Be careful out there.

in advice

Hi.  If you had any doubts about my sanity before you won’t after reading this but I have to write this, so sorry.

I have this weird thing where thoughts get stuck in my mind.  Some doctors say it’s a type of OCD and some say it’s intrusive thoughts from Impulse Control Disorder but whatever it is, it super sucks.  Mostly it’s terrible thoughts about the world, or anxious fears that won’t stop echoing in my head and a lot of time it’s terrible things that happen in the news that I can’t stop thinking of…so much so that I am paralyzed and unable to do anything other than wait for it to pass, like an ear worm that won’t stop except instead of a song it’s a thought that exhausts me mentally and physically.

I can recognize that my reaction is not rational and is unhelpful and I have some tools to help but sometimes those tools don’t work because something happens in such a way that I become convinced that it’s a sign…a warning.  My mind tells me that I need to do certain things to keep myself and my family safe.  And that sounds crazy.  Because it is crazy.  But also?  Sometimes it’s right.  Sometimes that voice in my head telling me to be careful or to change a date or to avoid a flight yells so loudly that I listen and sometimes…sometimes it’s right.  It’s probably coincidence.  If you listen to those fears often enough you’ll see the things you want to see.  But.  There’s always a but, isn’t there?  But sometimes it feels like you have to listen to those voices, because maybe it isn’t crazy…maybe you’re picking up something the universe is laying down, or your subconscious is seeing a pattern you can’t see.  I don’t know.  I only know that sometimes I listen and today is one of those times.

Yesterday I drove up on a fatality as I was driving Hailey to camp.  The police and ambulances were already there.  We said a prayer as we passed.

On the way home I saw a dog I’d often rescued from the street dash out into the street and get hit by a car.  The owner was convinced it was dead but I felt its pulse and she rushed to take him to a vet.  I don’t know if he survived.

On the way to treatment today I barely missed an accident and on the way home I witnessed another.

It’s probably just a lot of coincidences but it doesn’t change this nagging and unending warning I feel in my bones and that’s why today I’m writing this to tell you to be careful.  Don’t text and drive.  Don’t drink and drive.  Don’t let your dog go out without a leash and don’t swerve into traffic if you see an animal dart in front of you.  Be careful out there.  And I will too.

And I’m sorry for writing this because I know it sounds completely nuts but I think the only way I can get it out of my head is to tell you all to be careful because then I’ve done everything I can and maybe voice this will stop.

Be careful out there.  Because I love you.

342 thoughts on “Be careful out there.”

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  2. Love you too! Thanks for the warning! Lots of folks are NOT PAYING ATTENTION!

  3. Not nuts at all, sweetheart – I think most women feel that way to some extent. The rest of us are just special! ♥

  4. I don’t think you’re crazy for saying that or for feeling that way. I appreciate your concern, though. I hope you’re being careful, too. I hope something helps to curb that intrusive thought. I hate when my mind won’t let go of something disturbing.

  6. It doesn’t sound completely nuts. It doesn’t sound nuts at all. It’s a good warning.

    Love you too as well. Look out for yourself and yours (continue to do so, I mean). <3 HUGS

  8. Having seen all that you’ve seen in the past couple of days, it would strange if you DIDN’T feel a sense of worry or dread. There’s nothing crazy about it. I’m staying home today anyway.

  10. I get these feelings, too, Jenny. I’ve had a “bad feeling” funk before where I just feel like something horrible is going to happen. The biggest one I remember lasted over a week…and then my grandfather had a heart attack. Another one I remember ended up being my mom having a kidney stone.

    I believe the universe definitely looks out for us, in its own special way. We just have to learn to listen to it.

  11. You don’t sound nuts, Jenny. Those dangers are valid, and seeing that many of them in such a short time would rattle most people, I think. It’s not crazy to be careful. Life is precious – carelessly putting it at risk is what’s crazy.

  14. I relate. It’s hard to let go of those feelings when your mind easily finds ways to justify them as real. For me, usually after something happens I feel vindicated “I knew it..”

    It’s a shitty vicious cycle.

  16. It’s amazing that you saw all of those things and you are still functioning enough to type. I would say that’s progress. BIG HUGS!

  17. My husband gets those feels often too… I just dread hearing him say “something is off in the force”. I laugh at him a little and then worry about what’s coming.

  18. I was going on vacation. One of my regular customers came in and got her soda and bag of chips. As she was leaving she said “be careful”. She had never said that before. Talk about suddenly getting paranoid, I worried during both flights to and from and while I was driving around at where I went.

  19. I needed to hear this. I’m exhausted from a long day yesterday and cranky because of other things, and I’ve been rushing around all day and driving too fast and too aggressively. Reading this reminded me just how stupid and dangerous I’m being. So thank you and stay safe <3

  20. There are so many worse things you could do than remind loved ones to be careful. Let’s all be extra cautious today. We’re worth it. <3

  21. Well, it sounds like OCD. I have it and also have similar thoughts. As for your day, I think you just had a bad one. Yesterday I was driving my cat with end-stage kidney failure to the vet, and I had to pass a place where a drag racing kid killed a mom and baby so there’s flowers and all up, then a coworker told me about how two of her cats were killed due to her house fumigation. Then I saw a video about a dead dog being nuzzled by another dog on FB. I’m already depressed, and then all that happened. It just ramps up my anxiety and exacerbates my OCD, which is mostly based on worrying about something bad happening to my pets or people. So you aren’t alone and aren’t having any premonitions or anything 🙂

  22. Just saying, this does not sound completely nuts. I do the exact same thing–it’s scary and frustrating, but occasionally helpful. <3

  23. Much appreciated advice. I fully believe we should listen to our strong intuitive feelings, and that you shared yours is beautiful.

  24. Thank you Jenny for sharing. I had a near miss last week and it still has me on edge, as I would have been t-boned on my side. A driver in the “left turn only” lane,decided to go straight as I was marking my left turn. The angels were surely there!
    P.S. We love you!!!!!!!

  26. Love you, Jenny. You don’t sound crazy. I can’t tell you how many times a weird gut feeling has saved me from a bad situation. Sometimes you have to listen to that nagging voice in your head.

  27. I am sometimes completely out of the blue crippled by fear while driving my car, when I realize that I’m speeding along in a machine at 70mph and a very small mistake could cost me (or worse someone else) my life. Other times I’m so obsessed with it, I keep picturing myself swerving in front of a semi coming the other way, over and over and over again. To the point that I’m worried I might do it on accident because I’m thinking about it so hard. But you know what? Being a paranoid driver means that the only bad accidents I’ve been in are someone else’s fault, I have mostly stayed out of trouble. And we will all do our best to be safe today, you do as well!

  28. You are not crazy! I’ve done this too…every time I fly, I have to touch the outside of the plane, or I am convinced that it will crash. I’m 34, and I’ve probably done this since I was 5. Yesterday, I didn’t want to meet my husband and friends downtown to see a band, because I had a bad feeling about driving downtown…so, I stayed home and watched Shark Week with my cat. 🙂

  29. All those pieces are good advice on any day. Basically you are just telling us and yourself to be careful out there. It is good to be reminded now and then, so thanks for the reminders.

  30. I do the same thing when I have these types of thoughts. I never think of them as weird or intrusive, I think of them as God sending me a message and it’s my job to pass it along. So…thank you Jenny. I’m staying in today and I promise to stay safe. I’ll say a prayer for my loved ones too. oxoxoxox

  31. Coincidentally, which is no coincidence at all, I’ve just been diagnosed with OCD for this very reason. The dread and doom of those persistent thoughts is unbearable, not knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore is as debilitating. Thank you for this post, for caring enough to share it, for helping me feel better. I love you, too.

  32. Mercury is in retrograde under Mars and there’s a full moon on Friday. According to my mother this means accidents will be happening like crazy. I don’t know if I necessarily think astrology affects things in that way – but things do seem to be a bit crazier than normal lately. So maybe there is some truth in there somewhere. I do know that I also have trouble distinguishing anxiety from “gut feelings” and “mother’s intuition,” to use the popular euphemisms. Good luck and stay safe!

  33. oh i feel this. i say “be careful” so often it sometimes feels like a tick, but i can’t help it. I will often saying as a departing shot to strangers that i’ve randomly struck up conversations with. I feel the NEED to say it to every taxi driver upon leaving their vehicle. I can’t stop it, so i try to make it sound as cheerful as possible and not doom ridden to soften the effect. so yes, be careful!

  34. Not crazy at all, and thank you for the warning. 🙂 I always think that perhaps when something out of my control makes me late, maybe it’s helping me avoid an accident that would harm myself and/or others. This helps me feel better about my chronic tardiness. 🙂 It might be true and it might not, but in the meantime it makes me feel better. And whatever makes you feel better, I think is a good thing. Thanks again for the PSA! You’re awesome. 🙂

  35. After seeing FOUR different incidents, I don’t blame you for feeling this way!! Thank you for the warning, and please, be careful yourself!!! Bless you!

  36. I get that feeling too. It’s not quite a voice but it’s a bad feeling in my gut. I don’t know when it’s going to be right so I’m a little more careful and a little more deliberate, and I don’t think that’s crazy or a bad thing. We could all stand to make better choices.

  37. Message received.

    I don’t believe in many things, but one of them is that there are — for lack of a better term — things beyond human knowing.

    It’s like when a friend mentions a person they’ve met with an unusual name, like say Ferdinand, and then later that same day, you just randomly cross a Ferdinand Street. It’s like coincidence plus.

  38. Thank you for thinking of us, and for still going out into the world when you’ve seen so many scary things.

  39. If it’s a sign of craziness, I must be crazy too. I would totally not ignore those signs and would be extra careful, and worry about my friends and family.

  40. No joke, I have been feeling like something awful is coming for 3 days now! Anxiety or awareness?

  42. I’ve had those feelings too but not as much as I did before I started taking anti-anxiety medication. However, I always act on them. It is inconvenient if I cancel plans especially if those plans impact my family. I’d rather do that than panic the whole time I’m someplace when I feel something is going to happen. I especially tune in to my daughter’s well being. She lives in another state but I feel when something is wrong and I’m right most of the time.

