Gut Feelings - Intuition or Fear?
Trusting your gut - some of us won’t, while others do without question. Neither is wrong, & here’s why . . .
I’ve coached a number of clients who don’t know when to ‘trust their gut’ or let the feeling pass. I began looking into resources to help them, and found this fantastic article written by Transformational Leadership Coach Rosalie Puiman, that explores this concept extremely well. Many of them had made a big life decision to act or not to act based on their ‘gut’ feeling, only to recognize after we explored the concept that fear drove their feeling and their response, not intuition.
Now, here’s the hard truth:
There’s a big difference between a gut feeling based on Intuition, & one based on Fear.
The key is to understand what is the driving force behind these ‘feelings’. Let’s look at some key differences between the two:
INTUITION
is a very quick assessment of the present moment
is instinctive; driven by details not obvious to the rational mind
affirms your feelings & expands your outlook = “this is right”
neutral emotionally
a calm knowing
FEAR
focuses on the future or past
is delusional; driven by ‘what-if’s’
minimizes or destroys your outlook = “this is wrong”
reflects unhealed emotional wounds & charges negative thoughts
a feeling of urgency & insecurity
Your gut feeling is trying to tell you something important, but before you trust it, ask yourself one more time:
is this Intuition? or
is this Fear?
Fear is a negative emotion, and should be addressed with compassion & worked through so you can let it pass. Your ability to work through a Fear = Courage, and your ability to let-go = Peace, both positive & healthy emotions. In addition, Intuition acted upon, even immediately, will bring about additional positive emotions like Trust, Faith, & Forgiveness.
Review the resources below for more guidance, & good luck getting to know your gut!
~ Lauren Paige
Additional resources: