Anxiety vs Intuition: How to Tell the Difference Between Fear and Inner Guidance
In a world where we are constantly in survival mode (fight or flight) and consistently trying to point out every single little place where things might go wrong to protect ourselves, it can be pretty challenging to know whether that voice in your head is led by our intuition or our anxiety. Both speak from within us, both feel important and pulling and both can shape the direction of your next step in life. But their frequencies are entirely different. The feeling of them is different and which one you follow ultimately does make a difference in your path. Those who are clairsentient (the intuitive gift of “clear-feeling”) have the hardest time with this. This is because they feel everything in their bodies. They feel other people’s feelings as well so they truly live by the “gut feeling.” They suffer from a lot of anxiety because they pick up other people’s anxiety AND they struggle to tell the difference between their own gut feelings as fear or a message from their intuition.
In this article I will explain some differences between the two to help you be able to tune in a bit more to your inner intuitive guide and push down those anxious messages.
First and foremost, anxiety is the voice of fear. It is fast, chaotic and future-focused. It tells stories of what could go wrong. All of those scenarios of what-if this happened and what-if this went wrong, that is anxiety, not intuition. Intuition will not make you question your choices.
Intuition is the voice of truth. It comes through calm, clear (although a bit quieter sometimes) and grounded in the present moment. It whispers the next right step. Because it is quieter, it can be difficult to hear it over the anxious shouting, but if you tell the anxiety to quiet down a moment and still yourself, you can tune in to listen. The more you do this the more you will master the talent of listening in.
The Frequency of Anxiety
Anxiety feels high and frantic, like static energy rushing through the nervous system. It’s the result of overstimulation, energetic overload or unprocessed emotions that are trying to get your attention. It is a strong current of restless energy surging and building within you, needing to be released in some way shape or form, which is also why movement like shaking or walking can help move it through.
When anxiety speaks, it often sounds like:
“What if this goes wrong?”
“What if I mess this up or fail?”
“What will they think of me?”
It’s full of ‘what-ifs’ and worst-case scenarios, a reel playing your deepest fears and a lifetime of cringy embarrassments big and small.
As this happens, the body tightens, the breath shortens, the mind races.
Anxiety disconnects you from the present moment and moves you into imagined timelines that don’t yet exist. But understand that it is actually not your mind or body trying to hurt you. It’s trying to protect you. It is protecting you but it is following an outdated energetic map that was crafted based on trauma (big or small) from this lifetime or past lifetimes (past lives can hold a treasure trove of information and Pandora's box of traumas!).
The Frequency of Intuition
Intuition is steady, grounded and neutral. It is neither good nor bad. It’s the calm, solid current beneath the waves. It doesn’t rush or pressure you. It is not always positive shining rainbows and butterflies or booming golden messages from the sky, but it never comes from the place of fear. It simply knows. It is just that, an inner knowing. Based on where you feel intuition the strongest (clairsentience - “clear-feeling”, claircognizance - “clear-knowing”, clair-voyant - “clear-seeing” clair audience - “clear-hearing”), you can learn to tune into how you receive messages. I personally believe that everyone is intuitive in some way. Some are more gifted or practiced with accessing it. For example, mostly everyone has the ability to play basketball but not everyone will be Lebron James. Additionally, certain areas or “clairs” will be stronger than others.
When intuition speaks, it sounds like:
“This feels right.”
“Something’s off.”
“Go this way.”
There’s no drama, no story, no panic or questioning, just statements.
You might feel a soft warmth in your body, a tingle down your spine, chills on your skin, or a gentle pull in your gut. That “I have chills all over” feeling.
💎 Three Ways to Tell the Difference
Anxiety feels loud, Intuition feels quiet.
Anxiety screams for your attention. Intuition whispers and trusts you’ll hear it when you’re ready.Anxiety contracts the body, Intuition opens it.
Notice how your body responds. Fear closes, intuition relaxes.Anxiety is reactive, Intuition is responsive.
Anxiety acts from urgency; intuition moves from timing. Intuition waits for divine alignment.
How to Tune In
It takes time and practice to tune into your inner knowing, your intuitive voice. When you feel the lines blurring, pause. Take a beat and a breath while you tune in. Ask yourself:
“Is this fear or truth?”
Then notice where the answer lands.
If you feel a flutter in your chest, racing thoughts, or heat in the head, it’s anxiety.
If you feel calm neutrality or a quiet inner knowing, it’s intuition.
The Answer Within You
Your intuition isn’t somewhere outside of you, it’s the frequency beneath the noise, always waiting to be felt. Anxiety is a message as well, it is there to show you where things are out of alignment, where things do not feel right. It is there to protect you. But if you listen deeper you will notice you have all the answers within you.
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