  43. Once again, your writing is my inner monologue. I’ve had a lot of therapy so I too have tools, but I do this too. And I’m sorry you’re going through this, but it’s nice to actually nice to read this so I can stop the never ending chorus of ‘Maybe it’s just me’ in my head. Perhaps we should start a second #MeToo movement but #OCD2 doesn’t really have the same ring to it. I’m open to any suggestions.
    Also, yes, I will be careful.
    Keep breathing and I will too.

  44. No apology needed! 2 things: There are indeed Take-Carers around me in my life, they have gotten me thru some shit thus far & I treasure being the object of so much solicitude. Angels? Departed grandparents? And this further thing is, Everyone is sending some back atcha! So, there’s that.
    Love to you, Shella

  45. Thank you for this. I have driven my best friend insane all day because she was supposed to come here and I needed to know when because she is just really lax about time and I NEED to know to be okay. She last said she was leaving in about 20 minutes. I wrote, “Thank you, I can breathe now, it’s just like Jenny Lawson, I’ll explain when you get here.” Just like you HAD to say this today. I HAD to know when she was coming. Yes I work from home and no I wasn’t going anywhere but my WHOLE DAY is structured around knowing when she was going to be here so I could relax and live my way through the rest of the day. And take a nap when I need to. And, you know, stuff. I felt so much better reading this. I understand it so well Thank you.

  46. Thank you. It never hurts to tell someone to be careful.
    And I understand about the OCD thoughts. For years I fought against the idea I have OCD because I don’t obsessively clean like my mother or have a ritual of locking and relocating doors every night like my grandpa. Then I realized that my OCD manifests itself in my thought patterns – overthink and then end up with anxiety problems. I’ve had therapy and have tools I can use to break out, most of the time.
    I figured out, too, that I have a song. My song, my theme song. It can be yours too.
    Overkill by Men at Work. Read the lyrics, you will understand, It is OCD and anxiety.
    I hope you guys are careful too.

  47. Love you back. I’ve had premonitions twice in my life. One about my cousins death and one about a friend and co-worker getting laid off. I don’t get them often but sometimes these things do happen. Stay safe everyone.

  48. Anxious brains can be weird like that, but I think it’s beautiful that you turn it into caring for others. Be safe, and keep being wonderful.

  49. Have you ever tracked it to see if there is any correlation between your thoughts/things you see/etc. and the moon? Tomorrow is the longest “blood moon” of the century.

    (I definitely see a correlation in my anxiety when there’s a full moon or when mercury is in retrograde but I’ve been told that that’s scientifically not valid. Still, almost always when I feel super jittery I go to ismercuryinretrograde.com and it says “YES. That may account for the weirdness.” It might be improbable or unscientific but it’s comforting to know that maybe it’s not just me. ~ Jenny)

  50. Thank you, Jenny, and love you too. But I don’t think that’s nuts at all. Sometimes I think the universe, a guardian angel, something or somebody is telling us something. It’s never nuts to follow “better to be safe, than sorry.”

  51. Who knows – maybe the Universe is telling you something. Thank you for relaying the message.

  52. Love you, Jenny. You get me through some hard times. My kids and I were in a car accident yesterday. Thankfully, no one was hurt but me and my arms. Burns from the airbag. I’m thankful my kids are completely unharmed and okay.

  54. I have similar OCD intrusive thoughts and it’s hard distinguishing them from reality. They make my life a living hell. If someone says something not nice to me, I replay what they said over and over and over, until any sanity I had is gone for weeks. I also worry incessantly about the safety of my loved ones and myself. The scary thing is that even if you’re 100% careful with everything, bad things will still happen. Love you too Jenny. I hope the thoughts go way and we both get relief.

  56. Sweetie it’s the moon. Look into it. It’s a blood moon lunar eclipse it’s throwing everything off for the month of July. Today and tomorrow the worst. Stay in under covers. And forget it. Hugs and love.

  57. You are not crazy! It takes courage to listen to your intuition! Thanks for the reminder and the Love.

  58. Same. The damn Fed Ex man just tried to run over my work place. All’s well but, geez, is it the full moon of astral disaster or something? Tip to everyone: singing the full song to the end usually flushes out earworms. And warnings don’t hurt so give them.

  59. Hi Jenny,
    I find myself thinking things like that too. I keep wondering if something horrible is looming on the horizon and then that though, on top of everything else leaves me mentally exhausted. I have to think it’s because we care so much about a lot of things. Things I believe that are important and other things maybe not so much. I have started to think that I need to concentrate on the importance of the issues that are indeed more important than the others, which are my boys, my parents, my pets and then everything else can wait. Thanks for sharing Jenny, you are truly awesome!

  60. Instinct, naggy thought worm, smack in the head by God, scratching an itchy thought… whatever. Years ago, I was driving on the freeway with my 3 small kids. All of a sudden, car started to shudder and shimmy like crazy. Barely made it off the road at the next exit. Thought I blew a tire. Got out to look. Absolutely nothing wrong visibly. Drove around city streets for several minutes with zero problem. Was going to get back on freeway. Said a little silent prayer that all would be well. Heard a male voice behind my right ear that said “do NOT get on the freeway.” Drove to a mechanic who found the problem. Said we would have been killed if I had not listened to that voice. First and only verbal smack by the universe. Very thankful I listened to it.

  62. Never apologize for being empathetic and caring. Never. We appreciate you caring. Thank you. I hope tomorrow is far less eventful and stress making for you.

  63. I don’t know if this helps at all- but you are where you are supposed to be exactly when you are supposed to be there. That thought helps me when I am running late and I tell myself the universe is keeping me out of harm’s way When it’s actually me thinking of one more thing I need to do/ find/ bring.
    Before anyone leaves the house I always say “ Goodbye, love you, Drive carefully, wear your seatbelt.” I’ve dine that since I was a kid. Because telling someone to drive carefully will obviously change their driving habits. Or convince them that their idea to drive like a fucking maniac is actually a poor life choice and since I told them to drive carefully they now will. But it makes me feel better to say it. It’s more superstition than anything else.
    The one thought that DOES help when I feel like I have no control- God always gets the last word. That thought right there brings me so much peace. It also proves that God is a woman:
    You be careful too, Jenny. What would we do without you?

  64. I don’t think that sounds crazy at all. I think it’s much more likely that you’re picking up on something the universe is laying down. I would have said that after the first two. I think it’s lovely that you’re paying attention. I also wonder if it isn’t precisely because your brain works differently that you pick up on things in the first place. And I don’t care how crazy that sounds. 😘

  65. I absolutely understand and you are the only person ever I know of who voiced it perfectly. Again, you remind me that I’m not alone.

    I’ll be careful.

  66. I don’t think you’re nuts. It sounds like intuition to me and regular worries that are ramped up due to surrounding societal changes. Sometimes worries from one area of our lives tip over into other areas.

    I get these kinds of thots and/or feelings too. On 3 separate occasions, years apart, I felt like someone I know who has medical issues was in danger. I went over to their home, thinking I was making a nuisance of myself, and found that they needed emergency medical help. Each time. Another time I kept dreaming that I would die from a very specific medical issue. This went on for six months, the same nightmare each night, & each doctor I saw refused to test for that issue, saying that I was “just an anxious woman”. I ended up with 6 prescriptions for tranquilizers. Finally, when I was beginning to think maybe I needed to fill one of those scripts, doctor #7 believed me, tested for it, found it right where I said it was and I had major surgery 2 weeks later that saved my life. So, yeah, sometimes these things turn out to be true or close enough.

    Sometimes they don’t but it doesn’t hurt to listen. Unless it becomes paralyzing of course & if that happens, I find talking it out in therapy helps.

    I don’t have any doubts about your sanity.

  67. This does not sound the least bit nuts. And it sure as hell isn’t nuts to tell people to drive carefully! Accidents happen so often, and sometimes they seem to come in clusters. Furthermore, I believe premonitions and/or gut feelings are real. Most people have them and many times they come true. Every once in a while I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach that something bad is going to happen and more often than not – something bad does happen. It isn’t always earth-shattering and usually there is anything I could have done to avoid it.

    So, YOU continue to be safe and everyone else SHOULD take care!

  68. I hate that it’s up to me to keep everyone and everything I love safe. Since no one listens, I don’t tempt fate and do my part by never answering the phone or leaving the house.

  69. I have this, too. You’re not weird. Other people look at me like I have 12 heads when I tell them that the immediate incident that pushed me over the edge and into my 2-year depression when I was completely paralyzed was Trayvon Martin’s trial. It completely killed me that that man got off and I couldn’t let go. Thank you for identifying this as a thing.

  70. Jenny I am so amazed that you could see so many terrible things in such a short time and still keep yourself together enough to write and leave the house and…well…just live your life. Everyone gets these types of feelings at one time or another. I think its just a matter of degree and they way that you handle them that is important. I love that you have chosen to deal with difficult thoughts by encouraging people to be safe. In my book, that’s not OCD/ICD or any other type of illness. It’s just human kindness.

  71. Than you, Jenny. And thank you for being open and vulnerable and brave, helping us find our people and comfort that we are not broken alone.

  74. You are not nuts, perhaps a little anxious, but isn’t the world out there sending a lot of creepy anxious messages? And why can’t the haters just chill a little, you know, try walking in others lives for trying to think what it’s like not to hate so much?
    Love your messages. Be safe.

  76. Not nuts AT ALL. I would be feeling exactly the same way. Just shows you are a caring person who thinks of others all the time!

  78. Oh Jenny ‘‘tis is not nuts at all! Of course after seeing 3 accidents in a day it would be natural to want to warn people to take precautions and be safe! It’s a natural instinct; not nuts! And the other stuff is just listening to you gut! Sometimes you just have to listen to it! You are too hard on yourself!

  79. We love you too!!
    Thank you for the warning. People drive like maniacs down here in S. Florida, so it’s always good to be reminded to watch out!
    Here’s a list of songs that are listed as the biggest earworms. Maybe you can replace your intrusive car accident thoughts with one of these: https://popculturemadness.com/Music/Earworms.php

    I would add “I”m too sexy” by Right said Fred

    You’re Welcome. (Sort of.)

  80. I have the exact same type of OCD, i cant tell you how many texts ive sent that sound a lot like this

  82. Sometimes those silent warnings make more sense than the rest of the world. I think the Irish used to call this “the gift” or a feeling in the bones. Or your spidey senses are tingling.

