It is perhaps one of the most difficult choices as a human being: do you follow your heart or your head? But do you really have to choose?
What I've seen in several introverts I've coached is that the things they do are mainly guided by their heads. That head can reason everything, which makes it feel safe in that head. However, what also happens as a result is that someone gets further and further away from his or her feelings. No matter how safe a head choice is, it often doesn't feel complete.
At times like that I always add the feeling layer. For example, recently a coachee literally drew a heart on a post-it and placed it somewhere in the room. Scary to stand on it, but it felt the best in the end. Following your heart is about doing what you want most, starting from your own values.
Loud
However, your head can sometimes be louder than your heart. This often happens out of fear of, for example, making mistakes or being rejected. This makes it more difficult to get to your feelings and act upon it. It then feels like there is some kind of barrier. You will have to remove that first before you can get to your feelings.
However, listening more to your gut does not mean that you no longer use your head at all. You can combine the two perfectly. If you choose with your heart, you can still think rationally about the possible risks. And if you choose with your head, you can still feel for a moment what that actually does to you emotionally. The most important thing in all of this is that there is a certain balance between feeling and thinking.
Would you like to discuss this further? Please feel free to contact me.
