Have you ever met someone and instantly liked her? Like you just clicked and became instant best friends?

Most people have experienced that feeling; an inner sense that made you feel so good to be around this person.

And on the flip side, you’ve probably met someone in your life that rubbed you the wrong way right from the start.

Maybe you couldn’t put your finger on it…but something told you that person was bad news.

We all know that first impressions are important during a job interview, but first impressions are just as important in the rest of our lives. Not just the impression you make on others, but their impression on you.

Whenever you’re feeling stuck about a situation or a relationship, remember that you were right the first time.

Here’s how you can learn to trust your first impression.

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Not to sound all “woo woo,” but there’s a mini version of yourself hanging out deep down inside you.

This little part of you is your subconscious mind.

How many times have you been playing a trivia game or watching Jeopardy and an answer has popped into your head from out of nowhere? But instead of saying the answer, you second-guess yourself…only to find out later you were right.

Grr! Why didn’t you listen to your gut?

That voice inside you, your gut reaction, your intuition, and your first impression are all the same thing.

Everyone has it, but it’s easy for us to ignore its messages.

Your subconscious mind can talk to you softly, like when it nudges you toward the correct answer on a test. And it can scream at you, like when a menacing figure approaches you in a dark parking lot.

To feel good about the decisions you make and the people and situations you bring into your life, you must first learn to recognize what your subconscious mind is telling you.

Your First Impression is Usually Correct

We all like to think we’re smarter than the average bear, but our subconscious minds are WAY smarter than our conscious minds.

When you’re evaluating a situation, other things distract your conscious mind; who’s with you, what’s going on around you, what you’re doing, social expectations, noise, whether you’re hungry, and a hundred other things.

But your subconscious mind doesn’t get distracted so easily. It can sort through past experiences, memories, facial cues, body language, and tons of other information faster than your conscious mind can process them.

This is why our first impressions are correct.

When you instantly liked your new best friend, your subconscious mind was taking in the energy she was giving off, processing it, and producing a physical, gut reaction in you—making you feel happy and trusting.

It’s rare that I meet someone who gives me a good feeling at first and then turns out to be a jerk. Usually, I’ll feel a twinge of apprehension (the little voice inside me!), but I’ll brush it off because the person doesn’t seem outwardly bad.

No more! I’ve been burned too many times in the past when I’ve disregarded my gut feeling. It’s time for you to trust your first impression too.

Oh, and don’t forget about last impressions either.

Use Your Subconscious Mind to Your Advantage

I teach my clients how to tune in to their subconscious minds so they can learn to trust themselves. If a client is debating between 2 choices, I use a trick that works for me every time.

I mentally flip a coin.

Picture a coin in your mind. Choice A is heads. Choice B is tails.

Now, imagine flipping the coin in the air…it’s spinning…spinning…aaaaannndd…it’s heads! Choice A wins!!!

Immediately—before you take your next breath—determine how you’re feeling.

Does your chest open up? Do you feel lighter and hopeful? Are you thinking, “Thank goodness it’s Choice A”?

Or…

Does your stomach drop? Does a sense of dread settle onto your shoulders? Are you thinking, “Oh crap, now I have to do Choice A”?

That’s your answer!

Not Choice A per se, but the feeling you get from Choice A. If you feel great, then Choice A is the right decision. If you feel awful, then don’t you dare take Choice A no matter who is pressuring you to do so!

Mentally flipping a coin can help you tap into your intuition when you’re too overwhelmed to feel it on your own.

Next time you’re feeling unsure about trusting someone or making a decision, mentally flip a coin and feel your instant first impression.

Trust yourself. Trust your subconscious mind. You know what you should do.

You’ve always known.

This post focuses on Step 1 of the Life Editing Process, Create a Foundation. For more about life editing and what it can do for you, click here.