Do You Listen to your Gut?

Have you ever wondered how you get feelings about people and situations? It happens to me all the time. I’ve spoken, on the podcast, about how my gut helps guide me. I believe the more accurate definition is intuition. 

Intuition is your gut feeling or your ability to know something without conscious reasoning. It can be a powerful tool for leaders, as it can help you make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and create a more positive work environment.

I never ignore my gut feeling. It has been there most of my life. You can develop your intuition by paying attention to your gut feelings. When you have a strong feeling about something, take a moment to pause and ask yourself why you feel that way. What is it about the situation that is making you feel this way? Once you understand your gut feeling, you can start to trust it more. Learn from it.

Sometimes as the fast pace keeps you going, you must find some time to reflect on your gut or intuition and file those thoughts and feelings. If you can’t be present with your intuition, you’ll never be able to develop it.

Over time you will trust your gut. When you have a strong feeling about something, go with it. Your intuition is often right, even if you can’t explain why. I have a saying when I don’t go with my gut: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda!

You may open yourself up to new ideas even if they seem outside the box (sometimes good). You may find a new direction.

Don’t rush it. Developing your intuition takes time. In years past, I did not know my gut was working for me. It took me some time to realize that my decisions or feelings came from a place I could not define. It takes practice to test and grow your intuition. But don’t discount it when you don’t make perfect decisions.

A caveat is to be careful of your own biases. Open up to others’ feedback, and don’t ignore the facts that surround the decision you need to make. Weigh all the evidence before you decide.

Now go and read between the lines!