Intuition—We Often Feel It First
We often encounter situations where something feels off, but we can't quite put our finger on why. Many of us tend to ignore these red flags because we can't rationalize them immediately. We rely heavily on our rational minds to make decisions, often at the expense of our instincts. This can lead to missed opportunities or even dangerous situations. Trusting our body and our instincts can be a valuable skill—because we often feel in real time what we can rationalize in hindsight.
Our language is also filled with expressions that highlight the importance of our environment and sensations. Phrases like "aiming up" or "looking down on people" convey a sense of direction and hierarchy. Similarly, expressions such as "something doesn't smell right" or "something feels off" emphasize the role of our senses in perceiving the world around us. These linguistic cues suggest that our environment and bodies have shaped us humans for generations and are still providing us with information that can guide our decisions, even if we are not always consciously aware of it.
Ignoring our instincts can have significant consequences. For example, we might sense that a person is untrustworthy but dismiss this feeling because we can't find a logical reason to support it. Later, we may discover that our initial impression was correct, but by then, it might be too late to avoid the negative outcomes. Our instincts are often based on subtle cues and past experiences that our rational minds may not immediately recognize. This is also evident in the way we navigate physical spaces. Our bodies are constantly providing us with feedback about our environment, helping us to move safely and efficiently. For instance, when we feel unsteady on our feet, our bodies instinctively adjust to maintain balance. This same principle applies to our emotional and social lives. When something feels wrong, it's often because our bodies are picking up on subtle signals that our rational minds have yet to process.
Our instincts are therefore a valuable source of information that should not be ignored and can help us make better decisions and avoid potential pitfalls. While rational thinking is important, it should not come at the expense of our gut feelings—we often feel in the present what we can only fully understand in hindsight.
So, listen to your body—it’s probably smarter than you are.
Until next time,
Scott and Lennart