  85. My husband doesn’t believe in jinxes, omens, or “the other shoe dropping,” but I absolutely do. Hell, I’m Irish, I think it’s required. Or genetic. Or something.

    Anyway, I totally understand and can relate. I also can relate to the whole fixating on one thought thing. Kept me up late last night and woke me up this morning before dawn. All of the comments here have led me to believe it’s the universe. So I’ll go with that for now. <3

  88. I promise to be careful. And thank you for caring. Also, these feelings/instincts are what kept our ancestors alive and how we avoid creepy people and bad things. Listen to them.

  89. Oh my gosh, Jenny, that’s a lot. I have no idea if it’s a sign from the universe but I do know that’s too much tragedy to witness in such a short amount of time. It does make you wonder if some entity put it all in your path for a reason. You do have a platform for spreading news to a lot of people. Hmmm…I seem to be talking myself into the “sign from the universe” thing. I will proceed with caution. You do the same. We’ll all be OK.

  90. Thank you. I am sorry you are going through the stress of it but I also relate. I WILL be extra careful.
    Hugs
    Amanda/CrayonPanda/@acceptablepanda

  91. ❤️❤️❤️ All the feels! I have these same thoughts. ❤️❤️❤️

  93. You’ve just described the terrible way that my brain works … getting stuck on thoughts that then paralyze me. I didn’t know this was a thing. I thought it was just my broken mind. This is both comforting and scary. Comforting because NOT. JUST. ME. Scary because HOLY FUCK NOW WHAT DO I DO?

  94. You have angels watching over you. Relax and know they are protecting YOU

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

  95. I once texted my entire family in the middle of the night because I’d had a dream that something bad have happened to my sister. She lives with my parents and I begged my parents to go check on her at three in the morning. She was fine, but I couldn’t leave it alone. Totally get this.

  96. Thank you for the reminder to be a little extra careful. You don’t need to feel crazy because your gut is flooding your head with warnings, I know how that feels. Just take the time you need to take care of you and always hug your loved ones, times are strange and a bit scary. Never take a moment for granted.

    I promise to be careful, thank you for putting that care and concern out into the universe, we need more people to do that.

  97. That is a very wise voice you have. Thank you for sharing. AND you are not alone in this. This happens to me regularly and I agree sometimes it’s hard to balance in the middle of crazy and not fall to far to one side or the other.

  98. Love to you, too, Jenny. I do this as well and it is overwhelming. Glad (and sad) to know that I’m not the only one. Be safe!

  99. Definitely trust your intuition, Jenny. I hope everything settles down quickly.

  100. I don’t care if it’s rational or not, but I try to listen to whatever guidance the universe is willing to provide. Even when I drop my keys while locking the door to leave the house – multiple times in some instances – I have come to believe it is by design, if only to delay me just enough to miss some sort of negative experience (like an accident). If my thinking keeps me sane, great. And if it keeps me safe, great, too.

  101. That’s solid advice, Jenny. Sure the obsessiveness sucks, but there is nothing crazy about telling people that you care about to be careful out there. You didn’t tell us not to leave the house (or to kill our neighbor before he kills us), you told us to drive safely. That is love and compassion, not even a little crazy 🙂

  102. Let me just say it does NOT sound nuts at all – it sounds like gut instinct which I personally believe is a form of extrasensory perception. Not all woo-woo & shit but a serious ability to notice more and pick up on subtle changes in energy/environment or whatever.
    Thank you for the warning – I don’t think it’s coincidence at all but rather a confluence. I’m taking it seriously. <3 <3 BE SAFE.

  104. You never, NEVER have to apologize for reminding people to be careful.
    For that matter, you never have to apologize for anything in this post.
    Now, you keep being careful, because we love you.

  105. Thank you, you’ve done what you can. And we’ll be careful. Love you too!

  106. My brain works that way too. It does suck. And it’s not crazy at all, just scary and like you said, exhausting. Be careful and vigilant, today and every day. Loads of love going out to you.

  107. You are not nuts, you are kind and caring and thoughtful. You have nothing to apologize for!

  108. It’s not nuts. You’re like the Butterfly Effect–this blog post with its words of wisdom might stop someone from doing something for just enough time that disaster will pass them by. Whenever my son leaves to go back to uni, I always say “Drive Safe” believing that he will remember it and stay hyper vigilant for long enough to get back without having an accident. Lots of love to you Jenny for being mom to us today:-)

  109. I almost always regret not listening to my gut when it’s telling me something, even if I don’t have any proof. So thank you for sharing – and I promise to be careful out there! We love you too. <3

  110. I have a fidget where I rub the underside of my nails on the seam of my shirt. it must always be the same number on certain fingers. I count a lot – license place numbers are a favorite. Bad Things come in threes. And sometimes things weigh on me like the world riding on my shoulders. You’re not crazy, Jenny, you’re just like the rest of us!

  112. Sorry, you’re going through this. Sounds like reality is fueling your anxiety. That’s not something you can control. Accidents happen all the time and we have no control over it. It reminds me of the AA meeting’s prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.”

  113. Have you ever heard of the Spiritualist Church? Disclaimer: This is in no way an attempt at conversion. I don’t go to church. Not even this church. BUT. Some interesting things can be learned from them about intuition and the little voice in your head. The best part is that it is more of a spiritual add on than a full blown religion.

  117. Love you too Jenny – sometimes you do have to listen to your intuition. <3

  118. This reminds me of myself. I end up having to tell my husband, niece, and nephew to be careful. I’ve done it a million times in a million ways over the years. It drives them crazy but I have to do it to get it out of my system.

    I’ll be careful. You be careful, too.

  121. Your intuition is not wrong. It’s okay that you have these feelings, and telling someone to be careful is a good thing :). It’s hard to keep the fear from consuming us, but you CLEARLY work very hard to keep living your life and battling the fear and anxiety at bay. So keep on listening to your instincts and stay tuned into the universe’s vibes.

  122. Ive had a voice save my life before because i listened. You arent nuts. Or maybe we both are. 🙂

  123. This is all good advice for everyday. It works. My anxiety regarding driving is so bad I just don’t.

  124. Oh I get stuff like that, mainly a weird person in my dream, someone I haven’t seen in years. I’ll FB them or something, just, ‘hey, you ok? I had this weird dream…’ And I’ll just say it’s never been bad that I did contact them.

  126. I dont know if this will make the OCD worse rathet than better, but the book “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin DeBecker outlines why intuition is so strong sometimes–our brains pick up tons of information each second if we dont actively repress that, our unconscious brains absorb and process it quite efficiently. Being a creative, empathetic person, I imagine your senses are on Batman-levels of reflex processing. Doesnt matter if there is or isnt a universal message to the rest of us, YOU have a message and we appreciate the reminder. 💖

  127. I didn’t read all the comments, so I don’t know if someone has already said this… but Mercury is in retrograde. And as I always tell people, it doesn’t matter if you believe in it—it believes in you. Buckle up, plan for delays, double-check EVERYTHING, and so on…. it’s not paranoia or OCD, it’s just good sense.

  128. I can relate to this type of anxiety. Last night, I went to sleep before my 18 year old daughter came home from a movie with her girlfriend and at midnight I couldn’t sleep without checking that she got home okay. And she was totally okay. But two weeks ago, I got home from vacation and couldn’t find my indoor/outdoor cat so I was really worried. The next morning, Animal Control called and I found out she had been hit by a car and died.

    It’s so hard to reign in fears and anxieties when sometimes it’s right. Now, I fully realize that there are millions of times I have been worried and it was all okay and there was only once recently where it was not okay. And I know that worry is a way of exerting control over things that I really have no control over. But I also know that sometimes I just have to go check on my daughter rather than spending hours talking myself out of worrying.

  129. Thanks. Because everyone needs someone to watch out for them. At Hogmanay(Scottish new years) the watchword is go with your friends and watch out for them because they’re doing the same for you.

  130. Totally relate to this. Most of the time my intrusive thoughts are just my anxiety in overdrive and I do all I can to calm myself. And then, of course, the Universe throws you that ringer where, yeah, something ugly did happen, or would have…..confusing, ain’t it? Hugs. Keep passing the open windows……..

  131. What docs refuse to take into account (regarding astrology) is that women’s bodies are biologically linked to the cycle of the moon. We can let it bother us or we can learn to use it, like you did here. Yes, it will make is anxious sometimes to the point of paralyzing fear. You did good.

  132. Thank you for the warning. I believe sometimes these things make sense and we should listen to them.

  133. I love you too, Jenny. Thanks for the warning. I have to leave the house to take the dog to the vet, and I rarely leave the house. And you’re not alone. I get these intrusive thoughts, also.

  134. Jenny, these are feelings we should never ignore. This doesn’t make you any crazier than the rest of us. I get those feelings too and I think it’s the universe saying, slow down, look around you and watch out for trouble.

  135. I have those thoughts that get stuck in my head constantly. I then obsess about them until they’re resolved, the curiousity fades, someone distracts me long enough to forget, or, in the rare moments they leave on their own 🙁 hugs and I am happy you’re safe!

  136. I feel ya. In the last month, two of my three kids have been in accidents on interstates that were so bad their cars were totaled. At the end of last week, the third headed off on a road trip with a girlfriend to visit grandparents. I spent a good amount of time telling her to be careful and telling the universe to lay off my kids before my anxiety disorder would let go of it. Do whatcha gotta do to get some peace. The peace will come.

  137. That’s a whole lot of awful accidents you had to witness, I’m sorry. You know the thoughts could be from your angels warning you to be careful.

  138. I agree, Jenny, we should all do what we can to stay safe, so we can remain alive and be part of society.

  139. I don’t think you’re crazy, I think you are just more than everyone else. Everyone has those thoughts, and some of us act on them and some of us don’t. You, because you are you, have them more intensely than everyone else. That’s why we love you, because you are who you are, and you are more. I don’t mean better, but I do mean special. I also know your impostor syndrome tells you not to believe that, and you don’t have to, because we will do it for you.

