Instinct the Forgotten Gem

Instinct.

When I was a young girl, (okay just by that phrase alone you already know I’m frickin’ old but do me a favor and keep reading) we talked about instinct often. But what is instinct, really? I’d like to offer that instinct can help us in this challenging time. If you are willing to let it.

When I was in grade school, like in the 1906’s. (Right? A butt load of a long time ago.) I was instructed to listen to my instincts. That my instincts would guide me in dealing with people, making decisions, and getting out of tricky situations.

Somewhere in the 1980’s people began to disregard and dismiss instinct. It was faulty they said, it was unreliable and often merely a judgmental attitude. (That was bad back then.)

I had a very stressful job at the time and was responsible for what we lovingly called a lot of spinning plates. I was, in my surprise, successful at my job. I met and exceeded many of the measures. When asked how I accomplished my results, I was speechless. I didn’t know except I seemed to know who to call and at what time and what questions to ask. I was asked where my evidence was to back up my instinct. And when I couldn’t back what I did with facts and figures, well, you can imagine how I was ridiculed.

Consequently, I set aside my instinct except for critical incidents. Whenever I felt I was followed or felt the presence of someone watching me with ill intentions. I didn’t know what the intentions were, maybe to grab my purse, or push me over, or just scare me. I do not know. But I got pretty good at the sensation of being watched. It saved me at least three times that I noticed the guy following me and he had to back away. “I had made him” I believe the saying goes. I saw his face, body and could identify him.

Why mention this? I think we need to reawaken instinct. And if you need more scientific data, read Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Blink”.

The book is really about instinct, although he never uses the word. He points to the unconscious decision-making part of the brain. Okay, I’m old school and leaned that as instinct. But as we are in a time with all sorts of con artists seeking our money and caring less about us as people or human beings, but rather as a resource to take from, it’s important to wake up our instincts.

Next blog: How Do We Wake Up