Fear is a skilled impersonator
of intuition. It knows how to mimic the urgency of a gut feeling, and it often
convinces us to shrink back from opportunities or people who could actually be
safe and supportive.
When you’ve been hurt, your
body learns to associate certain sensations, expressions, or environments with
danger. This is protective, but it’s also limiting. To reclaim your intuition,
you have to unlearn some of that fear.
The Difference Between
Caution and Constriction
Healthy caution comes from a grounded awareness of reality. Fear-based
constriction is rooted in the past. The challenge is that both can feel
intense. One closes you down to keep you safe in a real threat. The other keeps
you closed long after the threat is gone.
Asking the Right Questions
Unlearning fear starts with curiosity:
- Is there actual evidence of danger here, or am I feeling this because of what
happened before?
- If someone else described my situation, would I see danger or possibility?
- What does my body feel like when I am truly safe?
Tools for Separating Fear
from Intuition
Grounding practices can help separate fear from intuition. Breathing deeply,
placing your feet firmly on the floor, or scanning your environment for signs
of safety can help your body recognize when it’s okay to stand down. Journaling
can also reveal patterns, you might see that certain “warnings” always happen
in similar, non-threatening contexts.
A Real Example
I once accepted a collaboration even though something felt “off” about it.
Weeks later, I realized the “off” feeling was triggered by the person’s
confident communication style, something I associated with a confidence in them
but was lacking in me. My unexamined fear of not being able to make it on my
own made me jump at the chance. Later I
would learn that they had a “fake it ‘til you make it” philosophy, hoping to
ride my hard work and credibility, so I respectfully stepped away. I learned to
see myself in a better light and they learned to do their own work.
Why This Matters
The goal isn’t to eliminate fear, fear is natural and sometimes helpful. The
goal is to stop letting fear be the only voice you listen to. When fear quiets,
intuition has space to speak.
Reclaiming your intuition means
allowing both safety and possibility to coexist. It’s not about forcing
yourself into unsafe situations. It’s about knowing when your inner “no” comes
from wisdom, and when it comes from a wound.
**Journal Prompts:**
- What fears show up most often when I try to trust myself?
- What helps me tell the difference between fear and intuition?
- How can I soothe my body so I can hear my intuition more clearly?
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