The Importance of Trusting Your Intuition While Dating
It can be challenging to navigate emotions while you’re dating, but you intuition is there to help!
“Never discredit your gut instinct. You are not paranoid. Your body can pick up on bad vibrations. If something deep inside of you says something is not right about a person or situation, trust it.”
We’ve been told time and again that the gut instinct is a powerful tool. “Go with your gut”, in many cases, is even touted as a strategy for success. As kids in school, we are told that when in doubt, you should go with the first answer that pops into your head during a test. Nevertheless, over time, the importance of following your instincts might start to sound like a cliche, but is there truly value in tapping into your intuition? Absolutely! In this post, I’m going to highlight how following your instincts can be a powerful tool to help you navigate the dating world.
So What is the Gut Feeling?
It turns out, there actually is a biological component to the gut feeling that you’ve heard so much about. In fact, there is a primal connection between our gut and our brain. It makes sense, since some of our emotions can produce a very real physical response.
Feeling anxious? Your stomach may twist and turn. That feeling may be a result of your brain subconsciously picking up on important cues around you, triggering a response. While it seems like intuition may be manifesting out of thin air, you are likely picking up information and noticing patterns from previous experiences, and then, using that data to aid in decision making.
Have you ever had a gut feeling that was so strong that it could not be ignored? What was the result of listening to your intuition? If you ignored it, did it matter?
Following your Instincts while Dating
As you likely know, dating can be a fun and exciting experience, but it can also be nerve-wracking. There are so many people out there, and it can be hard to know who to trust. That's where your intuition comes in.
Here are a few tips for trusting your intuition while dating:
Pay attention to your gut feelings. When you meet someone new, pay attention to how you feel around them. Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel like you can be yourself? If you have a bad feeling about someone, trust your gut and don't go on a second date. Remember, that it doesn’t need to make sense in the moment, but your subconscious was likely picking up on cues. If you sense potential danger, do not ignore that feeling.
Become an observer and don't ignore red flags. As an observer, you need to look closely at your date. Pay attention to what they are saying, and make note of what they’re not saying. How do they react to you? What is their body language telling you?
Remember that around 80% of communication is non-verbal, so keep a close eye on your date. I’ve heard stories of women who have noticed a momentary “flash” change in their date’s expression; eliciting fear in them. Only to later discover that this person had been arrested for assault. If someone does or says something that makes you uncomfortable, don't ignore it. Red flags are a sign that something is wrong, and you should pay attention to them.
Don't be afraid to walk away. If you're not feeling comfortable or safe in a relationship, you do not need permission to walk away. As women, we are conditioned to put the needs, and feelings, of others before our own. You need to work on changing this behavior, especially when dating. Do not put someone else’s feelings above your own safety concerns. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Trusting your intuition can be a challenge, but it gets easier with practice and it's absolutely worth it. So next time you're dating, pay attention to your gut feelings and trust your intuition. It could save you a lot of heartache in the long run, and more importantly, keep you safe.
