31 Creepy Moments That Prove Gut Feelings Are There For A Reason

It's easy to ignore our intuition in some situations. We brush off the nagging feeling as us just being overly cautious or paranoid. Maybe we tell ourselves we are overthinking things, or we are imagining what's not there. But experts say, when it comes to our personal safety, it pays to listen to our inner voice. If something feels "off," there's a good chance it is...

"If you have a gut feeling that is specific to your safety in a location, situation, or even a disagreement, always listen to it," warns psychotherapist Keanne Owens. "It may be that subtle voice that prevents you from danger."

And while trusting your gut isn't necessarily a skill you learn, it is one that you can strengthen.

Owens explains that learning to trust your intuition begins with self-awareness. "Being self-aware allows an individual to know and understand their mannerisms, thoughts, and emotions," says the expert. "Once you are self-aware, you can identify those 'gut feelings' clearly." 

Our past experiences might also lead us astray when it comes to trusting our gut.

"Trusting your intuition takes practice for most people as we are often taught to disregard it once we start primary school," says professional coach and founder of Becoming Aware, Teresa Lodato.

"Unfortunately, trauma experienced in life can also skew your intuitive delivery system, which can make people believe they can’t trust themselves or their intuitive guidance," she adds.

So what does our inner voice sound like? Firstly, it's not a sound but more of a feeling... Our bodies give us certain signs or signals when something isn't right.

These could include tension or a nagging thought that won't go away. Perhaps there's a pit in your stomach. The hairs on your arms, or the back of your neck, might stand up just before a scary experience. You could feel like you should avoid a certain place, without quite knowing why.

According to psychic medium Sheryl Wagner, your body will also give you signs that you're ignoring your intuition. One of these is headaches. "Headaches are often caused by stress, lack of sleep, and holding tension in your body. Your mind, body, and spirit are connected," explains Wagner. Persistently ignoring your truth can take a toll on your well-being, she says.

"When you ignore your intuition, you’ll experience stress and or trouble sleeping. It also takes a lot of energy to 'power through' and do things you really don't want to do, which might leave you feeling exhausted."

Which leads us to another sign: insomnia. "Bedtime can be extremely stressful If you’re avoiding listening to your intuition," the medium warns. "When you're finally alone with your thoughts at the end of the day and feel stressed instead of relaxed, it could be that your intuition has something to tell you."

Wagner describes intuition as a subtle energetic nudge. "It is the answer you feel sure about even when it doesn't make rational sense," she explains. The psychic says intuition feels calm, grounded, and confident. But it is easy to confuse it with fear, another powerful instinct.

"Fear or anxiety shows up when we are making important life choices," Wagner writes. "The feeling of fear, worry, or anxiety is persistent, questioning, and urgent. Anxiety often engages your nervous system, your fight, flight or freeze response."

Lodato stresses that the main purpose of your intuition is to keep your body safe. "In ancient times, this would extend to ‘knowing’ what food or water source was safe to eat [or] drink," she explains. "In modern times, this might also look like getting migraines, headaches, or digestive disturbances when you are around toxic personality types."

The expert warns that you should always pay attention to the messages your body is sending you because it is "highly calibrated to keep you safe!"