“Trust your intuition,” they say. But how do you know which voice is your “intuition” and which one is just intrusive thoughts? It can be difficult to know which is which so here are some tips for differentiating the two.
The reason why people say to trust your “instinct” or “intuition” or even “gut-feeling” is because the initial reaction to something is your body’s answer, using its subconscious data, before your brain has time to second-guess it.
In a recent post, An Average Morning, towards the end I found myself mulling over every single thought that was streaming through my consciousness, which gave every idea equal attention, and therefore, equal power over me. I was psycho-analyzing everything, leaving me stuck and confused about what my next actions should be.
Your instinct is for the present moment, not the future. Otherwise, it’s just projecting. And projecting an idea into your future is more likely to make that idea become a reality. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sorta like manifestation. When given time, what you focus on – what you believe to be true – expands. Thus, what you believe about the future is not your intuition but rather a build-up of thoughts.
This idea is something I’m still exploring and trying to come to terms with. I do believe psychic powers are real so that’s another layer I’ll have to reflect on… but anyway, generally speaking, here are some common descriptors for intuitive thoughts and intrusive thoughts:
Intuitive thoughts come to you subtly and calmly, almost feeling like a deeper “knowing” and comes from the perspective of your highest self. This correlates strongly with the “vibe” or energy of things; when you find yourself explaining that something just “felt right,” or “felt off” without having specific reasons why.
Intrusive thoughts on the other hand, are fear-inducing and create further doubt and confusion. They are triggered from externalities and make you feel stuck.
There’s also a difference between intrusive thoughts and just plain logic. Intrusive thoughts aren’t based on fact, they’re steamed from a place of worst-case-scenarios. If you find a thought you’re having to be unpleasant and unwanted in your mind, it’s probably an intrusive thought. Especially if it is repetitive or relentless. Logic is rather straight-forward facts you’ve been taught. The similarity they both have, in contrast with ones intuition, is that they are less visceral and more detached. In other words, they are observed instead of experienced. With your intuition, it is a feeling you get.
A tactic I personally like to utilize when making decisions is, if it isn’t an “absolutely yes!” then it’s a no and you should let it go. And reminder, this is for present-moment decisions, when you’re actively deciding between choices. I use this strategy a lot when I’m clothing shopping and let me tell you, it saves you a lot of money…
Happy New Year! <3
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