Somebody very wise once told me that the “feelings” we have—those stirrings in our gut about whether someone is good or not, whether something is right or not—come from years of experience and learning. Over time, I’ve learned too that these “feelings” can sometimes steer us wrong, depending on our evolution from child to adult (meaning we all have things we can now look back at and say “____ was wrong”).
This week for me has been one full of feelings. Strong feelings about somethings and indifference about others. Either way, it has led me to a time of reflection on how our gut feelings are formed, how important they can be as in the most primal of senses, these feelings are very much about our base instincts for survival. But as with many human traits, more astounding to me is our ability to begin to separate which instincts we will and should listen to and which we should learn to ignore. It adds a layer of complexity to the mix because many times, we don’t know until afterward, which was the better “voice” to heed. I guess that is why we can easily say “hindsight is twenty-twenty.”
But alas, life is not easy and we are destined to make mistakes rather than always choosing the correct “voice” or path. And despite this, I don’t think I personally would have it any other way. I’ve certainly learned from my mistakes and they’ve made me a better person. I also feel I’ve earned my way and that gives a sense of worth that I know drives me to achieve more.
So moral of the story this week? Listen to yourself and reflect on why it is you choose what you choose. It can take time but the lesson and internal growth is well worth it.
Happy writing this week.