  140. Not crazy. (Well, maybe a tad fixated … but hey ….) I frequently get a ‘voice’ in my head out of nowhere planting the seed of thought that perhaps I should change the route I’m driving, for instance. I’ve learned not to question it. Later I discover an accident happened about the same time I would have been at that location. Sometimes nothing happens … and I wonder if that was because I altered the outcome by not being ‘there’. If I can’t change my route, I at least alter my speed and be extra vigilant. I don’t understand what ‘this’ is, but I don’t have to. I accept it. I need all the extra help I can get to survive in this crazy world.

    Yesterday I was running late to get to an appointment. Had to wait for a train. Ended up behind every slow-moving truck in the county. Found myself getting agitated and upset. Then reminded myself that maybe a power greater than me was placing a protective ‘hand’ in front of me to slow my progress and keep me safe. No sooner than this thought had materialized, an ambulance raced past me….

    As for the news … I can only handle so much of that. I limit it, because it’s too much for my soul. I stick my nose in a book and tune it out.

  142. Warnings are never taken lightly around here. Thank you and be careful yourself. <3

  143. Not crazy. You have very high intuition, high empath abilities, and probably high psychic abilities. Science can’t explain everything. I don’t think it’s ocd at all. I’ll head the warning, and thank you! I have similar premonitions and intuitions, and I’ve learned to listen to them. Not always right….but often enough that I listen.

  145. Ya know…I don’t “believe” in that stuff. Empirically speaking, it can’t be proven. HOWEVER, maybe stay off the streets for the next few days, if possible. And thanks for the warning…

  146. I do this too. I think if a person I haven’t talked to in a while, and I have to contact them because I know they need something. Maybe it’s just someone to say hi, but it’s something. I hate it when it happens because that feeling tickling your brain is enough to make you puke.

  147. First of all, I love you.
    Ok, did you ever watch “Jessica Jones” on Netflix? It’s grest.
    I’m recommending a technique I found on the show. Getting grounded by repeating the names of the streets I passed on my way to school, to a friends house, to the bus stop. Silently, or aloud.
    I still don’t shrug off that feeling of IMPENDING DOOM, but this makes it easier to tone it down.
    Hope it helps anyone struggling.

  148. I don’t think you’re nuts at all. You hear the universe. Thank you. Be careful. Love you!

  150. Things affect me the same way, and I lose whole evenings worrying about them.

  151. I know what I’m about to say is odd, but I always take it as a sign, and I proceed with whatever I’m doing with extreme caution. At least every other day, when I look at the clock, morning or night, it reads 9:11. It really bothers me. Like is it a message? I have a heart condition & other mild health issues. Should I be seeing a doctor for the persistent restless legs that bother me at night? Trust me when I say you’re not the only one with intrusive thoughts.

  152. I get words stuck in my head at times and it makes me anxious for some reason. Sometimes they’re names and sometimes they’re just random words. I’ve tried writing them down and it usually works to get them out.
    I totally believe in listening to your inner voice of its cautioning you about something. You just never know. Better safe than sorry.

  153. My Irish mother used to say that bad things come in threes. So, you’re done for the time being. No more accidents. I,also, have premonitions. I listen to them. I’m usually too afraid to act anyway, and the premonition makes it the fault of the universe, and not of me. You sound like you are doing well with your treatments. I am so happy for you.

  154. I don’t think that sounds crazy at all. Those are all valid traumatic events…individually, much less together in the same day. I’m diagnosing you with PTSD. Hopefully it won’t last that long.

    Warning, I’m not qualified to diagnose anyone, but I think most “normal” people would be shaken and you have diagnosed anxiety that makes things hit you harder or last longer, so cut yourself some slack. Be compassionate to yourself. It’s ok to stay home. If it makes you feel better, my head hurt so badly that I worked from home today, so one less person on the road. But…my husband and kids are out there. I’ll give them a huge grateful hug when I see them. Thanks for the reminders.

  155. Temple Grandin might convince you that you are a pattern thinker and you do actually tune into things others don’t. One of her examples is Van Gough. His spiral wind in paintings can actually be supported by physics. Crazy guy or someone special who sees things that are invisible to most of us? There is a huge neurodiversity debate out there about people who are saucer high functioning Autistic (maybe without realizing it). Heck, some people can see and taste words or weird, cool stuff like that. Maybe your anxiety is really your super power, and you are like Ben Afflick’s Dare Devil character where what looks like a disability is really a hyper sense.

  157. It is very hard to discern intuition from anxiety. Sometimes I heed my thoughts about disaster and sometimes I don’t. Recently, a healicopter crashed i to a co do building near me. The pilot died as did an elderly resident of the condo. I think of how they both met their deaths that day, one taking risks, one staying home. I try to see that as a message to proceed with my activities, with caution of course, but proceed nontheless. I could stay home and still get hit by a helicopter…

  158. You’re not nuts. You’re just very sensitive to your sub-conscious which sees things and tries to tell you about them. Maybe today, someone will remember what you said about being careful, and because of that, they won’t get hurt. How cool would that be?

  159. It’s not nuts; it’s sound advice. And sometimes our most earnest attempts to educate people or save dogs fall on deaf ears or inattentive goddesses, or whatever. And this: you be safe out there, too. Find joy. Be well.

  161. It is not just you. I saw so many people purposefully or accidentally drive through red lights today.

  162. It’s not nuts. Anytime my Mom has a vivid dream about someone she casually calls them the next day to make sure everything is ok and, usually, things are not ok. Sometimes, we just know things. Plus it’s just nice to tell people you care about to be careful out there. 🙂

  164. Holy Kamoly-I don’t blame you for being anxious. You’ve had a TIME of it these last couple of days. I love you too. And I hate when those Anxiety squirrels won’t stop racing around in my brain too. (I WILL drive carefully and wear seatbelt!)

  165. Love you – and it’s not nuts. Feels like the randomness of the universe is in overdrive right now.

  166. Thank you. We can always use a reminder to be careful, even if your fears are simply a coincidence. It makes no difference either way. Love you!

  168. You are awesome and in touch with the universe. That’s a good thing I believe. Thanks for the heads up, and keep taking care of yourself!

  169. None of this sounds insane to me. My parents always tell me the same thing, for the same reason. You be careful too, because we love you.

  170. Not necessary to apologize.
    Hope the dog is okay. I’m one that swerves, slows or stops for an animal.
    I would crawl by the dog’s house knowing already it’s patterns for farting in traffic.
    We need more love and caring in this time. So thank you. Here’s some love and care back.
    ✨💕✨

  171. I love you too, Jenny. You be careful, too. You are not alone in your feelings.

  173. Correction to the above now that I got ahold of my composure from laughing at keyboard error.

    Um. That’s darting in traffic. Not farting.

    I have a Coyote Trickster in my iPhone.

    Big hug.

  174. I think exactly the same way and I never considered myself nuts. I think it’s intuition or maybe signs or warnings but definitely not nuts. Now that I actually read my words it might be a little odd.

  176. So sorry about the dog. Lost one cat and one dog to cars as a young child, have been very careful ever since. Glad you and your family are doing as well as can be expected.

  177. I want to say this all the time, and it’s not just because I’m bossy. My dad and brother are cops. Based on their stories, there is a lot of shit out there that is easily preventable. Even if it means staying home one night and being “boring”.

  178. I almost got into a car accident yesterday because I was distracted and tired. It scared me enough that I went to bed early and have been extra careful driving since then.

    Never apologize for listening to your intuition.

    Sending you lots of love and virtual kitty shnuzzles. Be safe out there!

  179. Thank you. You have seen several horrible events today, and you think of us. That’s beautiful, thank you xx

  180. Jenny, is I’ve been an auto claim rep for 22 years and I’ve NEVER spoken to anyone who planned to get into an accident. There is always, maybe just a split second, where someone in one of the vehicles wasn’t as vigilant as they could have been. I’m not pointing fingers. I’ve been that person more than once. Anyway if you need to write about something in the hope that it will help you, write away. We crazy people stick together!! You have helped me and I’ll support you no matter what you need to do. From my perspective what you wrote wasn’t all that crazy. Reminding people to be safe is generous, smart, and kind. Thank you for being exactly who you are and for sharing your good stuff as well as bad. You give me hope.

  182. Ju-jus, bad ju-jus is what I call them. Gut feelings should be listened to. I think you saw terrible things that pointed out how fragile our lives are, how quickly we or our loved ones could be taken away. I do this too, and sometimes it comes out of nowhere.
    I’m sorry you saw so much heartache. Never apologize for caring. Love and hugs Jenny.

  183. Thanks for the warning. Last night on the way home from dinner with friends there was a (very) alive and (very) bug kangaroo, who jumped out in front of me. I didn’t swerve, and braked hard, bits of us got home unscathed, probably thanks to you praying for random strangers. Thanks for that, gem

  185. Stop apologising. If sharing with us helps you, the very least we can do is listen. You’ve done so much for me that it’s an honour to do anything, however small, for you.
    Also, it’s tomorrow here now (love that international date line hey Gary?) and everything is OK.
    Love and hugs to you and yours <3

  187. I truly believe we can feel energies around us. If you felt the need to warn us that strongly, then it’s important.
    So glad you are feeling better!

  188. Thanks for the heads up. I am on day 18 of TMS and I am scared shitless that it is not working. How can I tell if it is or it isn’t? My oh so observant husband says he doesn’t see a difference in me. Should I be dancing and singing or is it more subtle? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

  189. Jenny – You’ve done your due diligence by warning us to be careful – you be careful too. Also, it’s always a good idea to follow your intuition. There are plenty of things out there that we can’t explain (and I’m a scientist) so why hedge your bets? Being sensitive to the world around you is a gift and a curse all rolled into one.

