Intuition
(Laura’s Thoughts)
Learning to listen to your intuition is a skill. It can be really hard to trust a feeling that is fleeting and without proof. Is it all in my head, or is this really happening?
If I’m at the hill and I get a bad feeling I try to listen to it. That might mean staying away from metal and just cruising, going in to take a break, or leaving. It can feel like my mind really wants to board, but my body’s fucking tired and its nudging me to take it easy.
In relationships, sometimes we hear one thing but it doesn’t align with someones actions. If we are listening to our gut were interpreting the big picture. If someone says they want to be there for you but makes up a ton of excuses why they can’t be, and your gut is telling you to step back, it might be a good idea.
I’ve been nervous to move away from Salt Lake and I’ve been trying to think about it analytically. There are so many variables to weigh out... but in my heart I know it will be good for me, so thats enough.
Reading:
Malcolm Gladwell on intuition
A tremendous amount of expertise resides in the unconscious mind. These aren't things we can necessarily describe, explain or map out. It's a steady accumulation of knowledge that lies below the surface and comes out in the form of intuition. This is one thing that distinguishes experts from non-experts. As the mind stores unconscious expertise, we become more sophisticated. Anyone juggling many different variables, dealing with incredibly new and complex issues, managing all kinds of different personalities has to, at some point, rely on this body of submerged knowledge to make sense of their tasks.
Make distinctions between what's knowable and what's not knowable. Use classic, rational, constant analysis, but be very clear about the things that are not predictable. When it comes to answering these types of questions, we have no choice but to rely on our best judgment. However, understand that when you rely on best judgment, the rules change a bit. Judgment is something that can't always be explained or defined. It doesn't come with an instruction manual. It requires a leap of faith.
Thought/ Journal Topics:
Think of a time when you followed your instincts and it worked out… How did it feel to trust yourself?
If you have a bad feeling about something but there isn’t any real evidence to support it, how would you handle it?
Is putting your trust in hard truths better than trusting your instinct? Why or why not?
