Listening Beneath the Noise
How to discern the quiet truth of intuition from the loud voice of fear.
Published October 17, 2025
"When the world grows loud, the soul speaks in stillness."
— Cheryl T Campbell
We live in a world that glorifies noise.
Notifications, opinions, endless advice—everyone seems to have a louder way to tell you who to be and how to live. Yet beneath all of it, there’s another voice. Softer. Steadier. Patient enough to wait until you remember it’s there.
For years, I couldn’t hear mine.
I mistook the loudest thoughts in my head for truth. The worries that said, “You’ll fail if you don’t keep pushing.” The doubts whispering, “Who do you think you are to change course now?” They sounded convincing because they carried urgency. Fear often does.
But real guidance—the kind that comes from the soul—doesn’t rush. It doesn’t demand or threaten. It waits for stillness.
Recognizing the Voice of Intuition
When I first began awakening to intuitive guidance, I expected it to arrive like a lightning bolt—clear, dramatic, impossible to miss. Instead, it felt like a soft nudge, a quiet knowing that rose beneath my thoughts rather than above them. It often came when I wasn’t looking for it—walking through the woods, folding laundry, watching sunlight dance on the water. Moments when my mind was finally silent enough to listen.
At first, I doubted those subtle messages.
I’d ask for a sign, feel a whisper of direction, and then override it with logic. Surely that’s just my imagination. But each time I ignored the nudge, something inside felt heavier—like betraying a truth too gentle to fight back.
Over time, I began to recognize a pattern: when the inner voice spoke from love, curiosity, or calm expansion, following it always led to peace. When it spoke from fear or pressure, it led to contraction.
How to Tell the Difference Between Fear and Intuition
Listening beneath the noise isn’t about silencing the mind; it’s about tuning your awareness. Think of yourself as a radio. Fear broadcasts on one frequency—sharp, repetitive, and impatient. Intuition hums on another—quiet, steady, and kind. Both signals are always there, but the one you hear depends on where you place your attention.
The hardest part is trusting the volume of intuition.
Because it speaks softly, we assume it must be less powerful than the shouts of fear. Yet the soul doesn’t compete—it knows its truth. Like the ocean beneath surface waves, it remains calm even when the mind churns.
That’s why practices like meditation, walking in nature, or even a few deep breaths can reconnect us. Stillness isn’t a luxury; it’s the doorway back to your own knowing.
Practical Ways to Hear Your Inner Guidance
If you’ve ever wondered how to tell the difference between fear and intuition, here’s what I’ve learned:
Fear speaks first and loudest. It demands immediate action.
Intuition arrives second and steady. It offers direction without pressure.
Fear contracts your body. Intuition softens it.
Fear needs proof. Intuition simply knows.
Start by paying attention to how your body feels when each voice speaks. The body never lies—it mirrors the energy of your truth long before your mind does. When you feel tension, pause. Breathe. Ask gently, “What if I didn’t need to decide from fear right now?” Often, that single pause is enough to let the whisper rise through the static.
The Peace That Follows Listening
One morning, I woke before dawn, unsettled about a decision I’d been avoiding. My mind was racing with pros and cons, timelines and expectations. I sat in the dark, watching the first light stretch across the sky. Slowly, a sentence formed inside me—not loud, not urgent: “Let it unfold.”
My shoulders dropped. My breath deepened. In that moment, I realized the decision didn’t need to be forced. I only needed to keep showing up with openness. Within days, the path revealed itself naturally.
That’s the rhythm of intuitive alignment.
When you release the noise of control, guidance can finally reach you. It’s not always convenient or linear, but it’s always precise.
Your Invitation Today
So today, I invite you to notice: beneath the opinions, the plans, the fears—what quiet truth is waiting for you?
Maybe it’s guiding you toward rest instead of more doing. Maybe it’s reminding you that you’re already enough. Or maybe it’s whispering something completely new, something your mind hasn’t yet imagined but your soul has always known.
Listen beneath the noise.
That’s where your truth has been speaking all along.
Take a quiet walk today or sit for five minutes without music or distraction.
Ask gently, “What is my soul trying to tell me right now?”
Then—simply listen.
The next whisper may change everything.
If this message resonates, you can explore more reflections like this in my Journeys of Light series or connect with me on Instagram @unlockingcheryl. Together, we’ll keep remembering what the trees already know—resilience is not about resistance, but about rooted grace.
Ready to keep exploring?
Each story here is a gentle thread in the larger tapestry of awakening.
💫 I invite you to browse more reflections from my Journey of Light Collection — or download a free chapter of my book Voices: Stepping Out of the Darkness and Into the Light and walk with me deeper into this journey.
✨ Feel free to wander back...