  190. That’s weird, I was reading this post while stuck in traffic on Loop 1604;) The World seems particularly crazy and chaotic these days…I thank the goddess for your advice and humor, as well as the insight you provide into friends and family with mental issues (not the least ofwhich wasmy late BFF who had similar senses/premonitions; she called herself “psycho kitty qu’est-ce que c’est”;) Hope things settle down for us all soon xoxo

  192. I love you and do this too. I thought I was just nuts. Be safe everybody.

  193. Jenny I hope you read this. I’ve just gone through 2 years of on and off severe depression. I’ve been in and out of hospital. I just completed ECT and finally I feel better. But I have major memory problems from the ECT. It’s all been very overwhelming and it’s hard having no one to talk to who understands. Your posts have made me feel so much less alone. I am so grateful for you. Thank you so much.
    xo Kara in B.C. Canada

  194. everyone is wise to stay tuned into their thoughts; let them grow into an awareness about you and your environment. i feel these warnings most when something tells me to go a different way when i am going somewhere.. ‘go the long way this time’ or if i see a wreck, i wonder if there is something i did that caused me to be delayed or else it might have been me in that wreck. do not text and drive. use your blinkers. call someone to check on them if thoughts of them are weighing on you, be kind to everyone you love, even if it is just thinking kind thoughts about when when they are not there with you. love and hugs and thanks to you jenny and to everyone in this tribe!.

  195. I love you too. I’ve been know to make any thought into a catastrophe. It can be sooo hard figure out which ones I should “dwell” on.

  196. I highly recommend the book “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker. I read it years ago when it first came out and he was on Oprah. I will never forget what I learned. “Intuition is always right in at least two important ways; It is always in response to something; it always has your best interest at heart.”

  198. Love you muchos Jenny and tribe and DITTO please for being very careful out there! Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between anxiety and intuition so I understand where you’re coming from Jenny. It can be confusing. I think in your case though there’s a bit of intuition there because people are seriously driving more scarily than usual. Yesterday I drove in a merging lane on the freeway and had a very scary situation. The woman in the lane merging w/mine wouldn’t let me merge and the car in front of me drove too slow for me to speed up.. also a cal trans worker happened to be parked on the shoulder so I had absolutely no where to go. I don’t know how I even got out of that without getting in a serious accident. It was like I went blank for a minute. I found myself a minute later out of the situation unharmed w/no accident in sight. I proceeded to enormously flip off the person behind me who just wouldn’t let me merge.. Lol. Not my most graceful moment… For me I believe it was a God/guardian angel shot, f-bombs and all. Follow your intuition Jenny!

  200. I get it — it’s a crazy, sick, horrible feeling. When my kids were still home I had this awful feeling that I HAD to tell them to be careful every. single. time. they went out.So in case this comes up when Hailey is going out, I finally got my head and guts and mouth to agree to say “Have a good time.” They were happier and I was okay, because who has a good time if they have to call to get towed out of a ditch, right? Or worse, but I try really, really hard not to go there. Anyway, thanks for the good wishes and thank you once again for sharing the stuff so we don’t all feel alone with the crazy.

  201. Sometimes it is good to listen to your instincts. Twice I have said “oh that is just my crazy paranoia” when I should have listened. If my gut says back away, I have learned to back away.

  202. Yes, you have a depressive/anxiety disorder. That said, there are times when anxiety or
    depression is a ‘normal’ response. Blood moons, astrological events carry a certain
    mythology. In every myth runs a thread of truth. First responders, essential services, etc.
    all are fully staffed with others ‘on call’. There IS a reason for it. I have saved my own
    life by paying attention to a prophetic dream. Glad I didn’t wait for science to ‘sprain it.
    Everyone in our corner of the universe is crazy with the heat. So thanks for voicing a
    reminder to all of us.

  203. Got it. We love you, and I think you love us back. Sometimes that entails saying, “I’m worried for you; be careful out there.” xoxo

  204. Just wanted to let you know we made it home safe. Thanks for worrying.

  205. I’m a big believer in intuition and our subconscious being a lot smarter than our conscious selves a lot of the time. It super sucks when your brain uses that against you and you feel like you can’t trust yourself some of the time, but it doesn’t make it crazy to have those feelings and act on them. Besides, we should all be a bit more mindful, shouldn’t we? So, thank you for the warning. I will be careful!

    It’s also a full moon and that’s one of MY superstitions. I feel more connected to the world and myself. There’s no rational explanation for this, but I believe it anyway.

  206. Am at a winery with the “girls” but we have a designated driver. My dog is always on her leash & I will be extra careful tonight. ❤️

  208. Whenever I have a nightmare, I ALWAYS tell it to my husband. If I talk about the nightmare out loud, it won’t come true.

  209. I am pulling for you, Jenny. Went to one of your lecture in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, read your books, and am a fan and follower. You had quite the day and your advice is well taken. Thank you for sharing/baring your soul. It helps me. Hugs.

  211. It just goes to show that you never know when your number will be called. Not to be morbid or anything, but it’s true; we don’t. We have to do our best and be our best, and also wear clean underwear, at all times (because you really don’t want to be wearing gross undies when you shuffle off this mortal plane).

  212. Love you too, Jenny. I have these same thoughts some days, and you’re totally right. It doesn’t feel crazy to listen to them. Some days it feels downright reasonable.

  213. Thank you for this important reminder to be careful. I don’t think it sounds “nuts” at all. And I truly hope that dog is okay.

  214. Oh, so much sorrow to see in such a short time. Of course these tragedies are effecting you. It’s ok Jenny. I’m sending you peaceful thoughts, as I’m sure all of us here are. I love you, sweetie.

  215. Thank you for your warning. I will be careful (even though I’m not leaving my house) and you be careful, too. We need you.

  216. Based on your description, we share a brain…,and I have wicked OCD. That said, I also have that sixth sense and that isn’t crazy.. There was once this street corner in Minneapolis that I was drawn to every time I drove by. It was “feel it in your bones” drawn to that spot. A few months later I was offered an apartment on that very same corner completely out of the blue. A few weeks after that I met a man at work (who would become my husband) when we discovered his brother lived directly across the street from said apartment.. The universe called me to that place. That was just one of many too weird to be chance stories. It freaks my husband out.

  217. Not crazy my inner voice kept me from crossing paths with a serial killer. I didn’t find this out for 9 months but that innner voice probably saved my life. Ps we were moving and we’re going to get a hotel late at night because we were dead tired but this town really creeped me out. I told my mom not to stop. She asked why and I told her I was really creeped out she said she was too so we drove for another 3 hours to the next hotel. Next morning the moving truck wouldn’t work and had to go to the Machanic. The first towns only Machanic happened to be a prolific serial killer that was caught 9 months later.

  218. I have a friend and her name is Jen, but everyone calls her Jenny. Anyhow she had me read your first book and I loved it. She struggles with anxiety and many other things, but you would never know. She is so smart!! And it sounds crazy but I think you both share the same brain. She has had the most amazing experiences that I can’t believe happened to her and I always tell her she should write a book. I like to read your blog because I can honestly picture the same exact words coming out of her mouth. She is so hilarious and totally off the wall and insightful and smart! And she always tells me that she loves me and I know she means it. And for you to say that too is just awesome. I wish I could explain in depth how similar you are. It is wonderful and amazing at the same time. Thank you for your blog and I love you too.

  222. So, nine years ago, on a Sunday afternoon in the small town grocery store parking lot, I pulled into a parking space next to my grandparents. Stopped and visited for a minute, leaned in the window and hugged grandma, waved to grandpa, and went on about my business. For the rest of the day I was nagged by this terrible feeling of why the hell didn’t I walk around the car and hug my grandpa. All evening I thought about it. When I went to bed that night I thought about it, and then I consoled myself with stop being ridiculous, you’ll hug grandpa when you see him tomorrow. As I arrived at work the next morning, my mom called. Grandpa had been severely burned in terrible accident. He was being airlifted to the largest burn center in our area. The Weight of the universe was upon me, and the last time I ever got to hug my grandpa, he couldn’t hug me back because he was sedated and in a coma. He passed away the next morning, 23 hours after the accident. I will never again ignore the giant flashing signs the universe is throwing directly into my head. Be safe Jenny!

  223. One night a cat jumped out into the road in front of me and I slammed on my brakes. The car next to me kept going and hit it. I still see that in my mind sometimes. Take care of yourself!

  224. It’s not nuts at all, and I for one appreciate the warning. String theory says we’re all connected, and I’m not ready for my connection to you on this planet to end, so I’ll be cautious, and I know you will be too. Love you much, Favorite Crazy (but wicked smart) Lady.

  225. Thank you for the warning and reminder to pay attention! Love you Jenny!

  226. My drive home was full of accidents today. Fortunately they were minor, but enough that I’ve been telling my loved ones to be safe out there too. I agree with your warnings!! Be safe all!

  227. This is why I’ve decided to sell my motorcycle (a gorgeous black Ducati). I get loads of street cred as a motorcycle-riding librarian, but dang, it’s not worth the nervousness I get when I’m riding home at dusk and there are deer lurking somewhere. Or I see YET ANOTHER person run a red light — not a stale yellow, a straight-up red light.
    And also? We’re going into Mercury retrograde, and there’s a full moon tomorrow night. Fun times.

  228. Love you, too!
    I read a statistic once that said the cancellation rate is higher on planes that crash. Makes you go hmmm

  230. Jenny, I don’t find that surprising at all. You (and everyone) simply manifest what they are giving their attention to. Right now you are working on rewiring your brain and, in a way, that could be seen as a form of death. You are wondering if Jenny as you know her will expire. Your mind is very powerful, as you well know. Focus on what you find yourself LIKING now. What you give your attention to is very important. You can fool your mind, you know. It reacts the same to a belief whether it is true or imaginary. As the author Byron Katie says, sometimes a rope is just a rope (meaning if at first glance you thought it was a snake, you might jump aside and scream … well, maybe not YOU!). Those things you saw today in fact did not involve harm to you or your family. Appreciate that, appreciate that you have compassion, appreciate your love for your daughter, and MOVE ON. Try not to beat the drum of anxiety and fear. All the horrible stuff that goes through your head indicates you are capable of the opposite as well. We have a dual nature of reality on this planet. One of our responsibilities to one another, especially in hard times, is to remind each other of that. You have made a lot of people laugh. Be gracious enough to yourself to allow others (and life) do the same for you. Maybe it would even be a relief not to have to be that person anymore. Play with it. Excited anticipation is the best way to manifest.

  231. I only got fired from my job today.
    I really didn’t even see it coming.
    My boss asked if I had any other prospects.
    I cried and said “No. I didn’t know I needed any.”
    My mental health has become an issue.
    But, I really didn’t see this coming.

