This is where your gut feeling comes from

Often I have rightly listened to my gut feeling. Especially around people, I have the idea that I can quickly sense whether their intentions are pure or not. But the danger of this is that I think I can always rely on this feeling, while I can also be wrong and unjustly assume the worst. My so-called gut feeling is in that case more akin to doomsaying. But where does this gut feeling actually come from and how do we know if we can fully trust it? After all, this ‘advisor’ is not based on facts.

There are various explanations for the notorious gut feeling. Albert Einstein once said that a gut feeling arises because you unconsciously pick up certain information. Based on previous experiences, you learn to make an assessment of the outcomes of decisions. For example, you might have a gut feeling that someone is scamming you online because you've recently heard stories from friends who have also been scammed online. Even if nothing indicates fraud, you can still have this feeling and let it influence you.

Other scientists explain it in terms of a connection between your gut and your brain. A large part of serotonin in your body is actually produced in your intestines, which influence your emotions and mood, among other things. These gut signals are then transmitted to the brain. When high serotonin levels are caused by an external factor, you can feel safe or unsafe depending on the situations. The gut feeling actually consists of emotions, information processing, and observations.

In some cases, your gut feeling is not the best advisor. For instance, the gut feeling can be confused with fear. Fear also evokes a certain feeling in your gut. But how do you know if you are experiencing a justified gut feeling or just an anxious emotion? You need to learn to distinguish between the two. Feelings are calm, soft, and accompanied by a kind of inner wisdom. Emotions, on the other hand, feel strong and cause powerful bodily sensations. Well, easier said than done.

I think it is especially important to determine for yourself to what extent you want to trust your gut feeling. After all, we are human, so sometimes we get it quite wrong. That should be okay too.

Sources: thebraincoach, bedrock, marieclaire