Anxiety Or Intuition? Using Our Values As A Compass

"Listen to your gut feeling" is only helpful advice when we're able to tell the difference between our anxiety and intuition. For many of us, we may not understand how to tell which is coming up in the moment. This meditation gives a framework to start identifying when you're feeling anxious or when your intuition is actually trying to tell you something. I share how we can use our values to explore our inner worlds and direct us to where we want to go. You'll be left with more clarity and reflection/journaling prompts to go even further internally. Remember, you got this.

Background Music - Music of Wisdom

Transcript

Welcome to the fifth and final lesson of this series.

Thank you so much for making it this far.

I really appreciate you being here with me and taking the time to be present and show it for yourself.

For this last lesson,

We're talking about the differences between anxiety and intuition.

And this is a question that I get a lot from people in my life,

Clients,

Friends,

Everybody.

How do I know the difference between anxiety,

Fears,

Worries,

Intrusive thoughts?

How can I tell the difference between those and my intuition,

My gut feeling,

My core self?

And this is really difficult.

This isn't a simple answer.

This can't be answered in one meditation.

This is a lifelong process,

But here's a way that you can start today.

I want you to first think about your values.

And if you haven't done a values exercise,

I would suggest taking a little bit of time to think about that.

You can research list of values and try to see if you could pick out your top five.

See if you can weed out some values that maybe aren't as important to you.

But think about your values,

Consider them,

And then I want you to hold on to them.

So remind yourself of them,

Have them up in your room,

Have them in your phone.

And then I want you to start to consider your values when you are asking yourself this question.

For example,

Maybe there is a gathering coming up in the future and part of you wants to go,

Part of you doesn't want to go.

You're trying to figure it out.

If you can sit and meditate and think about the fear behind the resistance,

Then that will lead you to your answer.

Is the reason that there's somebody going to the gathering that has said really hurtful things to you in the past and you don't want to be around them?

Well,

That could be reflective of a core value of you respecting yourself and you not wanting to put yourself in situations where you're not fully respected.

Or is the reason that there is resistance to going because you're really worried about what you'll say and how people will perceive you and if you'll say the wrong thing,

Do the wrong thing,

Act the wrong way.

This might be less related to values and more related to fears or insecurities and that's okay.

Knowing that and understanding that is the first step to being able to do anything about it.

Because yeah,

It makes sense that you're feeling nervous about how you'll be perceived at the get-together,

That's okay.

You can do it nervous.

You don't have to.

Maybe you sit this one out,

Maybe you are resting,

That's okay.

But maybe you decide to do this a little scared.

Because it aligns with your value of connecting with friends.

So you're deciding to put yourself through a little bit of short-term discomfort in order to lead to long-term happiness,

Pleasure,

Joy,

Goals.

In understanding where to intentionally put ourselves into these situations where we are maybe a little bit distressed,

But we know that putting ourselves through that distress in a way that is doable,

In a way that does not overtake us,

Is actually going to lead us to more positive outcomes.

And it's not to say that this is always the right answer.

A lot of the times we are just going to need to give ourselves a break and that is just as important.

So for the first journaling exercise,

I want you to think about a situation that you're trying to make a decision about.

So maybe it's a decision that's really important,

Maybe it's a smaller decision to get started.

But just give yourself some time to consider a question that you need to answer.

And I want you to think about your values.

I want you to write out a list of your most important values.

And then I want you to see if looking at those values,

You can find any guidance.

Once you start thinking more intentionally about these things and where these parts are coming from,

It's going to be easier to understand if this is anxiety,

Or if this is your core self and your intuition coming to help you and support you and guide you in the right ways.

And the last journaling exercise for this course is I want you to think a little bit about a time in your life where your intuition led you to the right decision,

Or led you to safety.

It could be something small,

It could be something big.

But expand on that moment.

How did your intuition come up?

Was it visuals?

Was it thoughts?

Was it ideas?

Was it body sensations?

How did you know?

Meditate on it.

Think about that.

And then I want you to think about ways that you can expand that energy.

How can you take from that situation and multiply it?

Because you have the skills within you.

You're just figuring out how to unweave all of the other stuff in the way.

Congratulations on making it through Lesson 5,

And thank you so much for listening through all of these.

I hope that some of this resonated.

Please feel free to take what feels right and leave what doesn't,

And I hope that you have a wonderful day.

You are doing hard work.

And when in doubt,

Take it one day at a time,

One hour at a time,

One moment at a time.

That's all you have to do.

I'm proud of you.