Following Your Gut

Last night I watched the critically acclaimed movie “Million Dollar Baby”. It is an incredible movie on many different levels but my key take away was the importance of always following your “gut” instincts. 

Every decision we make comes with its own set of outcomes and circumstances, some known; many unknown.

In movies, we watch from a third party perspective as the character’s fait unfolds. From this perspective it is usually quite easy to see ways in which the character’s choices will affect the outcome of their life. As I watch, I often find myself being critical of the choices being made. From my vantage point, everything seems so obvious. 

In “Million Dollar Baby” (spoiler alert) Clint Eastwood’s character, Frankie, finds himself in a struggle between following his instincts or helping a promising young woman fighter, Maggie, played by Hilary Swank, follow her dream.

Though the movie has many emotionally charged twists and turns, Maggie ultimately finds herself paralyzed from the neck down, the result of a dirty punch in the championship bout. Maggie’s fait leaves Frankie blaming himself and second guessing his decision to train and manage her career in the first place. 

This morning I woke up feeling uneasy about a decision I was making to drive 10 hours to Marquette, Michigan in order to purchase a used Honda Monkey, something I didn’t really need. As I laid in bed I thought about the movie I had watched the night before. I thought about Maggie, laying in a hospital bed paralyzed and how it completely changed the trajectory of her life and those around her. The more I thought about her, the more I began to second guess my decision to make the long drive. I felt like I was watching the movie of my life and that this one decision could change everything.

The more I thought about it, the more I rationalized it. Finally, I got dressed, got in the car and made my way to my destination. Since I do things like this on a regular basis, It was strange to be feeling uneasy about my choice to go. Several miles down the road, I received a call from my fiancé, Jessi. Normally Jessi is very supportive of my decisions but on this occasion, though I never mentioned my own feelings about the morning’s drive, she wasn’t supportive, not at all.

Because I can be a bit stubborn, a gross understatement of fact, her phone call would have normally given me the fuel to  prove her wrong and continue onward to my destination. However, on this morning I decided to let her win.

Though I will never know what fait awaited me had I made the journey, I do know one thing. The very second that I made the decision to stay home, I felt a peaceful calm energy glow throughout my body that reminded me that it is never wrong to follow your “gut”.