You’re in a situation. It’s intense. But you feel peaceful. Something inside says, “Go for it!” That’s your Gut Brain at work. It comes by many labels: perception, insight, wisdom, instincts, gut-feel, intuition, the 6th sense. It’s that small inner voice, steering you in the right direction. However, there’s a flip side. It’s called Brain Bug—a mental glitch. It’s our intellectual equipment. Ever hear this advice? “Use your head.” While this method warrants some credit, it has its limitations. Using your head only seeks an immediate solution versus gratification over long-term benefit, and creates blind spots in your inner-GPS navigation. To sharpen your inner-GPS—your personal True North—focus on the Gut Brain. Here are a few tips to help grow that 6th sense:
1) Right Brain/Left Brain: The easiest way to understand Gut Brain and Brain Bug is through the physiology of the brain. The right brain, the creative essence of who we are, subconsciously knows that it knows. This is the Gut Brain. Conversely, the left brain, the black-and-white thought processes of logical thinking, is the Brain Bug. This side is the critical thinker and sometimes in its “shoot-from-the hip” behavior can miss the gentle leading of the Right Brain. The Left Brain is more dominate and has a louder voice. It’s important to slow down. Be still. Give your Right Brain the space it needs to express itself.
2) Use It or Lose It! Our brain is like a muscle. The more we exercise it, the stronger it gets, and the more useful it becomes. A good workout regime is prayer and meditation. Your Gut Brain needs quiet time. Then whenever you’re faced with anxiety, you’re in a better position to hear the whisper of your Gut Brain.
3) Trust Your Gut Brain: Don’t second guess the first feeling you feel about something. Because that very first feeling is usually the right one. There is a natural flow of things in life. But when you’ve gone against your gut, how many times have you found yourself at odds with the natural flow of things? We all get caught up in the business of doing and sometimes lose our place in the flow.
4) The Art of Listening: With the high-tech, frantic pace of life, most people spend their lives running. Never stopping to listen. There’s no time for the mind to be quiet to listen to anything. And then when a problem comes: trauma. Because most people aren’t in touch with themselves. Incorporate quiet time in your day. Listen to that voice. If you don’t, you won’t hear it. But it’s there. It’s meant to guide you.
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