“Hold on, let me overthink that.” Those are the words on the coffee mug my sister bought for my mother. I laughed out loud when I saw it displayed during my last visit. It’s funny because so many of us can relate. On a deeper level, though, it’s concerning. We are so caught up in our thinking minds that we miss the wisdom of our intuitive bodies. This separation between mind and body can leave us feeling unfulfilled, purposeless, and even depressed.
Some say this began when René Descartes wrote, “I think, therefore I am.” As children, we’re born knowing who we are and what makes us tick. Over time, this inner knowing becomes buried under layers of expectations from parents, teachers, friends, and societal norms.
As physicians in training, we’re taught to tap into our intuition. In pediatrics, this means recognizing a sick child. Of course, we’re trained to assess physical exams, interpret labs, and follow protocols, but we’re also taught to trust our instincts. When our gut tells us we have a sick child, we don’t overthink, we act. As a pediatrician in a busy practice, I’ve also learned to depend on a mother’s intuition. When a mom tells me her child is “off,” I listen.
That intuition is always there, but we can only hear or sense it when we quiet our minds.
As a society, we are highly cerebral, constantly analyzing and thinking. The mind is often seen as the leader, with the rest of the body as an afterthought. As physicians and scientists, we prioritize facts, analysis, and evidence-based medicine. While these are invaluable, we miss critical information when we rely exclusively on the brain.
Research on the complex neural networks in the cardiac and enteric regions sheds light on this. These networks, often referred to as the “heart’s brain” and the “gut’s brain”, send signals to the brain that influence decision-making. The sensation of a “gut instinct” isn’t just a metaphor; it’s rooted in biology.
But are we listening?
For the most part, the answer is “no.” We push away our inner knowing and follow what our brain tells us we “should” do. How can we tune in and recognize if our brain is running the show without input from the rest of us? Check in with yourself. If you feel unfulfilled, anxious, or stressed, or if you sense a general tightness or tension, it’s time to listen more deeply.
Emotions and feelings are feedback for the brain. I think of them as symptoms. You can’t create a treatment plan for unfulfillment until you understand its cause. Similarly, treating a patient’s fever without exploring its underlying etiology can lead to disastrous outcomes. The same principle applies to our physical and emotional health when we ignore the messages our bodies send to our brains.
We’ve all experienced the symptoms: the knot in your stomach, tightness in your chest, a nagging headache, or a sense of dread, overwhelm, or exhaustion. Instead of addressing these signals, we often numb them with food, drink, or distractions like social media. This creates a state of chronic stress, triggering hormonal cascades that wreak havoc on our health.
Over break, all my kids were home and we pulled out the Wii. As my daughter was practicing her golf stroke before letting it fly, I noticed the indicator in the corner, it went red when she was off course and green when she was going to hit a perfect shot. The swing had to be adjusted based on where the target was and how strong the wind was. It occurred to me how great it would be if each of us had an indicator like this as we were making choices of our own. Are we on the right path? Should we take one step to the left, pause, push, or retreat? The way AI is advancing, I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t each end up with something like this. But for now, it’s up to us to make these decisions ourselves and to do so, we have to listen to our inner knowing.
Here’s how I see the balance between the brain, heart, and gut:
The heart is your inner compass. It knows what you truly want. Think of the phrase “your heart’s desire.” It sets your personal GPS, guiding your purpose and your “why.”
The mind then works in service of the heart’s desires, planning and problem-solving to achieve those goals.
When it veers off course, the gut’s instincts provide feedback to realign you with your destination.
So why do we feel unfulfilled? Because we lean too heavily on our minds and ignore the rest of the system. The brain is just one part of a brilliantly orchestrated whole.
To thrive, let your mind serve your heart’s desires and listen to your gut to stay on track.
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