Your “Gut Feeling” Is Just Trauma Talking

How instinct hijacks intuition

You think it’s intuition. It’s not, it’s instinct and is ruining your relationships.

I was seeing someone I cared deeply for. We had that thing—emotional gravity. We weren’t just “vibing.” It was deeper. There was potential.

I lost my business. I needed an emotional anchor. And my intuition? It was already speaking. Quiet, clear, non-dramatic: She’s not fully capable. She wants to be. Maybe she doesn’t know how. I felt it in my chest more than my head. I didn’t judge it. I didn’t need proof.

But then instinct kicked in.

And instinct doesn’t whisper. It panics. It strategizes. It tells you how to stay safe.

So I pulled back. Fast. Subtle at first, then obvious. I asked once for what I needed. When she didn’t immediately meet it, I retreated. Emotionally folded my arms. Told myself I was “being clear” or “setting boundaries.”

What I was really doing was running—using self-protection as a proxy for strength. I didn’t offer the explanation of what I needed. I didn’t stay open long enough to see if she could or would try again. And so... she didn’t.

Looking back, I’m pretty sure her intuition was saying the same thing. But her instincts screamed too—pull away, don’t risk it, protect yourself.

Two people, both sensing the truth. Both reacting the wrong way.

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The Big Idea

Intuition is a compass.
Instinct is a reaction.

Intuition is subtle. Directional. A quiet nudge.
Instinct is loud. Urgent. Survival-based.

The danger?

We hear our intuition…
Then act from instinct.

We think we’re following inner wisdom—
But we’re actually reacting from old wounds.

So intuition says: pay attention here.
And instinct says: panic. chase. run. protect.

And just like that, the message gets hijacked.

You think it’s your intuition. It’s really your instinct.

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The Myth of Intuition

Let’s clear something up:

Intuition is not magic.
It’s not a download from the heavens that drops you off at the exact door of truth.

It’s a nudge. A feeling. A direction.

It gets you in the state. Maybe the right city.
But it won’t give you the exact address.

And if your internal system is filled with distortion? If your past pain is still in the driver’s seat?

Then your intuition gets hijacked.

By what?

By MUD—Misguided Unconscious Decisions.

These are the beleifs you formed in trauma, drama, trials, and all the hard shit life threw your way.

They're the meanings you made in moments of pain.
They’re unconscious, reactive, and sticky as hell.

So when your intuition rises through that mess? It gets contaminated.

Example:
You sense your partner pulling away.
Intuition flares: something’s off.
But you haven’t healed your abandonment stuff. So your instinct screams:
They’re cheating. They’re leaving. Protect yourself.

You spiral. Accuse. Detach.
But the truth?

They were quietly struggling with losing their job and didn’t know how to tell you.

Your intuition wasn’t wrong.
But your instinct misread it—and lit the whole thing on fire.

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The Breakdown

Let me give you a second story.

Different woman. Different outcome. Same root issue.

She was magnetic. Culture-level perfect. Beautiful. Successful. Independent.
She ticked the boxes.

But again—my intuition whispered: This isn’t it. She’s not present. She’s performative. There’s no depth.

I knew it. And still—I leaned in.

Why? Because she was my type. She lit up all the old wiring.

And instinct? Instinct said chase. Validate. Win her.

So I did.

Even though I knew.
Even though every part of me that had done the work was saying: This is a loop. Not a love.

But I followed the instinct anyway—and paid the price.

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Beyond Romance: Where Else This Plays Out

This isn't just about dating or love. This is everything.

You’ll see the same split in the Four Jobs of the Next Level Human:

1. Health.
You know you’re off. Intuition says slow down.
Instinct says: restrict harder, train more, get control.
You spiral instead of heal.

2. Money.
You feel tension in the market.
Intuition says: steady yourself.
Instinct? Panic. Pull your investments.
You sell low and regret it later.

3. Purpose.
You’re uninspired. Intuition says: this isn’t the work.
Instinct says: just keep going. Don’t rock the boat.
So you settle deeper into something you hate.

4. Politics.
You feel something’s broken.
Intuition says: This system isn’t fair.
Instinct says: Find someone strong and angry to fix it.
So you elect the loudest voice and sacrifice your freedom for safety.

Same pattern, everywhere you look.
Intuition gives you a signal.
MUD distorts it.
Instinct reacts before wisdom can arrive.

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Practical Takeaway

So what do you actually do?

You pause.
You breathe.
You ask:

• “Is this truth… or trauma?”

• “Is this insight… or instinct?”

• “Is this fear… or a feeling I don’t yet have language for?”

And most importantly—you train yourself to sit with not knowing.

Because clarity isn’t immediate. And real intuition doesn’t rush.

Everyone has intuition.
But few have the nervous system strength to trust it—and not react from it.

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Closing Thought

Intuition will get you in the country.
But unless you’ve cleared the MUD, it won’t get you to the house.
That takes presence. Work. Stillness. And a nervous system that knows how to hold nuance.

Don’t let instinct burn down what your intuition was trying to reveal.

Stop letting your old survival strategies write the next chapter of your life.

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PS: If you’re tired of the loop—tired of knowing better but doing the same—then it’s time to rewire.

Next Level Human coaching is built to help you clear the MUD, trust your intuition, and reprogram your instincts for alignment. Join the relationship cohort….

Spots are limited—don’t wait.
👉 http://www.nextlevelhuman.com/human-coaching