Ever since my daughter, Ekua, was old enough to wash her own hands she has hated the air dryers in public bathrooms. When she was little, she refused to use them and would physically move away when they were activated by another person. I was recently listening to an NPR interview with a 13-year-old scientist named Nora Keegan who published research that explains why a lot of kids—not just my daughter—hate hand dryers: they’re too loud for children. Many of them exceed 100 decibels, a volume that can lead to learning disabilities, attention difficulties and ruptured eardrums in children whose ears are more sensitive and whose ears are closer to the machines because they’re installed at waist level for adults. As I was listening to this story I had this epiphany: Trust your inner voice, even if you don’t know why. My heart immediately went out to Ekua when I heard this interview because I can recall so many times when we’d be in a bathroom and I’d want her to dry her hands and she’d refuse. I’d ask her “why?” and she would just say that she didn’t like the machine. “Are you afraid of the machine?” “Is the air coming out too fast?” “Do you not like the temperature of the air?” I would push her to try to communicate to me her rationale for her aversion to the machine, implying that if she couldn’t explain why she didn’t like the machine, her dislike wasn’t legitimate. I feel terrible about this now and I’m so happy that Ekua stood her ground. In fact, I think more of us should do so. Maybe you saw a great job opportunity on paper but there was something about the interview that just didn’t quite feel right to you. Maybe the person seemed like a solid dating partner on the app but now that you’ve gone out with them IRL you’re having some doubts. It might take a while for the clarity in your mind to catch up with clarity in your heart. Remember: Trust your inner voice, even if you don’t know why. #TiffanysEpiphanies