Is It Your Anxiety Or Intuition?: 3 Simple Ways To Tell What Your Gut Is Really Saying - Page 3

3. Investigate where your feelings are coming from. 

Once you’ve taken a moment to pause and tune into your body and emotions, it’s time to explore whether what you’re feeling is anxiety or intuition. Start by examining the source of the sensation. Is it a response to something happening right now, or is it rooted in fear about a hypothetical future? Intuition tends to arise in response to the present moment, while anxiety is often fueled by imagined scenarios or patterns from the past, Adams shared.

The investigation phase is also a good opportunity for you to get curious about your inner world and how you typically respond to stress or uncertainty. Anxiety often shows up as catastrophic thinking, imagining the worst possible outcome, and feeling an urgent need to act. If your thoughts revolve around “If I don’t do this, something bad will happen and I won’t be able to cope,” you’re likely dealing with anxiety rather than a grounded inner knowing.

“Notice the stories that are playing out in your mind,” Moore said. “Are they fear-based and do they demand immediate action? If your thoughts sound like ‘If I don’t do [x], then [y] will happen, and I won’t be able to handle it,’ then it’s probably anxiety talking.”

According to Adams, intuition often comes in “quick” and “quiet bursts” that offer insight into something you’ve been thinking about for a while.

“It’s like a brief reminder that gently lingers in the background, sometimes accompanied by little signs or synchronicities that seem to affirm it,” she added. 

RELATED CONTENT: Doechii Conquered Her Anxiety — And Now She’s Helping Others Do The Same