Part of the work around listening to your gut involves understanding what trust feels like—with yourself or with someone else. From the first day I met my husband, I trusted him wholeheartedly, which is something I didn’t experience in any of my previous relationships. I felt a sense of ease and belonging that I couldn’t quite articulate; I didn’t have to pretend or impress or perform. It wasn’t love at first sight, but he felt like home.
There’s no formula that works for everyone, but the more you identify people and situations that do bring forth this sense of “mmm, yes,” the more you can practice tuning in to those types of feelings. And that means you’ll be better equipped to notice when your gut instinct feels off, because it’ll be distinctive.
Today think about a specific person you trust and find trustworthy, and write down a list of words you associate with that person in terms of how being around him makes you feel.
TRY THIS
Distinguish between how it feels when you trust someone and how it feels when you don’t. Find a piece of paper and fold it in half. On one side, list all the ways your heart, mind, and body respond when you’re around someone you trust. This might include words and phrases like the following: calm, at ease, peaceful, happy, full of clarity. On the opposite side, write down how it feels when you don’t trust a person or situation—maybe words like anxious, restless, lethargic, uncertain, and sick come to mind. Use this piece of paper when you need a quick “gut check.”