Subconscious messages

Have you ever done or said something, only to realize immediately afterwards that it might have upset somebody? I have. So my most recent experience went like this : I was having external mandarin classes. So I joined the google meets, and then excused myself to use the toilet. My mom noticed that I had already joined into the google meets(I always opened the google meets page then clicked on ask to join and just wait for teacher) so she alerted me to the fact that I was already in the meeting. Since I had waited until the class started to ask teacher to excuse myself, I obviously knew this. I then called out "I know. I joined already."

Pretty soon, my brain came up with the thought that my mom was just trying to help, and also that the tone I had used sounded more irritated than usual. I finally landed on a decision, and added "but thanks for the reminder!"

This made me wonder : why would I suddenly get the signal to apologize/acknowledge my mom? And why do some people get such signals and others don't? So I thought back to that moment, when I'd thought of it, and I sort of came up with a sort of description.

To make it easier for me to explain, I'm going to use the example of a messaging inbox, but instead of tags like "important" or "work", you have tags like "sensory", or "subconscious." Now, this inbox is your brain. Systems from all over your body send it messages, triggering instincts, like perhaps if the nerves in your hand send the message "burn(ing)" your brain would immediately send the signal to withdraw your hand from the hot object. This is a necessary function the practically all animals have.

Now, the previous example was of a much needed function : to tell your body and muscles to move you out of harms way. There is another type of message : social cues(basically common sense) and subconscious. These tell you when and how to react to something someone else has said or done to you, and also how to react or follow-up to what you have just said or done. Some people suppress it so much or keep hesitating until these messages stop, then go on like nothing happened.

But enough about that! Suffice it to say, subconscious messages are almost as important as the rest, and help greatly during interactions.

With a small body and a big heart ~ Nicodidiary