Athlete’s call it instinct. Hipsters know it as vibes. Scientists claim it’s intuition. You and I probably refer to it as a gut feeling. And the more spiritual among us may think of it as sixth sense. Regardless of how you might refer to it, most of us have experienced a “feeling” that we can’t quite describe.

Here’s the thing though, in the age of “Information of Everything” it’s so easy to be influenced by those around us. Yup, we pretty much rely on “the herd” to choose a phone, deciding on which software to buy, or where we eat. It would be foolish ignore the wealth of information (and not to go with it), right?

However, in a world where we value facts over emotion, we’ve certainly all had moments when a “gut feeling” affected our judgement. It’s an ancient concept. Instincts are not some weird mystical power that are only found in the animal kingdom. We’re all born with instincts to help us survive. This inner guidance of intuition comes with no logical explanation and somehow has the magical ability to glimpse into the future and to know what is right for us.

Say you walk into a restaurant you’ve never visited before. Without conscious awareness your brain processes a raft of information: the floor is dirty, the flowers a fake, and there’s a smell. Instantly a dirty floor + fake flowers + weird smell = a bad dining experience. Much of what you know, you know without knowing how you know it … a generalization of past experiences (if that makes sense?)

So, should you put your trust into a feeling, or an instinct that you can’t explain? Wouldn’t sticking to logic and reason help you make better decisions?

There are scientifically valid reasons to trust your feelings, perceptions, and intuitions. Emotions and intuition are appraisals of what you have experienced or thought of, and, in a sense, they are a form of information processing. True, some decisions require rational information and analysis, but there are times when you have very little verifiable information, and this is when an intuitive hunch has huge value.

It can serve as a sledgehammer to come down decisively when you don’t have enough time or data to make a decision. Trusting your gut allows you the freedom to move forward.

“Your sixth sense” is your authentic self,” says intuitive author and business psychic Sonia Choquette. It’s the thing that attracts others to you, and what sets you apart from the crowd. According to Choquette, “when you trust your intuition, you trust yourself.”  

Although intuition can be a powerful decision-making tool, studies have found that the best decisions are rarely based on pure gut or solely on analytics, but rather a combination of the two.

Bottom line: Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is through intuition. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.

Source: thesouljam.com, Monday-8am.com, smh.com.au, psychologytoday.com, healthline.com, jotform.com, cassandragaisford.com, uschamber.com

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.