Read at your own pace.
Welcome to Intuition Podcast. This reflection is called A feeling and a fact. It is an invitation to notice the difference between an experience and the explanation you give it.
Listen somewhere safe, where you can give this reflection a little attention. Keep your eyes open or use the written transcript. There is nothing you have to feel, and no need to continue if the exercise is uncomfortable.
Bring to mind a small, recent moment of uncertainty. Perhaps a short message, a changed plan, or a question about a creative project. Choose something ordinary enough to explore gently. Leave urgent concerns for the practical help they need.
First, describe what happened as though you were writing a simple note. The meeting moved to Thursday. The message contained one sentence. The instructions did not include a deadline. Stay close to what was actually available to you.
Next, notice the story that arrived with it. Maybe you thought someone was annoyed. Maybe you decided the project would be difficult. Maybe you felt sure that a change would be good. Let the story be visible without immediately proving or dismissing it.
Try this sentence: I noticed something, and I gave it a meaning. Both parts are worth describing. But they are not the same kind of information. An observation can be checked. An interpretation may still have several possible explanations.
Could one other explanation fit the same observation? You do not have to choose the most positive one. You are simply making room for another possibility. A brief message might reflect haste. A changed plan might reflect a scheduling conflict. Or there may be information you do not yet have.
Now ask which fact would be useful to know. Not every fact in the world. Just one detail that could change your next step. Perhaps the deadline, the amount of work, or whether a conversation is still planned.
You can respect a feeling and still ask a factual question. You can also set a personal limit without declaring another person wrong. For this moment, choose only the next action that fits what you know.
Let the exercise end here. Notice the space around you and return to your day. A feeling can start a useful inquiry. It does not have to finish it. Thank you for listening to Intuition Podcast.
Take the question a little further with our guide: What Is Intuition? A Grounded Guide to Your Gut Feelings.
