*INTUITION VS EMOTION
How to Tell the Difference and Why It Matters
At first glance, intuition and emotion seem to share the same space in our inner world. Both arise without conscious effort and powerfully influence our choices.
But while they often appear similar, they come from very different places, and learning to tell them apart can change how we comprehend decisions, relationships, and personal growth.
Let’s break it down.
What Is Intuition?
Intuition is immediate. It doesn’t speak in full sentences or stories. It’s not rooted in logic or memory. Instead, it arrives suddenly, without warning or explanation, a pull, a pause, a quiet but unmistakable yes or no.
It’s often physical. You might feel it as a tightening in your gut or a release in your chest. It doesn’t argue or justify. It just knows.
Many people describe intuition as a kind of internal compass, a silent guide that doesn’t need proof. It’s not emotional. It’s not loud. It’s simply clear.
What Are Emotions?
Our experiences shape our emotions, which are tied to memory, learned responses, and personal history.
Emotions come with a script, thought loops, imagined scenarios, and internal commentary. They echo what we’ve been through and often try to protect us from repeating discomfort.
Emotions linger and loop. They color the moment. Joy, sadness, fear, and resentment are valid and valuable feelings, but they are not always accurate indicators of what’s best.
So, How Do You Tell the Difference?
Here’s where it gets tricky. Emotions can disguise themselves as intuition. The mind wants certainty, so it creates meaning quickly and repeats it often. This is especially true when fear or past trauma is involved.
You might think, “I know this will go wrong,” but what you’re actually feeling is anxiety rooted in a past event. Intuition doesn’t loop or linger. Emotion does.
The distinction lies in the pattern. Intuition doesn’t need to repeat itself. It doesn’t waver. Emotion, however, tends to echo until it’s been acknowledged or released.
When facing a decision, ask yourself:
What did I feel before I started thinking?
Am I reacting from a pattern or responding from clarity?
Is this a knowing or a fear?
Three Practical Exercises for Intuitive Awareness
1. The First Thought Test
Next time you face a decision, pause, and ask: What was your first impulse before you started thinking about it?
Often, intuition speaks immediately. Everything after that is usually the mind trying to rationalize or debate it.
2. Somatic Listening
Emotions live in the mind, but intuition lives in the body. Spend five minutes each day sitting quietly and tuning into your body without asking anything.
Just notice what sensations arise. Over time, you’ll start to distinguish between the weight of a thought and the signal of a knowing.
3. Story Sorting
When you feel stuck, write down what you’re experiencing. Then go back and circle everything that sounds like a story: “This always happens,” “What if they think…,” “Last time this happened…” These are emotional imprints. What’s left underneath those layers might be the voice of intuition trying to get through.
Use these exercises for any moment of uncertainty or strong reaction. Over time, you’ll start to recognize your intuitive voice more quickly and quiet the emotional noise that tends to follow.
When in doubt, give it space. Intuition doesn’t shout or plead. It doesn’t need to repeat itself. The more you quiet the emotional noise, the more clearly you’ll hear it.
Takeaways
Intuition is fast, wordless, and unmistakably clear.
Emotion is shaped by memory and expressed through thoughts and feelings.
Both are useful, but knowing which one is speaking helps you respond instead of react.
Your body is the home of intuition, and your mind houses emotion. Learn to listen to both without confusing them.
Clarity does not come from silencing emotion but from recognizing its voice and knowing when to listen and when to move past it.
JAH
