One of the most often asked questions when learning about intuition is ” How do I know if what I am listening to is actually my intuition and not something else, like a sudden impulse ? “  It is a great and important question.

When intuition comes through it is clear and crisp and carries an unemotional and neutral tone.  Intuition is grounding and calming and provides a feeling similar to what would be evoked by hearing the saying  ‘it fits like a glove” .  Impulse on the other hand is hurried and rushed and carries an urgency to it that instructs immediate action.  When impulse is the motivator it feels like the opportunity must be  immediately seized, regardless of the obstacles, for fear of the loss. Impulsivity feels  anxious and unsettling and creates a false sense of need. The ego fears annihilation and thus impulsivity kicks in as ego fights for its survival. When you’re acting on impulse you can be sure to be left with restlessness and an after taste asking for more.

Intuition always serves your well-being and development. Though it might not always feel easy to trust and follow through with, especially when it seemingly takes you of course in a new direction, intuition provides guidance that is supportive and wise.

Here are some tips to help determine if you are listening to intuition or impulse:

1. Sleep on it- Don’t act immediately.  Instead sleep on your decision for a couple of nights, let it rest, and see if the energy around your decision alters.

2. Keep checking in as you take the steps- Keep asking yourself how you feel as you move closer to making your decision. If you begin to feel anxious or hurried or things start to feel urgent, wait and come back to your decision a little later on. I experienced this the other day. I came across some conferences I really wanted to attend and felt convinced that I had to be there. As I took the steps to register it became increasingly clear that it wasn’t time for me to go. With each phone call and inquiry I made into the event, I could feel indifference rise in me and guidance that informed me it wasn’t the time.

3. How do you feel now? Check in with yourself after you have followed through with the decision and notice if you feel better, calmer, more relieved?  If you still find yourself wanting more or something else then impulse has come out on top this time around.

It takes practice to discern between intuition and impulse and with time the voices become easier to identify. Whether it is impulse you’ve recently acted on, or intuition, vital lessons about each voice can be learned from both experiences. With each new decision, action and outcome, we develop the wherewithal to know the difference. Simply put, intuition leaves us feeling calmer and clearer and leads us to greater well-being. The more  familiar we become with our intuitive voice the less inclined we will be to act on impulse.

Here’s to trusting your intuition!