When you are going through a period of significant change, growth, or transformation, it is common for fear, doubt, and anxiety to regularly pop up. These emotions show up to protect us and warn us of possible danger. They are survival emotions and, in the right situation, are protective. However, they often become unwanted guests when they interfere with our movement and growth. Fear and anxiety don’t like unpredictability, change, or uncertainty, all things that come in a period of transition. These emotions prefer safety, security, and predictability. However, taking risks and jumping into the unknown are necessary steps in a period of growth and change. So, how do we avoid letting fear and anxiety get in the way? I’ll get to that part but, first, let’s talk about our friend, our intuition.
Intuition is our best guide as we head into uncharted territory. Intuition feels like a calm, felt sense within us that tells us we are headed in the right direction or guides the best next steps. Our body holds innate wisdom that is outside of logic or reason and we are tapping into this when we follow our intuition. Unfortunately, it can be very easy to confuse fear as intuition, potentially blocking important next steps in our journey. A common question for me on my own journey was, “Is this decision based on fear or on my intuition?”. At times, it felt hard to decipher. Fear and anxiety are often very compelling and are working to keep you safe so the voice of these emotions can also seem reasonable and responsible at times.
The most basic way to decipher fear and intuition is to know how they feel in your body. While they may steer our thinking, looking to your thoughts to know which is which is not the path. Rather, you must tune in below the neck to gain insight on what emotions are currently guiding your thoughts and actions.
What do fear and anxiety feel like? Fear and anxiety set off “alarm bells” in our nervous system to warn us of potential threats. They are trying to get our attention and, in doing so, these emotions can feel loud, relentless, hard to ignore and we often feel a sense of relief when we pull back from or avoid the perceived “threat.” Many physiological sensations accompany fear and anxiety, most commonly racing heart rate, physical tension, sick feeling, feeling of adrenaline, sweaty palms, and butterflies in our stomach. Fear and anxiety make us feel constricted and tense.
What does intuition feel like? In contrast, intuition is calm, centered, and lacks strong emotions. Our intuition does not relentlessly try to get our attention or get louder and louder. It is often a fleeting feeling or a gentle inkling. When we connect to our intuition, it is a peaceful knowing. While anxiety and fear leave us feeling tense, tapping into our intuition gives us a light, expansive feeling.
Because our intuition is not as relentless or emotional as fear and anxiety, it can easily be overlooked if we are not tuning in and strengthening this muscle. The following is an exercise to practice deciphering whether your feelings or thoughts about a situation are being directed by fear or intuition.
Intuition exercise:
Find a comfortable position, either seated or standing.
Think of a current situation or decision you are grappling with. Notice what decision you are leaning toward, a “yes” or a “no”.
Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths, allowing your mind and body to settle into the moment.
Then, bring the situation to mind, imagining you are making the decision in the direction you are leaning toward. I.e. Saying yes to a job offer or no to a new treatment for your health condition.
Pay attention to what happens in your body immediately after imaginng this. Notice, do you feel more expansive and light, maybe even a hint of excitement or do you feel tension, constriction, a sense of dread, or sick feeling in your stomach? This is not about listening to your thoughts but, rather, the wisdom in your body.
If you notice an immediate feeling of lightness, expansion, go with that decision. If you feel constriction, tightening, then it is telling you that you are making this decision from a place of fear or anxiety.
This is a simple practice that can help you actively hone in on your intuition but you may also find your intuition comes to you at unexpected times. If you find yourself caught by an unemotional felt sense or an inner knowing, listen to that and trust it. Even if it is brief and fleeting.
Hope this helps you as you navigate your journey from an inner space of peace, alignment, and intuitive knowing.