Fearless intuition: Tapping into inner wisdom for clear decision making

When it comes to decision-making, the heart and mind often find themselves at odds. Maya Angelou's wisdom — "I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision” — shines light on this fine balance. As we navigate life's choices, the interplay between intuition and fear becomes crucial. Imagine intuition as a guiding whisper and fear as a shadowy doubt, both crying out for our attention. Distinguishing between the two becomes a quest for clarity — one that holds the key to confident decision-making. Let’s unravel the language of intuition amidst the noise of fear.

In my earlier piece titled "Million Dollar Instincts: mastering intuitive decision making," I introduced the concept of Six Barriers to Intuition, spotlighting reasons we often disregard our gut feelings. One of these barriers is fear. When accompanied by anxiety, fear can cast a dark shadow over our intuitive insights, obscuring their clarity. When fear takes centre stage, our inner voice dwindles, its volume diminished. As a result, it becomes challenging to hear the messages it has for us. This prompts us to waver in self-doubt, ultimately leading us to hesitate or opt for paths that don’t serve our best interests. We might even hold back from making decisions altogether, leading to stagnation. This is like playing a chess match within ourselves, but one that ends up in a stalemate, without any winners.

Becoming more self-aware will help us to know the difference between fear, anxiety, and our own intuition, which has our best interests at heart. Fear is an expert at masking itself as intuition.

So, how can you tell the difference?

Fear, or anxiety, is intense; intuition is calm.

Fear comes from your head; intuition from the heart.

Fearful to fearless: What is fear and how can you conquer it??

Trinny Woodall , CEO of Trinny London , TV presenter, and author, offers a poignant description of fear:

"Fear is something I’ve felt deeply at multiple points in my life. It’s an emotion that can leave us feeling paralyzed, or like we just can’t compete. Those telltale butterflies. Feeling frozen in the headlights. Panic."

Woodall is dedicated to cultivating a fearless mindset through the conversations she hosts on her podcast, named "Fearless." Through discussions with individuals who've confronted and surmounted their fears, she aspires to inspire others on similar journeys.

Exploring the landscape of fear and anxiety, which can often disguise themselves as intuition, emphasises the importance of refining the skill of differentiation. Here, the words of Woodall resonate profoundly. Though Woodall doesn't explicitly address intuition, her depiction of fear’s hold and its consequences amplifies the importance of distinguishing between these feelings. Her description serves as a gentle reminder to approach decisions with authentic instinct, steering away from being driven by reactionary panic.

Let’s delve into a scenario to provide further clarity:?

??Imagine you’re an introvert, preparing to attend a business networking event where you’re unfamiliar with everyone. As the event draws near, a cautious voice in your mind begins to whisper: “You won’t fit in”. “You’ll make a fool of yourself”. The voice starts softly, then gradually increases in volume. It becomes a relentless loop of caution, warning of danger ahead. “Don’t go, as something bad will happen”. However, beneath these anxious thoughts lies your fear of social interactions, or unfamiliar situations. Here, anxiety blurs the lines between itself and intuition.

Cool, calm and collected: Deciphering the language of intuition?

Now, let’s flip the switch and explore what it feels like to experience intuitive insights.

Describing intuition is often likened to the sensation of having butterflies in your stomach. For this reason, like Woodall describes, the lines between intuition and fear start to blur. Intuition, however, doesn’t manifest itself through the whirlwind of physical sensations like paralysis, heart racing, panic, sweating, or shallow breathing.

Instead, intuition emerges from a clear and calm assurance, that comes from deep within your heart. While an immediate rational explanation might not be readily available (that insight often arrives later), anxiety is notably absent.

??Imagine this scenario: You’re an introvert, standing at the crossroads of attending a business networking event where you don’t know a soul. Whilst wrestling with the urge to retreat into your comfort zone and indulge in takeaway and Netflix, a gentle voice within nudges you: "A promising encounter awaits you there. You should go." Despite having an uneasy queasy feeling, you heed the call. As the event unfolds, you're drawn into a conversation that introduces you to someone who, a few weeks later, leads you to connecting with your future business partner.

Looking at these two scenarios, can you spot the difference when fear and intuition take the lead? Intuition shines as a guiding light, stemming from your heart. Even if you experience some discomfort or butterflies, those feelings come and go quickly.

Embracing intuition: Conquering fear for clearer decision-making

Fear is undoubtedly one of the barriers we face in accessing our intuition. It's like that unchanging red light or a bridge that's stuck, blocking access to the island. You can either turn back and seek a different route, or confront the situation head-on by shifting into gear, pressing down the accelerator and holding on for life!

Fear, or anxiety, strikes fast. It's primal; your body's protective response against harm. It's often irrational, repetitive, and accompanied by physical symptoms like sweating, a racing heart, and shallow breathing, to name a few.

Intuition is its direct opposite – it originates from the heart. It's a certainty that leaves you feeling calm and in control, an unexplainable knowledge.

By identifying fear and working to conquer it, you allow yourself to hear and comprehend your intuition. Gradually, you'll develop greater trust in your inner voice over those fearful thoughts that hold you back. This shift will guide you toward making clearer decisions in both your professional and personal life.

#Intuition #DecisionMaking #FearlessIntuition