  232. well, that was 3 bad things, so now you are o.k.! everything happens in 3’s. you arent crazy. i take those signs as warnings too, that is smart. i try to say prayers for whomever when i see an ambulance or fire truck. and, to remember to be grateful that it isn’t me. that is about the 1 time i dont trash talk myself to myself….. huh. just realized that as i typed it. oh! love u too!!!!

  235. Gosh I’m sorry you had to be forced to witness all those hard things. It’s the helplessness that I find so hard. Thank you for stopping to care for that dog. He likely recognized your voice and touch.
    There’s just a lot of energy loose in the world right now; things we normally use moral codes and governments to keep in check. Add in a collective sleeplessness from the heat -and even things that can sound a little kooky, like the Earth’s rotation now being at the end of a slowed period and will now speed back up- and it’s no wonder we’re distracted.
    I keep close what Mr Rogers said his own mother had told him to do when he was scared- “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
    I very much admire your way of facing these hard things head on, Jenny.
    In her terrific book “When Things Fall Apart” Pema Chödron said this was the only way to vanquish the things that plague us- engage them in battle as a noble opponent.
    The last quote I feel might be useful in this context is one from Richard Bach’s lovely book “Illusions…” “There is no such thing as a problem that doesn’t have a gift for you in its hands. We seek problems because we need their gifts.”
    Be well, Jenny. You are a force for good in our shared world.

  236. Love you too. Listening to your gut is an important skill. It can be easy to ignore or to tell yourself you’re crazy. But that voice is there for a reason. Listen.

  237. Doesn’t sound crazy at all. I am the same way. Same kinds of thoughts. ❤️

  238. Thank you for the thoughtful wishes. I totally do this, too, and it’s heartening to know that I’m not so alone. And I do believe that these are signals to help us. We humans don’t know everything, and we’re in a special place when we can notice messages that aren’t conventional or obvious. Sending love to you and yours!

  239. Today while driving on a 2 way street (in the USA, in case anyone is wondering), a car drove up fast behind me. He then swerved into the other lane, barely missing an oncoming car as he quickly jumped back into our lane. Then….he got stuck at a red light, where I was turning left. His windows were down, so I rolled down mine, and as I passed I yelled, ” Aren’t you glad you got to this red light so much faster than me!!” And cackled loudly 🙂

    This is a funny anecdote with a happy ending. Too many accidents happen, sometimes for stupid reasons like my story. Be safe and follow your gut – it’ll never lead you wrong.

  240. Full moon, Jenny.
    Also nothing wrong with wishing everyone to be safe, that’s not a crazy thing.
    I love you too and be safe also.
    I had the intrusive thoughts growing up. I had no insurance and no money so I went to an ashram and learned to meditate, watch my breath and step back from my monkey mind always getting into troubled thoughts. it worked for me. I hope you fond something that works for you.
    hugs

  241. Thank you, Jenny, for the reminder to focus. Glad you shared. Don’t ever question your insight and gifts.

  242. Love back at ya! We all have that little voice talking to us, warning us, and if more of us listened life could go lots better. Not weird, crazy or even ocd. It’s been called women’s intuition forever and for a good reason. Go grrrl power!

  243. Love you too! Thank you for the reminder! I don’t think it’s crazy at all. Doing all you can is admirable I think, regardless of where the concern started.

  244. I was on edge all last week too, but I think it was just PMS. Sometimes it’s something. Sometimes it’s nothing. It sucks not to know which, doesn’t it?

    And yeah, I totally know the feeling of some awful thought that won’t go away. Like your brain decides to remind you constantly of that assholish thing you said out of sheer stupidity 8 months ago and harp on at you about how everyone in the room now thinks you’re a mega jerk. Or you lose something and you start wondering if it fell out of your purse last week and now is lost forever, and you keep worrying until you find it stuck in your silverware drawer or something. This is probably way more common than any of us thinks it is.

  245. Your blog resonates with me, and for that I’m thankful for you and your honesty. ❤️

  247. Love you, too. Let’s all be a little more patient and practice safety.

  248. Thanks, Jenny. And thanks for mentioning David Sedaris. I am totally going to read at least some of his books.

  250. You are beautiful. Please be careful… That is a love language all its own.

  251. I get this too. Sad to say it, but I thought it was just me. When it happens, its like it sucks all the light and joy out, replacing with dread. Sometimes I can fight it with an ear worm. An infinite repeat of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” can be surprisingly powerful (sometimes…)
    Anyway, thanks for writing about it. It helped me. You are super great !

  253. Here in Denmark it’s The Heat; which gets proper noun-status when it’s above 30 degrees centigrade (that’s 86 degrees Fahrenheit, to you yanks) I know it doesn’t sound like much, but our poor nordic genes and lifestyles are not equipped for that sort of heat and so everyone goes crazy, and everything FEELS crazy. It’s easy to spot, when it’s The Heat, because you can measure and, and experience makes you sure. But I think there are many, many other things that affect people (and make them crazy or uncareful) and I don’t think it’s all that weird that some people are more sensitive to those things, even if it’s not very precise or articulated what those things actually are.

  254. Dont let it get to you Jenny, u r just reminding us of what we too often forget in this hurry up and go world.we all need to watcht out when we’re out there. ((HUGS))
    Shannon
    smcconnell7.sm@gmail.com

  255. It doesn’t sound nuts at all. Some things are definitely just coincidences, but some things are definitely more then that. Who can predict which it will be?

  256. If you are crazy, I’m honored to be part of the Club. Hey, we need a Club Crazy T-Shirt so we can recognize the sane ones amongst us. I need a large, with a flattering neckline.
    Trusting your instincts above and beyond what others think is a solid survival tactic.

    I trusted your advice and was careful today, Thanks. Tonight I discovered something terrible and strange: 25 years ago I went to a country that was still doing terrible things to its’ people. I didn’t know it then. All I knew was that I was pregnant and everything and everyone there seemed strange to me, in a bad way. I’m not afraid of strange, it was the bad that scared me.
    I bailed. I knew something was wrong there.
    A Doctor there actually asked me if I didn’t want my baby. I was horrified. Then she asked me to go diving with her and her family, with harpoons! Like, killing things under water! While pregnant! I’m, uh, not into that kind of thing. Especially while nauseous and bloated.

    Tonight I read the history of the place and know now that I was right to run.
    Read the history of Chile around the late 1990’s. Netflix has a story on it: Colonia. The facts check out.
    Coming home didn’t save my daughter forever, but it bought us 20 years together.
    Trust Yourself. Always.
    And if you need the label for fun and self definition: Your kind of Crazy is the kind I trust.

  257. My sister Joanna liked your post and told me you’re not mad (not as I was before reading to you -she says-.)

  259. I am a mailman in a small town, walking 12 miles a day with a mail cart, and trust me, I have seen it all while on the route. People texting and driving, people on the phone while driving…women putting on makeup and looking in the mirror rather than watching the road…people getting behind the wheel and driving through stop signs and even stop lights….just plain not paying attention. Last week in our town a guy had six beers and then got behind the wheel of a car (at 8 am!!!) and hit a minivan with 8 people in it and the other driver was killed. I think you can see where I’m going with this….be extra careful because no one – NO ONE – can be trusted when they get behind the wheel of a car…They are distracted and not paying attention! Be safe…your instincts are correct.

  260. I completely get this. My daughters are always telling me I go to the dark side and to stop being neurotic. But I don’t care, too often I fear for their safety and yes many times bad things have happened, not catastrophic mind but little things. We all have those feelings and sometimes it is the world telling us to pay attention and be more careful and aware. Thank you for sharing Jenny. I love that you do.

  261. Jenny,
    It’s in the stars.. If you are on Facebook, follow Monter Farber. He’s reads the planets and he

  262. I completely understand. One memorable time I didn’t listen I rolled my car with my kid in it. I’m an insanely cautious and safe driver. I should have listened to the universe and not gone.

  264. It’s not nuts (or at least not unusual). I take anti anxiety meds because I will sit at work preoccupied with the thought of my youngest daughter being shot at school, or my oldest being in an accident or being abused, or my dad falling off a ladder. Those fears aren’t entirely irrational even though the severity of my response may be. I check my security cameras to be sure my kid and/or dog are okay. I call panicking when my messages don’t say they were delivered. I can lose an entire weekend worrying about the dwindling bee population or how I need to stockpile food, water and weapons if the super volcano erupts or an unfriendly country hits us with a nuclear bomb that is far away enough not to kill me but close enough I need to take shelter (I also worry this will happen while my family isn’t with me). I get it honest though—my whole family lives close by and if any of us sees an accident we all call each other to be sure we are okay.

  265. It doesn’t sound crazy at all. I had those thoughts, lots of them, when I was on Paxil and Ambien. The world does need to be more careful. We are way too reckless sometimes.

  267. Intuition is a gift from God. I’ve been having the dread-y feeling lately, too. It’s not peaceful. Yesterday was a traumatic day, I hope you are being kind to yourself.

  269. I love you too. To me they are not crazy thoughts. This the reason I chose NOT to drive. I have witnessed far too many people who shouldn’t be allowed to be operating a motor vehicle of any kind drive them. One being my thankfully ex in law. You stay safe too. I have intuition too,and I am learning to listen to it more

  270. This happens to me with dreams. I have “dream predicted” enough events that I now get irrationally freaked out by them.

  272. It’s not you. Car accidents have spiked in July across the U.S. OSHA statistics show that July is one of the deadliest on record. My own company doubled car accidents for the year this month. Every day this week, a highway near me has been shut down at some point due to a major accident. I don’t know if some mass hysteria is sweeping the nation making everyone drive like idiots or what, but there’s definitely something going on.

    Definitely everyone drive safe and drive defensively.

  273. my expert opinion (lol) is that it all has to do with the full moon on the rise.

  275. Urging us all to me more aware and careful, based on whatever reason, is NOT insane. It’s loving and caring. My car was totaled by a distracted teenager two weeks ago. Everyone but my car made it out ok.
    My guess is that your treatments are letting you become more aware of your surroundings as it combats what you call “brain fog”. So you are noticing more of both the good and the bad.
    So please everyone, put down the stupid phone! It can wait.

  276. Thank you – I heed those voices as well. When my husband owned a wrecker service, he didn’t take a call because his “gut” told him not to. There was a horrific accident, and he would have been part of it. The full moon, btw, is a dandy this month.

