How to Tell the Difference Between Intuition and Fear | Wisdom from ‘The Mountain is You’

The Mountain is You is on my top 26 list of books because

Sharing some wisdom from one of my favourite books - The Mountain is You, by Brianna Wiest. Get the full list of my book recommendations here.

Sometimes it’s hard to know the difference between our intuition and our fears. Here’s a great list to use next time you have a thought or feeling that you’re struggling to trust.

Brianna writes:

“This is how to start telling the difference between thoughts that are informed by your intuition and thoughts that are informed by fear:

Intuitive thoughts are calm.
Intruding thoughts are hectic and fear-inducing.

Intuitive thoughts are rational; they make a degree of sense.
Intruding thoughts are irrational and often stem from aggrandizing a situation or jumping to the worst conclusion possible.

Intuitive thoughts help you in the present. They give you information that you need to make a better-informed decision.
Intruding thoughts are often random and have nothing to do with what’s going on in the moment.

Intuitive thoughts are “quiet”.
Intruding thoughts are “loud,” which makes one harder to hear than the other.

Intuitive thoughts usually come to you once, maybe twice, and they induce a feeling of understanding.
Intruding thoughts tend to be persistent and induce a feeling of panic.

Intuitive thoughts often sound loving.
Invasive thoughts sound scared.

Intuitive thoughts usually come out of nowhere
Invasive thoughts are usually triggered by external stimuli.

Intuitive thoughts don’t need to be grappled with—you have them and then you let them go.
Invasive thoughts begin a whole spiral of ideas and fears, making it feel impossible to stop thinking about them.

Intuitive thoughts open your mind to other possibilities.
Invasive thoughts close your heart and make you feel stuck or condemned.

Intuitive thoughts come from the perspective of your best self.
Invasive thoughts come from the perspective of your most fearful, small self.

Intuitive thoughts solve problems.
Invasive thoughts create them.

Intuitive thoughts help you help others.
Invasive thoughts tend to create a “me vs. them” mentality.

Intuitive thoughts help you understand what you’re thinking and feeling;
Invasive thoughts assume what other people are thinking and feeling.

Intuitive thoughts are rational.
Invasive thoughts are irrational.

Intuitive thoughts come from a deeper place within you and give you a resounding feeling deep in your gut.
Invasive thoughts keep you stuck in your head and give you a panicked feeling.

Intuitive thoughts show you how to respond.
Invasive thoughts demand that you react.”