Psychologists often encourage people to name their feelings. It’s an effective way for people in therapy to begin the process of identifying the root problem of an issue. Attentive parents often do the same with their children — why are you crying? Are you feeling angry? Sad? It’s a simple bit of guidance but it can be surprisingly tricky. Even adults can often be caught off guard: What am I feeling? And we haven’t even gotten to the follow-up question: Why are you feeling that way?

Caroline Bologna focuses on the complexity of this issue in an article for HuffPost.com. “You probably know the feeling,” she writes. “You’re about to make a major decision ― about a job offer, a move to another city or a big commitment in a relationship ― and suddenly you get this sinking feeling in your gut. Is it your intuition whispering a quiet warning? Or anxiety revving up with familiar doubt and fear? The line between the two can feel razor-thin.”

The problem is especially troublesome for people who struggle with anxiety. One cause of anxiety is the tendency to consider — or often dwell on — whether a situation or upcoming event is going to work out well… or badly. Confusion arises because intuition can also prompt a person to take the same consideration into account. That can be a bit confusing — am I feeling negative anxiety or a having a potentially positive insight?

Bologna’s research for the article led her to offer a few tips to help you identify the difference between anxiety and intuition.

“Pause and slow down.” Anyone who has dealt with anxiety is probably aware that stressful situations are breeding grounds for anxious moments. The reason is that situations that cause stress are often chaotic and cause people to deal with a cascade of thoughts and emotions. The solution is to slow things down. This gives the mind a chance to quiet down, which is when intuitive thoughts can gently emerge. It is no coincidence that practicing mindfulness and meditating are good techniques to reduce anxiety. The accompanying benefit is that this also allows intuition to flourish.

“Acknowledge your emotions and bodily sensation.” Physiological reactions are excellent indications of your emotional state. People experience anxiety in a number of ways, ranging from an upset stomach to an increased pulse rate. These reactions are usually anything but subtle. As suggested above, when you take a moment to breathe and relax you’re in a better state to reduce negative physiological reactions and allow yourself to sense any subtle intuitive messages.

“Investigate with curiosity.” One of the reasons anxiety is so disconcerting is that it focuses on negative possibilities. It’s fear based. Intuition is less judgmental — it tends toward instilling a more objective sense of a range of possibilities, including positive outcomes. It may be fruitful to try and match your intuition by using your rational mind to consider the range of possibilities, both negative and positive.

Bologna adds an important note: “Pay attention to timing as well,” she writes. “While anxiety loops and lingers on potential bad outcomes at pretty much any time, intuition is usually more attached to specific situations in need of clarity. Sometimes your initial gut feeling is your intuition pointing you in a certain direction before the noise of anxiety kicks in and gets your mind overthinking.”

It may be difficult to recognize the distinction between anxiety and intuition but making the effort to identify what you’re feeling helps you make the best decision.