If you’re curious, ask a question. If you’re confused, ask for clarity. If you’re suspicious, ask a catered question. If someone is venting, ask open-ended questions. Questions speak to clarity; clarity speaks to you. The response you receive will tell you everything you need to know. 

“Knowing the question is the first step toward knowing the answer.” 

The Gift of Fear – Gavin de Becker

The situation is unfolding and the statements being said are making you feel uneasy. What’s truly being said? It’s easy to feel intuitively, but you can’t pinpoint what’s truly unfolding. The language is clear. But through all those words and emotions expressed, confusion and unease is still present. 

“The key is understanding the meaning and the perspective beneath and behind the words people choose.” The Gift of Fear – Gavin de Becker

People often don’t directly say what they feel, naturally, that’s fine. What’s also perfectly fine is intuition interpretation. Being able to “look into” language or actions that speak to your instinct. Gavin de Becker speaks on this in his book, The Gift of Fear when referring to predicting violence, but it can be used in everyday situations. 

“Languages used when predicting violence:

The language of rejection

The language of entitlement

The language of grandiosity

The language of attention seeking

The language of revenge

The language of attachment

The language of identity seeking.”

In daily decision making, you use predictions. Maybe not so high stakes, probably for the better, but they’re there. Deep down, we know these languages. Our intuition questions them. I mean, that’s how he figured it out. His questions: Are there languages for predicting violence? What languages would those be? How would they be described? Should I write a book about survival skills that protect us from violence? Then boom, bestselling author. He asked the right questions, granted he’s the Nation’s leading security expert, specifically for protection of public figures, but he asked the right questions.

The response you receive and what you experience speaks in powerful languages. Analysis and intuition shall remain separate. The answer to clarity is within us. Analysis seeks more answers. Intuition seeks clarity. Whether the feeling is confusion, suspicion, curiosity, or support, knowing the question to ask will come…