  277. Its okay Jenny, All the planets have been in retrograde and the Lunar eclipse is coming so things are strange for now but don’t worry we’ll be back to sem-normal soon

  278. Not only does this NOT sound insane, but I have similar issues – especially related to driving. I’ll debate whether I really need to run out to the store because what if that’s the trip where I get slammed by someone not paying attention? Or something runs out in front of me? Or I turn the key in the ignition and the car blows up? For someone who loves to travel, road trips are a terrifying prospect.

  279. Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe the universe is asking you to be safe the best way it can. Or maybe it is using you to keep one (or more) of us, your readers, safe. Maybe, may not. Either way, you’ve done what you needed to do by sharing it, so your mind can rest.
    Now, I think the universe should advise you to take Hailey for a DQ ice cream cone…of course, this may be one of the many, many reasons I’m not in charge of the universe. Everyone would be at DQ…

  280. I think the Universe is reaching out with love for you–you are not off base here. You are seeing what you are seeing and experiencing what you are experiencing, and there is good reason for it. Among other things, you gave that dog a fighting chance and his owner the ability to try to save him. And now you have put all of us on alert to be just a bit more careful than usual. I love you and am grateful for you and hope you can see this positively.

  282. Literally what I was just going to comment Dawn ^^^
    That one two punch is really messing things up!

  283. Yesterday I slowed way down to make sure a thing in the road was not an animal, and it was an enormous raccoon. She was thankfully(!) only dazed. Everyone stopped in both directions to let her shake it off and mosey on out of danger.

  285. you’re okay, lady. Don’t ever feel guilty or embarrassed by such things. I’ve had dreams that happened, frame by frame, sometimes six months later. I emailed a friend to warn him about going into a bar because I could see him being beaten to death.
    I’d rather be wrong twenty times and right once, for sure.

    Sometimes I am so focused on one person I know when they’re coming to visit.

    We’re tuned into places most people shrug off as ‘marsh gas” but trust me, if you feel that strongly, act on it.

  286. Well if you’re crazy, I’m crazy because I do and have the same thing

  287. Jenny, that’s terrifying! That is so many extreme events in a way-to-short time period. I’m sorry the universe (?) unloaded so much, and in front of you! Thank you for always being a good human (prayer, helping). And be safe and be well too, because I love you too!

  289. I often feel like that. It’s like my anxiety about a situation is a warning and yes, sometimes it is real. For an example, just a few weeks ago my family and I rented a boat and my brother was driving and I had this unbelievable fear that something was going to go wrong, and just as I was about to lose it a WHALE crossed our path and my brother swerved and missed it !!! I thought it was just me, but I do feel sometimes that I am kind of psychic (or psycho, LOL). I will take my time and look out for any danger after reading your post, I totally believe in your feelings. It is a super crazy moon today.

  291. I dream and see things that have not happened yet. Mostly someones death – their funeral. Makes me sick when what I saw in a dream or premonition comes true. I throw up almost every time. It was the carpet at my Aunt Funeral that I had dreamed about. Two weeks later – she passed unexpectedly – and three days after I was at the funeral home for the visitation and said “The design on this carpet makes me think of the play Julius Caesar” -> I almost didn’t make it to the bathroom before getting sick.

    There is something in this universe that prepares us for these things.

  292. Dear Ms. Lawson,
    You make me feel less alone. You write about things I think, and I think, no one else must feel like this, think like this, act like this. And then you write something like this, and I think…thank you, universe. I need to be reminded now, and again, I am not alone. Thank you for writing this. Thank you for all of your writing pieces.

  294. Thank you Jenny. I’m sorry you had witnessed all that in a day! But I think you are right, I would definitely feel like it was all more than coincidence. Thanks for the warning ❤️ Hope everyone stays safe and well!

  295. I hear you! Intrusive thoughts SUCK!!! I started getting them because of postpartum mood disorders. They’ve eased up quite a bit but I don’t trust my gut instinct anymore. I’m working on that. I need to be able to rely on it again so I can forge forward on my path – where ever that may need. You’re pretty awesome for putting a voice to complicated mental illnesses. Thank You!

  296. Thank you for caring about us and that all makes sense and we will all be careful

  297. I struggle with this a lot too. Thanks for the warning. I hope the feeling passes soon. <3

  298. Coincidentally, I was peripherally involved in a multi-car crash this week. (I was nearby and helped one of the victims in shock by soothing her and getting a paramedic to see her.) The adrenaline was still running high 2 hours later. I can’t even imagine how stressful it would be to experience multiple similar incidents back-to-back. Take care!

  301. Thank you Jenny! Days like yesterday are horrible and scary. Yesterday a car pulled out in front of me and I almost hit them. I saw it happening and honked, but they still went. I slammed on my breaks and drove off the shoulder to avoid them and was almost rear ended. This was literally a life flashing in front of my eyes situation. It terrified me and I started bawling. I had to pull over. All I could think about is who would take care of my kids. What would they do without me? It was to close and I am still shaken up. I’m not sure why I’m sharing except I feel the need to get it off my chest. Since my divorce, I have a nagging inner voice that I won’t be able to provide and care for my children. It’s a new voice and not welcome. It drives me.

  302. Yes, I believe those thoughts in your head telling you and us to be careful. I had the same thoughts last week. Told my aunt whose advice was to step back, focus and listen. Thank you.

  303. I don’t think you’re crazy, and I haven’t read the other comments, but now I’m wondering if the person whose brain is being bombarded with electricity or magnets or whatever shouldn’t stay extra aware from now on.

    Be extra careful Jenny!

  304. Ms Jenny –

    I have only recently discovered you and for that I am sad – I could have used your perspective and insights decades ago. On the plus side I HAVE discovered you – Thank you Thank you Thank you.

    Intellectually I know I am not alone in a struggle with depression and anxiety, but having listened to ‘Furiously Happy’ and looking around here helps me to actually believe that I am a member of a large club of fellow strugglers.

    As for the subject of this post, I used to be a professional truck driver and I would urge everyone to JUST DRIVE – for the love of god! don’t text, don’t talk on the phone, don’t eat, don’t reach for a water bottle, don’t turn your head to yell at the kids, don’t update the gps, JUST DRIVE. Driving is a very complicated and demanding task, the consequences for a small mistake on your part can be huge, please give it your attention. I’ve only recently begun to believe that I’m a member of a group and I don’t want you dead now, you know?

  306. There’s nothing “nuts” or “crazy” about it at all. The fact is that exposure to traumatic events (accidents, death, etc.) is a high-end stressor, and evolution has for about 1.5 million years wired you to pay attention to what amounts to a threat to you and/or your tribe (i.e., high-stress events in your immediate vincinity) and, as with our ancestors, you’ve yelled a warning from the treetops. You’ve had an unfortunate (and coincidental) string of bad events that has wound your instinctive “defense” mechanism up like a three-day watch. I’d frankly be astounded if there weren’t something like this going on in your head afterwards. It’s as normal as sunrise. You’re just more sensitive to it, is all. I do appreciate being considered enough a part of your “tribe” to warrant a danger warning, though. Made me happy in some off-kilter way…

  307. Love you too. <3

    I have the same problem with intrusive thoughts that won’t stop. A lot of times the only way for me to stop them is to get lost in TV, knitting or crocheting, reading or (the least helpful of all, especially for my waistline) eating mindlessly.

  308. Thank you. Also autocorrect tried just corrected my badly-spelled thank you to “th ambulance” which is weird as all get out. Anyway, thank you for sharing this because it makes me feel more normal. I had a dream last night which was very specific about all these people (who I knew in the dream, but don’t know in real-life) and what was happening/had happened to them. And all day I’ve wanted to post on social media, “Hey, if you’re a woman called x, with a sister called x, married to a guy named x, then be super-careful, because I just dreamed you died in this really specific way”. But now I don’t have to, because you posted this, and I feel like maybe the message for me is that I don’t need to post my thing because it was just a dream.
    Basically, thank you, for being so kind in letting us think (or not) that you are mad, so I can keep pretending to my friends that I’m not.

  310. Oh Jenny, if this makes you nuts then I’ve been nuts all my life. I don’t think there is anything nuts about trusting your instincts. Every time I have not done it I have regretted it.

  311. Be careful is NEVER bad advice! I often have this issue as well. Sometimes those thoughts turn out to actually be useful.

  312. Dear Bloggess 🙂
    I will be extra careful, today and always.
    I wanted to share with you that someone was kind enough to buy me a copy of You Are Here during Booksgiving last year. I didn’t have much due to a recent move and that book was so nice to receive. I am now able to pass on the kindness and bought a copy for someone else.
    You rock! Be safe and take care. So many people love you!

  313. Love you girl. We all have these intuitions and some people, as adults, learn to ignore them or tune them out completely. After having children, I learned to tune out LOTS of things! But I think you should embrace this gift, even if it tends to be a little paranoid, because it just means you are in touch with your inner child and children are closer to their spiritual gifts because no well meaning ‘adult’ has yet convinced them not to believe in their gut.

  314. There was a ‘Blood Moon’ on the 27th. Perhaps that could explain your experiences? If you talk to medical people they will tell you there are more medical emergencies, births and deaths when there is a full moon. If you talk to those working with hospitalized mentally ill patients, they will say there is a relationship to patients behavior at that time. That is where the label of ‘lunatics’ came from! If you talk to law enforcement, they will say there are more accidents. We are 98% water and see how the tides are affected when the moon is full? We ARE all part of the Universe.

  315. I’m pretty sure this is OCD. Feels super OCD to me. OCD sucks. But I promise to drive safely.

  316. Thanks, Jenny. Lots of weird in my life right now, so I won’t ignore a friendly warning.

  317. Thank You Jenny. I am a teacher whose depression and anxiety kick into high gear during the summer, maybe hyperdrive. That sounds right. I first heard you on The Wonderful World of Depression or was it Hilarious, anyway. I loved hearing you then got Let’s pretend This Never Happened which sat there until summer when I hit bottom, again, are there lots of bottoms, maybe. Then I started reading your book and finally started easing up a bit on myself. I grew up in Plainview and Panhandle Texas then ran off to join the Navy now out living in California. Part of why I love your writing is O miss Texas. And I didn’t realize that. The other part is just relating so much to being at the mercy of the shit my head tells me. I finished let’s pretend and I’ve started furiously happy. You have really given me hope. I was beginning to think I would never be able to retire as summers are bad enough. Thank you for how brave you are sharing and for the work you put into your writing. Namaste from San Diego.

