3 Reasons to Trust Your Gut

You needn’t be a psychic to let intuition guide you. We all get “feelings” that come from some unexplainable place inside ourselves and leave hints about the decisions we make. Whether they surface as warnings, luck or advice about the future – our gut instincts are more than just proof of our over thinking tendencies.

How many times have you wished that you defied the logical choice and went with your “gut?” If the words “I just knew it” cross your lips more than occasionally then, I ask you: what’s stopping you from going with your gut?

Sure, we can’t always prove the truth behind these hunches, so relying solely on instinct gets tough.

But, here’s why you need to pay more attention to those little voices inside you.

Oprah Says So

This 2007′s March issue of “O Magazine” ran a fairly comprehensive article about the logic behind using our guts to decide our next moves. Citing the re-discovery of the enteric nervous system (also known as the second brain), in the 1980’s as scientific proof that “thinking” happens in our bellies.

Try this O Mag. inspired exercise:

Have a seat in a comfy chair, take a deep breath and clear your mind (as much as you can). Now, push firmly on your abdomen. Is it soft and pliable, or does it feel hard and tense? If you are truly relaxed, your gut should show it with flexibility. Now – think of your job, your in-laws, or something that you know stresses you. After briefly concentrating on the stressor – feel your belly. The gut tenses up during stress. Doesn’t it?

Ancient Cultures Believed in Gut Thinking

In the Western world we’ve got the brain and the heart to help make decisions. We are either logical thinkers because we use our brains to consider all facts. Or, we are emotional saps because we use our hearts to “feel” our way to the answers. Society tends to favor straight logic because we like to see physical results. But, in eastern culture emotions and logic are intertwined in the gut. We think because we feel and both are of equal importance.

Think about how relieving it would be if you didn’t feel compelled to second guess your intuition. Does thinking like this cause your tummy to relax?

The Power of Thought Can Haunt You

If you’ve got a sneaking suspicion that your boss isn’t going to like your new proposal, and you don’t address the subject – you may be setting yourself up for failure. Keeping negative thoughts internalized, without changing the physical situation may cause you to foul on the job. We can make ourselves fail by thinking that we will. However, if we address the problem we can let go of negative thinking. If you simply go to your boss with an outline and a few questions just to make sure you’re on track with what he/she wants — you may find out that your presumption was silly. But, you’ll save yourself from causing unnecessary stress.

Have you got a major decision looming over your head right now? Feel your gut as you consider your options. It should soften as you come to the choice that is most comfortable for you. Going with the comfortable choice means that you can put all of your positive efforts into succeeding.

Most of us are fully aware that the holistic approach to healing begins in the gut. In yoga, we breathe into our abdomens, and our bellies are the core of all feelings. So, it’s not far-fetched that that little notion you had to call your sister might be right on the mark.

The next time you get a hunch about what numbers to play, or how to help a buddy out of a sticky situation – Listen to your gut. Take the time to feel what your gut is telling you, and go with it.

What might happen if you didn’t go with instinct on some important decisions?

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