your gut feelings, remember the 5 gut instincts you should not ignore