  319. I read your blog on the 26th. For me, nothing bad happened. But maybe it was because I was a little extra careful. I hope things have settled down and your brain is behaving. If not, then perhaps tomorrow.

  320. Ah! So it wasn’t just me?? Last Wed, I was rear-ended on the way to the chiro for my regular adjustment. I missed the appointment, obviously. The damage to my car isn’t too horrible, but I ended up with a nasty case of whiplash. On the way to the chiro the next day for my first post-wreck treatment, I was nearly in a head-on collision with a huge truck because the driver couldn’t look up from his phone long enough to see he was in my lane. I laid on my horn and was looking for spots where I could ditch my car without rolling when he finally looked up and got the hell on his own side. Something crazy was going on last week. Maybe it was the blood moon.

  321. I totally feel you. I have the same issue and it can be so hard to decide what’s a valid warning and what to write off as nothing more than anxiety and intrusive thoughts. You rock, Jenny. Thanks for letting so many of us know we’re not alone with this. Love and light back at you.

  322. Hi. I read this the day you posted. I was thinking hey, I get uneasy feelings like that too, but they are not as persistent as they used to be. I remind myself how many times I have had really bad feelings about the day or event and then nothing happened.
    That said, this weekend I passed by more car crashes than I had seen in the preceding 6 months or so. And then yesterday, I got in a dangerous ocean situation and scared myself a lot. I’d never felt close to drowning before or so away from help. I was trying to signal the lifeguards and they didn’t see. I’m still shaken and feeling like being very careful in the world for a while. Thanks for your wishes. I wish everyone safety and wellness and peace too.

  323. Not nuts at all. I know those feelings and also the feelings of not knowing what to do with those feelings AND what to do if they are real. We are living in crazy times and I think lots of people are distracted – and some by the very feelings you describe, just a general anxiety and sense of doom. We all need to pay attention, be careful, be patient, be gentle with ourselves and others.

  324. You are not nuts. And you’re not alone. I think you get a more extreme version than a lot of people, but other people get very mild versions of this, too, I think. At least, I do. Shouting out a warning to the world is not a bad idea. And I’m glad you rushed the dog to the vet. I hope it is ok.
    I hope you are ok, too.

  325. I try to be as careful as I can in this dangerous world but thanks for the reminder. I love you, too.

  326. This is exactly, exactly how I am. You couldn’t have said it better. I thought I was the only one. I can’t tell you how much better you just made me feel knowing that it’s not just me. It’s so much worse now that both of my girls drive and are in college. My mind thinks that every time I say goodbye it’s the last time so I hold on tight and give way too many hugs and kisses before they leave and watch them drive away and wave (even when they’re home for months during the summer). That’s just one tiny example but, yeah… every word you said. So thanks. A ton.

  327. I had to come back and comment on this. I happened to read this post right before I left work on Friday. Because I believe in intuition I was extra careful every time I got in my car all weekend. This morning it was rainy and again, I thought, “Jenny said to be careful.” I kid you not, I saw a car had missed a curve and gone down an embankment, one near my parents’ house that I’ve always felt nervous about. (Driver appeared to be ok if a little shaken.) Then on the interstate I saw a car flipped onto its side under an overpass. These are two things I have never before seen in my 20 years of driving those stretches of road. Call it whatever you want, stuff is happening….

  329. I meant to add that this post is alot like my last post. It just kept nagging at me until i wrote it out.

  330. I read this, took note…and then got lost on a logging road in the Sierra backcountry this weekend. Sent my best friend a selfie with the note: If you don’t hear from me in two hours, this is what I’m wearing and my approximate location. Then I listened to Let’s Pretend This Never Happened and wound my way back to pavement, and eventually found the campsite I was looking for in the first place. Whew.

    I first attempted to find camp Friday night but turned back when I realized I’d be wandering in the woods alone in pitch dark, so thank you for the warning!

  331. I think obsessive thoughts as well and what I do that actually sounds helps (ymmv) is to imagine pulling that thought out of my head like Dumbledore does to put his thoughts into the Pensive. That way the thought still exists but it’s not in my head anymore. Sounds crazy, probably is crazy, but gives me a titch of emotional distance so I can breathe a little.
    Hang in there Jenny, when I am at my worst I head for your blog because I know I can find a laugh and a lot of humanity and understanding. Hugs.

  332. I’m having similar problems, but it’s also affecting my ability to drive alone outside of my bubble. I can make it to work (most days) and to most appointments. My husband is understanding and will often take me places, and I am okay to drive when he is in the car, but I don’t want to have to drag him everywhere. My mom is the same way, but it’s wearing my dad out because she goes out WAY more than I do, and she’s not quite as appreciative of his time. I’m on Prozac, and I have Xanax as needed, but I don’t want to rely on Xanax daily.

    With all that said, you’re not alone <3

  333. I think that sometimes when we are self aware and very self critical but also aware of things on a deeper more spiritual level we recognize things; sense them deeply in our bones… but because not everyone in the world is so aware we question ourselves. We often say, “I know this is probably crazy but…” or “I am crazy and this is really nothing… it’s probably just me” I do it too and I kind of hate that I do. I could know something in my bones but not totally be able to explain it and I fall back on explaining it by saying something unkind about myself. Sometimes God… the universe or whoever is absolutely saying “Wake up! Pay attention! Put these pieces together if you can because I’m telling you something important.” And we do the best we can with that information. Being aware of it does not mean you are having an OCD reaction (in my opinion) it just means that you are aware. You listen and look for things that many people never consider. <3

  335. Chills just now. Because sometimes it is your instincts. You posted this reminder to be careful. I work in a job where I go to people’s gouses and perform inspections. One of my customers is being investigated and the investigator called me yesterday to warn me that the background check came back on the customer and he’s a convicted sexually violent predator. Multiple counts too. He was letting me know so that if I have to go back to this persons house I wouldn’t go alone. I told him that the entire time I was at this persons house doing the inspection I felt uncomfortable and unsafe. The person did nothing to make me feel that way, I just did. And it was weird. Then I found this out and knew that my instincts were telling me something. Guess what day I was doing this inspection? The same day you posted this. Major chills.

  336. I agree with all of this. Maybe it’s my anxiety, but I often have those “Sliding Doors” moments where I feel like I need to take a different road, or wait a while before getting into the car, even if it means I’m late. I don’t KNOW if it’s ever saved me from anything, but my mind still turns it over in my head as a ‘what if?’
    Related/Unrelated my parents were in a nasty car wreck just a week before this blog post. There’s so many accidents out there, so many scary near misses. Thank god for airbags, but drive safely!

  337. Thank you so much for sharing this. I’m glad there are others who struggle with scary, negative thoughts that aren’t easily dismissed.
    <3

  338. We are crazy. If you aren’t crazy right now, you aren’’t paying attention. Then there’s the hypervigilant serial killer in my head
    Whispering “ You could end all of this with a sniper rifle!” That’s problematic because A. I don’t know how to shoot a gun and B. You can’t smoke in federal prison. So fuck it. I’ll pet my dogs & have another latte.

  339. Yes. The voice and I go way back. And listening to it has absolutely saved my life more than once. But there are times when it’s hard to go “okay is this you talking God or is this just my anxiety? If it’s you please let it get louder, if it’s me, please God take it away”. And that generally works for me but I am one of those religious people and for me my relationship with God is a major component of my survival so…..

  340. I have weird things happen like that too sometimes. It has started freaking my husband out a little. We will be talking about a song and it will come on the tv or radio, While he’s watching a movie I will be scrolling through my phone. The actor on tv will say something or do something at the exact moment I see the very same thing on my phone. It’s pretty cool but I wish I had better ESP so I knew how to tap into it. OOH, I almost forgot! Words With Friends will spell things out to me in my row of letters that will eventually happen. That’s the best one. I should start playing that again.

  341. You too!! You are a life line and inspiration to so many of us. We need you!! Also, I find more and more people are feeling this way… scary times.

  342. Its exhausting to have this happen. It happens to me on a regular basis. Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone!!!

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I fucking love these people & not just because they support my wine-slushee habit:

Flourish in Progress: (T)hug Life: Part hood. Part good.

Pregnancy Calendar at Alpha Mom: Amalah’s week-by-week guide to the miracle of pregnancy and all the various indignities that come with it.

The Mack Files: Digesting life in bite-sized pieces through the lens of clichés, quotes & “truisms”.  Often irreverent, always honest.

Barking at the Moon: If your dog is your furry child, you will laugh out loud at Tracy Beckerman’s book about her family & a one-dog wrecking ball named Riley.

Kieran’s Humor: Not suitable for children, the sensitive or those hoping to get into heaven.

Go Doc Yourself Podcast: When a good doc ends, the klatch begins… Join hosts, scientists, and friends, Erin McCourt and Erin McCartt in weekly documentary dissection.

Welcome to xanaru: A mostly funny blog about the quest for happiness through authenticity, Great Danes and indiscriminate swearing. Plus hand-painted, custom artwork on bags, jackets, backpacks & more.

How the Hell Did I Not Know That?: Humorist Lucie Frost shares daily Instagram reels with learnings of the day—words, music, whatever–with plenty of laughs and all the curse words.

Beautiful Writers book: Writers! This coming-of-career memoir (w/ the BEST advice from celeb authors, real shit you haven’t heard) is life. A page-turning beach read doubling as how-to. #Magic

The Dating Days of Marta O: When I told my sister I was building a blog she said: “Do people still read blogs?” I do not know, but if YOU want to read it, here it is. Keep in mind, my stories about dating after 40 are for the brave.

Where Do I Belong? A memoir of Sarah Carrington: The unbelievable story of growing up in a religious cult in the mountains of Northern British Columbia. What happens to you in life doesn’t make you strong; rising above it does.

CONNECTED: A Personal Journal for Ketamine Therapy Created by writer & patient Katherine Davis for this powerful clinical treatment. If considering ketamine for major depression, check out this essential tool.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh: SO GOOD.

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