Good situations should feel good, shouldn’t they? So, what is this low-level performance anxiety; this mild case of nerves that you have about the change you are making? What is this feeling of angst when you should be happy?

Is it an intuition? Does it mean you should change your mind and avoid the situation?

Probably not.

What feels like negative intuition may be something else. Yes, you are intuitive and your feelings tell you a lot about situations.  But this discomfort is probably a good sign.

I am not a proponent of pain. It doesn’t really beget gain. If it’s called “boot camp” I don’t want to attend. Pain has a message, which is: “Stop! Rethink.”

Pushing through pain can take you off in a direction you don’t want to go.  Really, there is nothing noble about ignoring feelings, much as our culture loves to pretend there is. In fact there is something stupid about it. To ignore feelings is to ignore very important information about preferences, needs, and abilities.

However…There is a certain discomfort that should be welcomed. This discomfort can be intense sometimes but look closely. This discomfort is not the same as pain.

This is the discomfort of newness: of the unfamiliar.  This discomfort is present in a new dream house when practicing a new skill, when leaving a bad marriage, and on the first night of summer camp.

Unfortunately, this discomfort is present on the first day of a wonderful job and on the first day of an uninspiring job and it can take some discernment to be sure of what it does and does not tell you.

Is this discomfort an intuition?

The discomfort of the unfamiliar can easily be mistaken for an intuitive message that something is wrong. Uh-oh! I don’t feel good doing this new job. It must be wrong for me.

Wait a minute.

New things are uncomfortable. In fact, if you are hoping to make changes in life, you must get outside your comfort zone and it may be difficult. However, the discomfort does go away, and often quickly.

How do you tell if it’s intuition or if you are simply visiting the discomfort zone?

I was once offered what I thought was the job of my dreams, but I felt uncanny dread, confusion, and a sense of imprisonment about it.  I took the job and it was the job of my dreams, except my manager made it a nightmare.  Notice my intuitive feelings were dread, confusion, lack of freedom. Far more negative than the nervous excitement of trying something new.

There’s a big difference between newness and dread. It can help to explicitly describe your anxious feelings and see what language you use. Dread and confusion are hallmarks of negative intuitive warnings.

Another sign of your intuition saying “no” is when you just cannot act. When you find you can’t say yes to the invitation, or you find you cannot make yourself get on that particular bus. Perhaps you keep putting off buying something until it’s too late or you simply will not sign the petition even though you think you should.

With stage fright, you can still get on stage. You manage to get to the new job that’s making you nervous.  You are able to drive somewhere new even if the trip makes you anxious.

A very simple way to discern what you’re feeling is by asking your intuition directly. Pretend you can see the future after the newness of your situation wears off. How will you feel when you have accepted the job, purchased the trip, taken possession of the car, and been in the new place for a few weeks…?

Your intuition will usually tell you quite clearly with feelings of dread or relief. You’ll find that you just know:

• In a few weeks, I’ll love this house.
• This is the best decision I can make right now.
• I never will enjoy that car as much as I think I should.
• The job will work out quite well.
• That job is to be avoided.
• I need to make a different decision.
• This organization is ok but I won’t like some aspects of it.

In truth, the anxiety of newness means you’re entering new territory and this is almost always a good thing.