This Or That?

Friday Prompt: When do you underestimate your intuitive abilities?

The only time I underestimate my intuitive ability is to choose between my needs and wants.

It is important to know the difference between needs and wants. What are your needs and wants? Aren’t they both the same? Aren’t your needs are what you want, or are your wants what you need? Let’s take this from a romantic relationship perspective.

Could it be that the person you like is not what you need in life? When you want someone, does it mean you need them?

The questions above are what I asked myself when I had to choose between my wants or needs. I know it hurts a bit even to ask yourself if this person you're in a relationship with is not someone you need. I underestimate the ability to discern what I need in life because what I wanted is not what I needed.

There were times when I knew it was not for me, but I tried to break the fence that was holding me back from liking this person. My intuition told me to stop talking to this guy, but I still wanted to keep talking to him because I liked him. Despite what my inner self was telling me, I underestimated my intuition and ignored the red flags. Red flags are warning signs of danger. Danger could be something that would cause you to get hurt or might be a problem later on.

I ignored my intuition when I wanted something. Let’s take a moment to define the differences between needs and wants:

NEEDS: According to Merriam Dictionary, needs are necessities and ineluctable. It means that “needs” are something that cannot be avoided or changed. Just like when you need to pay your bills, you “need” to pay your phone bills and other bills because they are necessities and cannot be avoided.

In a relationship, you may need a person for your growth, learning and maturity process. But if someone you like doesn’t help you grow, you may probably have to take time to think if you need that person. I know that it may sound stupid to think that way, but it could be a friendship. A friend that doesn’t help you grow is probably not what you need in life.

WANTS: Not everything we want is something that we need. Not everything we want to buy is something we need. According to Merriam Dictionary, the word “wants” is something to feel the need. It’s a desire to come and go.

In life, you may want that person or that branded purse or things that you want, but they are not necessary and might add clutter to your life.

This is when I underestimate my ability to discern. To like someone I don’t need in life. To hang out with “friends” doesn’t help me grow. To buy something that I don’t need in my house. To get something I’ve wanted and only realize that I don’t need it later on. I do hear my inner self telling me to stop and avoid certain things, but I ignored it because I still would go for something.

If you have read this far, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great day wherever you are in the world.