Shown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by wishingstar on May 8, 2008, at 17:16:30
I'm just curious about others thoughts about "gut feelings". People always say trust your gut feeling. Is this always true? Are there particular, or even broad (perhaps relating to a particular feeling, etc), examples of when you should or shouldnt listen? Has anyone had any experiences with gut feelings and choosing to listen to them or not?
I had a weird experience today. I just got home from work and am still feeling weird about it. I'm a social worker for a state agency. I do home visits to clients (who are almost always unwilling clients) daily. Most are at least cordial towards us, even if theyre not happy, but occasionally I get a door slammed in my face, cursed out, etc. I can handle that. I've been very nervous and anxious many times, but I cant say I've ever felt unsafe. I suppose some situations may have become unsafe if I hadnt been alert and left when I was kicked out, but it has never gotten close to that.
Today I visited a home and had a very different experience. I wasnt threatened or harmed in any way. I didnt get even get yelled at. They wouldnt let me inside the home, but that isnt terribly unusual. But something just felt OFF. Something was wrong. My gut feeling was screaming. I was with a coworker who had the same reaction. We called our supervisor and asked him to call us in 15min to make sure we were safe, and he agreed, but laughed us off and told us we were overreacting. But something was just off. Without giving too many details, I can say that the home is very clearly heavy into methamphetamines and meth is very very likely being made there. Meth is big in my area. The drugs, and even the cooking, isnt what made me feel weird though. It's not the first home I've been into where drug abuse is occurring. I cant describe it. Part of it was in the setup of the home and some protections the owners had clearly put into place to ensure no one came up to the door without their knowledge. But those protections werent inherently threatening either, just..for lack of a better word.. weird. I just didnt feel right. I didnt feel safe. I felt like I was walking into a Lifetime movie where an hour in, the person is locked in some basement and no one knows where they are. Back at the office, my supervisor still feels as though we were overreacting.
I post that story more as a venting and trying to destress than for opinions (although opinions are welcome). I am curious about others experiences with gut feelings though. I know I wont go back to that home alone, and wont go back without letting someone know where I am. Better safe than sorry.
Posted by caraher on May 8, 2008, at 17:39:30
In reply to gut feelings, posted by wishingstar on May 8, 2008, at 17:16:30
While gut feelings certainly can lead you astray, in a case like this I'd guess that you were aware on some level that this was a particularly threatening situation for reasons you simply could not articulate. Under the circumstances I'd say you were right to trust your "gut," since the consequences of ignoring it if your gut is right are much worse than the consequences of following your gut and being cautious.
And that goes double if TWO of you felt that way! Somewhere your mind is making connections that you simply couldn't articulate.
Oh, and I know that thread was some time ago, but I'm proud of you for being able to do this job and so many other things... and I guess for trusting your instincts here!
Posted by Happyflower on May 8, 2008, at 19:07:18
In reply to gut feelings, posted by wishingstar on May 8, 2008, at 17:16:30
Trust your gut instincts Wishy, it is there for a reason and just because you may not understand why, it doesn't it isn't real. Take care of yourself, okay because your body is trying to take care of you with those feelings, please pay attention to them.
Posted by Dinah on May 8, 2008, at 19:58:17
In reply to gut feelings, posted by wishingstar on May 8, 2008, at 17:16:30
I rely heavily on gut feelings. I figure they come from a processing of hundreds of tiny details too small to verbalize.
Then I suppose you every once in a while evaluate your gut. To see if you're often right or often wrong when you have those feelings.
But in potentially dangerous situations, surely caution is preferable?
Posted by ClearSkies on May 8, 2008, at 21:20:44
In reply to gut feelings, posted by wishingstar on May 8, 2008, at 17:16:30
I think there is more to be lost in not following our intuition than in doing so. As Dinah says, much of what we call gut feelings are the myriad little clues that we can't even put a name to, but we pick up on without even noticing.
I'm learning more and more to trust my intuition, and as I do so, it helps to boost my self esteem - because I am trusting myself.
CS
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