What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Trusting My Gut in Midlife 

If you’ve ever said “I knew something felt off, but I didn’t listen,”—welcome to the club. Pull up a chair, grab some tea, and let’s talk about it.

I spent most of my 20s and 30s outsourcing my decisions—friends, books, mentors, the latest issue of Cosmo (this was before social media). Somewhere along the way, I stopped trusting my own internal compass. Not because it was broken, but because I was so used to being agreeable, adaptable, and “practical.”

But midlife? Midlife changed that.

I hit a season where the rules I used to follow didn’t apply anymore. I couldn’t logic my way through it. I couldn’t ask someone else for the answer. And my gut—quiet, patient, and persistent—had been whispering the truth the whole time.

Only now, I was finally still enough to hear it.

🧠 Why We Ignore Our Gut (And Why It Matters More Than Ever Now)

Here’s the deal: we’re raised in a culture that prioritizes logic over instinct. Emotions get labeled as “irrational.” Intuition gets pushed aside as “woo-woo.” But research tells a different story.

Our gut (literally—our enteric nervous system) is filled with neurons and communicates directly with our brain. Intuition isn’t random. It’s our body processing information faster than our conscious mind can keep up with. That “knowing” you feel? It’s intelligence. Just a different kind.

In midlife, when you're navigating transitions, identity shifts, or big decisions, your gut becomes a powerful guide. But only if you give it permission to speak.

🛠️ How to Start Trusting Yourself Again

• Get quiet. Your gut is never the loudest voice in the room. It whispers. Create moments of stillness to actually hear it.
  
  

• Track the past. Look back on times you ignored your gut—what happened? Now, when you did listen—how did that go?
  
  

• Notice the body. Tight chest, clenched jaw, butterflies, a calm ease—your body reacts faster than your thoughts.
  
  

• Practice on small things. Should you say yes to that invite? Sign up for that class? Watch what your body does before your brain chimes in.
  
  

💬 Final Thoughts

I wish someone had told me that I wasn’t being dramatic. I wasn’t being unreasonable. I was being intuitive. And that listening to your gut isn’t reckless—it’s wise.

Midlife is not the time to second-guess yourself. It’s the time to finally trust what’s always been true inside of you.

Have you had a moment when your gut knew before your brain caught up? I’d love to hear it—send me a message or an email. We learn from each other’s stories.

XO, Emily