Intuition vs. Impulse: How Do You Know The Difference?

I can’t believe I’m even taking on this topic, because how can you describe the difference in sensation between two feelings which are hard to describe in and of themselves?

I might not be able to… but, let’s try!

It’s important to try because the two will lead you down completely different roads. One will lead you to fulfilment, joy and alignment; and the other might lead you into a situation that you wish you could undo.

🚨 Intuition should be used with caution… 🚨

And it’s through an immense amount of self-healing, personal growth and energy clearing that we’re all able to receive clear guidance from our own intuition. Until then, we’re probably just following our impulses.

I think back to my teenage years and I was basically one big adolescent impulse. I actually got the idea for this blog yesterday when I was looking at the sizeable star-shaped scars on my hips where I’ve had 8 sessions of tattoo removal. I got this pair of black stars tattooed when I was 15 years old using my sister’s ID.

I was so impulsive.

Whatever I wanted to do — I did. And there was literally no-one who could stop me.

I would do whatever it took and (in my usual Taurus way) was stubborn and bullish about getting whatever I wanted. That was an impulse, and even though I’m just as certain about using my intuition now — I don’t have to be bullish about following it.

It’s easy. It flows. It opens up an energetic path of opportunities.

We need to be so gung-ho about following our impulses and knocking everything out of the way to get them because they’re often coming from a place of fear and need. We feel like we NEED whatever we’re feeling an impulse for. Whenever we feel like we MUST have something, that is an impulse.

An impulse is a drive; a desire; an immediate longing.

Intuition is a knowing; a sensing; a gentle pointing towards something. It comes from a place of comfort, trust and support.

When we intuitively know something is right for us, we don’t care so much about the timeline. The big things that I’m trying to manifest on my vision board mean the world to me, and I think they’re coming within the next decade or so. But I 100% know that they’ll arrive in divine timing, at the right moment. They do not need to come tomorrow.

That’s the difference between me and teenage me, and that’s the difference between living from impulse and intuition.

The best way anyone can access their intuition, and reduce their impulses, is by going on a serious spiritual deep dive. Unhealed wounds need things to fill them, and that’s where the NEED of an impulse comes from. So, we fill, and we fill, and we fill, but we still don’t feel full. The things that the impulses bring us will never even touch the sides.

Doing the spiritual work + the healing + the inner self-growth will gently and gradually close those holes. Energy healing has been a game-changer for me, and the results from my Reiki attunement and continued self-healing have been profound.

When we’re in a low vibration state, it’s really hard to access our intuition. I know there’s definitely a “black hole” in my own journey where I didn’t touch my intuition for years — but I had a hell of a lot of impulses! And that’s the same for a lot of people.

If you can really feel an urge for something — or you feel like something might be “right” — how can you know whether it’s an impulse or your intuition?

You can ask yourself these questions…

• Do I need this now, or would I be happy to wait 1/2/3/4 years for the same outcome?
• Do I want it because I’m scared that if I don’t have it now, then I won’t have it at all?
• Who am I without the thing that I’m urging for? Would I still be whole, complete, and able to love myself?

We are controlled by our impulses, whereas we are called by our intuition.

Next time you’re feeling an internal nudge to go for something, and you’re not sure if it’s coming from a good or a bad place, consider why you want it and the emotions that it’ll give you when you get it.

If it’s a short-lived high that you’ll need another of, it’s an impulse.

If it’s something that will feel purposeful and aligned with the person you truly want to be, it’s your intuition.

The way to find your answer is always to ask an uncomfortable question that you can’t hide away from. A question that cuts down the middle of an issue and forces you to pick a side is the right question because you have to choose one outcome or another.

When you’re asking yourself if a nudge is your intuition or an impulse, think about the outcome. Do you need it now, or is it worth a wait? Is there a scared sense of urgency, or do you know that you’ll definitely have it someday? And will you be closer to becoming someone that you do or don’t like when you get what you want?

This is how you can tell the difference between intuition and impulse. They both have a place in our life and our humanness requires them both. But, they’re for very different things!

So, next time you want to do something silly — follow your intuition instead of the impulse. It will give you the outcome you’ll be happiest with in the future.

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Originally published at https://lizroberta.com on May 6, 2020.