How Do You Know If It’s Intuition or Fear?

You feel a pull to make a change. 

And then comes the doubt.

"Is this my intuition — or am I just scared?"

This is one of the most common questions I hear in coaching sessions with high-achieving leaders, entrepreneurs, and people navigating big life transitions. And it makes sense. We’re not taught how to discern between the voice of fear and the voice of inner guidance — especially when both can feel loud, urgent, and protective.

But learning to tell the difference is one of the most powerful things you can do.

It’s the key to making decisions that feel right — even when they don’t always make sense on paper.

Why it’s so hard to tell the difference

Both fear and intuition are ancient protective systems. But they show up in different ways:

• Fear is usually linked to survival — it wants to keep you safe, small, and in the known

• Intuition is often subtle — it guides you toward alignment, even if it’s uncomfortable

Here’s the kicker: fear shouts. Intuition whispers.

That’s why it takes space, safety, and self-connection to really hear it.

Body signals: what intuition feels like (vs fear)

One of the most powerful ways to distinguish between intuition and fear is through the body.

Here’s what to look for:

When it’s fear, you might feel:

• Tightness in the chest

• Shallow breathing

• Racing thoughts

• Urgency to act or shut down

• A looping sense of dread or overanalysis

When it’s intuition, you might feel:

• A quiet knowing or pull in the gut

• Calm clarity — even if the decision is big

• Expansion in the body (like the breath deepens)

• A sense of peace or inevitability

Sometimes the body gives the answer before the mind can catch up.

This is why nervous system regulation is so important in coaching. If your system is constantly in fight-or-flight, it’s much harder to access your intuitive intelligence.

The role of parts: who’s speaking right now?

Another powerful tool I use in my coaching work is parts work — the idea that we all have multiple internal parts with different roles, voices, and fears.

• Your fear might be coming from a protector part who doesn’t want you to be judged or fail.

• Your intuition will be coming from your core self — the part of you that’s deeply aligned with who you’re becoming.

The work isn’t to silence your parts. It’s to get curious about who’s speaking — and why.

I often guide clients through a short inner dialogue: "Which part of me is feeling scared right now? What is it trying to protect me from?"

"And is there a deeper knowing underneath that — a quiet sense of what’s truly right for me?"

When we learn to differentiate our parts, we create space to hear the quieter truth.

How to strengthen your intuitive muscle

Intuition is a skill. It can be:

• Noticed

• Activated

• Practised

• Strengthened

• Applied

Here are some ways to build your discernment:

• Pause before reacting — give space for clarity to emerge

• Journal — let your inner wisdom flow on to the paper

• Tune into your body — notice sensations, not just thoughts

• Explore parts work — to recognise fear-based patterns

• Work with a coach — to create a safe space for inner exploration

Final thoughts: trust is built over time

Learning to trust your intuition — especially if you've spent years operating from logic, fear, or external expectations — takes time.

But the more you listen to it, the louder it becomes.

And eventually, it stops being a question of "Is this intuition or fear?" — and becomes a practice of deep inner knowing.

Want to deepen your intuitive awareness and learn the language of your parts? Book a Pause. Reflect. Realign. Taster session - a 60-minute coaching session is a chance to slow down, check in, and begin to realign with your intuition, values, and inner wisdom.