Go with your gut -- always!

Have you noticed that our gut hardly -- if ever -- fails us?

It's when I have opted to go against my better instincts that I've ended up regretting decisions.

That's not to say our gut will never lead us astray, but that seldom happens.

The reason why we should listen to our gut feelings is simply because no one knows us better than we know ourselves.

Whenever I am prodded by other people to do something that goes against my very nature -- take a different route to the mall, drink a different kind of beer, try my hand at a new game -- something goes wrong.

That's partly the reason I am resistant to change -- and to others' efforts to get me to do something I may not feel comfortable with.

I have an acute sense of what I like and don't like, and it's only become sharper with age. I'm sure many of you feel the same way.

I'm in no way insinuating that you should always object to trying out new things and experiences. But human beings are good at distinguishing something potentially fun and entertaining from something unpleasant or downright dangerous.

For example, many people are scared to ride rollercoasters. In many cases, people will get over their fear by riding on one, and may even grow to like them.

However, if you know you have an intense fear of heights and are convinced that riding it might land you in the hospital, don't let your friends wheedle you into it.

This applies to all kinds of decisions, from having unprotected sex to venturing into a sketchy neighborhood at night.

There's nothing worse than knowing you could have avoided undesirable consequences if you'd only listened to your gut.

The next time you find yourself in such a quandary, don't let the alarms your gut sets off go unnoticed!

Comments

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog