{"id":2247,"date":"2022-06-28T10:37:01","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T00:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/?p=2247"},"modified":"2022-06-28T10:37:01","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T00:37:01","slug":"your-sixth-sense-is-your-gut-instinct","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/your-sixth-sense-is-your-gut-instinct","title":{"rendered":"Your sixth sense is your gut instinct"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever felt a sinking sensation in the pit of your stomach when walking into a job interview? Or experienced a flash of clarity about a difficult decision? Perhaps you\u2019ve noticed that fluttery feeling of butterflies on a first date, before you\u2019ve barely exchanged a few words. If those scenarios sound familiar, no, you don\u2019t have an acute Spidey sense. These are all signs of your gut instinct at play.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what exactly are these sudden sparks of intuition? \u201cWhen people say \u2018gut intuition\u2019, what it generally refers to is a primal response to subconscious information, both positive and negative,\u201d says Katie O\u2019Donoghue, the resident relationship coach at The Indigo Project. \u201cIn a way, it is another survival instinct we have that can protect us and guide us in our decision making.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, a \u201cgut feeling\u201d is an ancient concept that mimics the instantaneous flight-or-fight system of our brains. Your sixth sense is an innate ability to understand a person, situation or environment without analytical reasoning, by building a bridge between the conscious and non-conscious parts of your mind.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour gut instinct is something you feel in your body. You often hear people say they chose to do one thing over another because \u2018it felt right\u2019, or because something \u2018felt off\u2019, and this can be a sign they were using their intuition to guide them,\u201d Katie explains. When your gut perceives a \u2018dangerous\u2019 situation, whether physically or emotionally, your bodily reactions can vary from an increased heart rate to sweating palms, tightened muscles or nausea. You\u2019ll know your gut is knocking at your mental door when your reactions are both swift and physical \u2014 the two defining characteristics of intuition.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no wonder we use the terms intuition and gut feeling interchangeably, because science has proven there is an undeniable connection between our brain and our belly, and it even has a name: the gut-brain axis. It refers to the bidirectional physical and chemical links between the two organs, which act as a highway for millions of nerves and neurons and influence our mood, emotions, digestion, health and \u2014 yes \u2014 intuition. That queasy feeling you get around a certain co-worker? It\u2019s a valid reaction rooted in science, so tune into your body and give it the consideration it deserves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from the gut-brain axis, this inner force can often be a prediction based on stored past experiences. A snap judgement is more likely to be reliable in familiar situations, because your track record informs your intuition. If you have had a successful hunch about a big career move in the past, you will be more likely to trust those feelings in the future. The more you take note of your gut feelings and how the context unfolded, the stronger your instincts will grow. However, an irrelevant experience or unconscious bias could push you down the wrong perceptive path, while physical sensations connected to anxiety, emotional distress and illness sometimes masquerade as intuition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s vital to understand how to separate unrelated events or signs of anxiety by decoding when you should listen to your gut, and when you should ignore it. As a general rule, gut feelings are instant and pass quickly, while anxious thoughts fester and linger. Bear in mind that your instincts work best in conversation with a slower, more rational reflection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to listening to your gut instinct, it\u2019s so important to remember that just because you have a \u2018hunch\u2019 or a \u2018gut feeling\u2019, it doesn\u2019t mean you should trust it 100 per cent. There is an element of reason that is needed when it comes to making a choice in any aspect of your life \u2014 relationships, career or personal things,\u201d Katie shares. \u201cYour past experiences and emotions can lead you to make decisions that may not be the best for you in the present \u2014 your mind can play games with you, so you really need to develop a level of emotional intelligence and self-awareness to be able to act on and trust your gut instinct.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Katie says she\u2019s tangoed with that gut instinct herself; \u201cMy gut feeling tends to show up when it comes to perceiving others. Due to my personal background, I have a heightened sense of awareness of my environment and understanding of how people change their behaviours even in the slightest of ways,\u201d she says. \u201cI admit that I didn\u2019t always trust my gut instinct \u2014 I used to be very dependent on others for a version of reality after years of involvement in dysfunctional and unhealthy relationships. It\u2019s only in more recent years I\u2019ve learned to listen to my inner voice for guidance, and been able to separate my anxiety-induced gut reaction from my intuition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your intuition toolkit<\/b><\/p>\n

Katie shares her top four tips to help you decide when to trust your gut.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 1:<\/b> One way you can get a sense of trust is by understanding that your gut instinct tends to surface in specific situations, or when thinking of a certain person. Usually, you\u2019ll reach a clear decision without any doubts when using your gut to guide you versus anxiety-induced gut instinct, which will leave you feeling uncertain, overthinking situations or doubtful of your choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 2:<\/b> Become aware of your cognitive biases and emotions, which may cloud your judgement when making a decision. The more self-aware you can become, the more reliable your gut instinct will be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 3:<\/b> Understand your needs, because this will help you use your intuitive knowledge and gut instinct in a way that serves you. Doing a little self-check-in when making a choice and really listening to your inner voice when it says \u201cno\u201d can help you develop more self-trust and confidence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 4:<\/b> Manage your stress<\/a> and fears to avoid making rash decisions. One way to do this is by developing a morning routine to set the tone for a calm and collected day rather than in fight or flight mode from the get-go.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I explore my own relationship with my intuition, it\u2019s clear that we have a strong and trustworthy alliance. My gut sends me alarm bells about people I\u2019ve just met, in sirens of certainty and echoes of dread. When I made a challenging decision to quit my easy-going role for an unexpected job offer that would catapult my career, a palpable rush of relief told me I\u2019d made the right move. And in the presence of a new romantic partner, my stomach transforms into a tender whirlpool of happiness, peace and security \u2014 my favourite kind of butterflies. Call it my intuition, but I have a feeling I\u2019m not the only one with this marvellous sixth sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kayla\u00a0Wratten is a Brisbane-based journalist. When her head isn’t stuck in a good book, you’ll find her on the yoga mat, in a dance class or crafting inspiring stories. Find her on Instagram at\u00a0@kaylawratten<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A hunch, an inner force or even a premonition \u2014 whatever you call it, your gut instinct is a powerful tool that can guide your actions, decisions and relationships. Here\u2019s how to tune into yours and when to heed its call.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":2261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109,113],"tags":[458,312,126],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2247"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2247"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2264,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2247\/revisions\/2264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wellbeing.com.au\/curious\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}