It’s so complicated! People say, “trust your gut” but when you have anxiety, this is not an easy thing to do. It is well established that anxiety interferes with our capacity to trust our gut reaction. Why? Because the experience of both feels frustratingly similar and what can feel like intuition can actually be anxiety and vice versa.
So how do we tell the difference and start to learn to trust our instincts again? To start, it’s helpful to know that intuition is the way we are able to have an immediate knowledge or awareness of something that has occurred, and this awareness arises within us without the need for conscious reasoning. It is derived from past experiences and knowledge, it is driven by our personal preferences, goals and needs and it is triggered by things that are happening in the present moment. What’s great about intuition is that it is something that helps us to figure out the best way to manage a difficult situation.
When intuition arises, we feel it in our gut but what’s complicated is that this is where we also experience our anxiety. As such, to tease the two apart we’ll need to rely on more than our bodily sensations to guide us through the process.
Stat by asking yourself some questions, like “Why am I saying no to this? Is it because I’m scared or because it’s really not what I want?” “What do I need?” “what could I be afraid of?” Consider whether the word “should” or “must” are popping up in your thinking. If you are using either of these words then it’s a good indicator that you are making decisions based on expectations, perceived pressure or anxiety rather than intuition.
Watch out for over analysis and late night worrying and rumination. Practice meditation instead and spend some time getting to know your thoughts and your pattern of thinking. Practice letting go of worrying thoughts and see what you uncover once you have let some of your worry go.
Re-engage with your values, beliefs and goals and see if your ‘gut’ is telling you to move towards your goals and in line with your values and beliefs or away. If it’s directing you away then perhaps it’s really anxiety and doubt not intuition after all. If it’s directing you towards your goals then it’s likely to be your intuition
Tune into what’s happening in your body. Responding to your intuition requires very little thinking. Notice your feelings and label them if you can and notice how your body feels. Doing guided body scan meditations can be really useful at these times.
Spend some time imagining yourself in different scenarios associated with the problem at hand. If perhaps the decision is about whether to apply for a job or not, imagine yourself being told you got the job - how did that make you feel? Then, imagine yourself choosing not to apply, and perhaps even imagine the person who does get it. How do you feel? When we listen to our intuition, the associated feeling is often relief, peacefulness and a sense of calm. A sense of just ‘knowing’.
Spend some time engaging anxiety management strategies before you make your decision. Low self-esteem, a negative outlook, anxiety, fear and doubt will overshadow intuition and make it hard for you to trust your instincts. Anxiety management strategies like exercise, deep breathing, talking with a friend or engaging your body and mind in an activity of interest can release some of the anxiety and doubt and make room for clarity.
This, like so many aspects of mental health is a journey and one that can take time and will need practice. But if you are willing, you can choose to start rebuilding your capacity to trust in yourself again. Come and see us if you need support with this process, we’d love to help. Call the Melbourne Wellbeing Group on (03) 9882-8874.
This blog was written and prepared by Dr Victoria Miller - Principal Psychologist at Melbourne Wellbeing Group.