Ever had that random thought pop into your head that you should go somewhere or do something, even though it makes absolutely no logical sense? Those quiet pulls toward something that your rational mind immediately questions?
For most of my life, I ignored those nudges. Why wouldn’t I? I was too busy meticulously planning my life—setting goals, creating timelines, trying to control every variable. I liked knowing exactly where I was headed and how I’d get there.
But over the past couple years, I’ve been experimenting with something radically different: actually following those subtle pulls, those seemingly random breadcrumbs that life keeps dropping in my path. And honestly? It’s led me to some of the most meaningful connections and profound growth experiences I never could have planned.
Let me show you how this works in real life.
The Control Freak Meets Uncertainty
First, a confession: I still struggle with control. I’m a perfectionist who feels safest when I’m calling all the shots. These patterns don’t disappear overnight.
But something shifted when I realized that all the success I’d been frantically chasing was actually rooted in childhood beliefs that I wasn’t good enough or smart enough. I was exhausting myself trying to prove my worth through achievements and perfect planning.
When that clicked, I started questioning what might happen if I loosened my grip a bit. What if I didn’t need to control the ultimate direction of my life? What if things could unfold in ways better than my limited mind could envision?
That tiny crack in my control system allowed me to start noticing these nudges—these subtle hints and pulls that seemed to be guiding me somewhere, if only I’d pay attention.
The Women’s Event I Almost Talked Myself Out Of
Here’s a perfect example of how following these random pulls can lead to something amazing:
About a year ago, I felt this strange, unexplainable urge to connect with a group of women. I didn’t analyze it much—just felt pulled to be around female energy.
So I googled “women’s events” and found a women’s networking dinner in a neighboring city. Now, networking events are definitely not my thing. Small talk with strangers? Being in a room where I don’t know anyone? My comfort-loving brain immediately started generating reasons not to go.
But this time, instead of listening to those doubts, I decided to follow the pull. I didn’t overthink it or research the event too deeply (which I later realized was key—too much research would have given my rational mind ammunition to talk me out of it).
When I arrived, I discovered it was actually hosted by a business coach—something I never would have consciously sought out. But while there, they mentioned an upcoming women’s workshop. Without even knowing what the workshop was about, I felt drawn to sign up on the spot. Again, I followed that inner nudge without overanalyzing.
Months later, I discovered it was actually a business workshop, even though I’m not a business owner! On the surface, this made no logical sense. But I showed up anyway.
The Magnetic Speaker and the Workshop Miracle
At this business workshop, there was this speaker who immediately caught my attention. She had this incredible presence—so authentic, so magnetic, so genuinely connected with everyone in the room. I felt instantly drawn to her energy.
When she offered a 3-day online workshop for $97, I signed up without a second thought. There was zero hesitation or resistance—just a clear inner knowing that I needed to learn from this person. I didn’t even know exactly what I’d learn, but something in me recognized her as a guide on my path.
I researched her more and discovered she didn’t offer in-person events, which disappointed me since her in-person presence was so powerful. Then something frustrating happened—there were multiple scheduling issues with the online workshop. Dates changed, communication was spotty, and eventually, they scheduled it for January but never sent me the link to join.
I was annoyed by all the hassle, but then something unexpected happened—they transferred my ticket to an in-person workshop with her! The very thing I had secretly wanted but thought wasn’t possible. Even better, I later found out that other attendees had paid more than my $97 for this live event.
What initially looked like a frustrating situation turned out to be the universe orchestrating exactly what I wanted in a way I couldn’t have planned.
At that in-person workshop, I met an amazing group of women who were also on their awakening journeys. Those connections helped me confirm that I wasn’t going crazy. Hearing others talk about their similar experiences was like getting confirmation that I was on the right path and should keep following these strange little nudges.
When the Universe Gets Really Obvious
Sometimes these pulls aren’t subtle at all—they’re more like the universe hitting you over the head repeatedly with the same message until you finally pay attention.
For over a year, Toastmasters kept showing up in my life. And let me be crystal clear about something: I have ZERO desire to speak in public. I’ve actively avoided it at every job I’ve ever had. I don’t even like speaking up in work meetings.
But this Toastmasters pull was persistent:
✧ Someone mentioned a guy who was a great speaker, and guess what? He was in Toastmasters.
✧ People would casually mention it in conversations.
✧ At the conference I mentioned above, the presenter talked about Toastmasters too!
Then came the moment that made me smile inside: I randomly bought a book at a thrift store, and tucked inside was a Toastmasters winning ribbon. Finding that physical, tangible synchronicity felt like the universe was winking at me. Unlike seeing repetitive numbers or having déjà vu experiences, here was something I could actually hold in my hands—undeniable evidence of the universe pulling me in.
I must have had six distinct Toastmasters synchronicities before I finally surrendered. I’ll be joining a local chapter soon, despite my fear and resistance, because I’ve learned to trust these pulls, especially when they lead me outside my comfort zone. More to follow 😉
The Improv Challenge
Another persistent pull has been toward improv comedy—again, completely outside my comfort zone as someone who hates public speaking and fears looking foolish.
After several synchronicities pointing to improv, I found a once-a-month workshop. Despite my fear, I pushed through and attended. It was rough. I felt incredibly uncomfortable the entire time.
But during the workshop, the instructor said things that resonated deeply with my journey. I realized the universe wasn’t randomly torturing me—it was guiding me toward exactly what I needed to overcome my perfectionism. Improv teaches you to be present, to let go of control, to be okay with failing, and to trust the process—all lessons I desperately needed.
It’s fascinating how following these pulls often leads us right to the growing edge we need to work on. The universe knows what we need for our evolution, even when (especially when) it’s uncomfortable.
The Decade-Long Nudge
Some pulls are incredibly persistent. Over ten years ago, I felt drawn to start a blog. I was in college at the time and wrote a couple of posts before quitting. But that pull toward writing—blogs, books, sharing my journey—has never gone away.
For over a decade, this nudge has periodically resurfaced. Just like the Toastmasters example, it keeps coming back, refusing to let me forget.
I’ve realized that sometimes we don’t immediately recognize synchronicities because we’re asleep in that moment—too focused on the past or future to notice the quiet guidance happening right now.
The Feeling of Following vs. Forcing
There’s something incredibly freeing about loosening your grip on life. When I started following these nudges instead of forcing everything to go according to my plan, I felt this sense of relief wash over me.
It brought back a sense of mystery, intrigue, and play that had been missing from my adult life. Remember when you were a kid and everything felt magical and full of possibility? That’s what following pulls feels like.
I’ve noticed that when I try to force things to happen exactly as I think they should, there’s this resistance—like swimming upstream. But when I follow these little nudges, things just flow. Opportunities appear without struggle. Connections happen naturally. Doors open that I didn’t even know existed.
The biggest difference is that I don’t know what I’m going to get—and I’ve had to make peace with that uncertainty. But what I’ve received has been far more interesting and aligned than anything I could have planned myself.
How to Notice Your Own Synchronicities
People sometimes ask me how to tell the difference between a random thought and a synchronicity worth following. For me, these nudges have a certain quality to them—they feel like persistent pulls rather than fleeting ideas.
They’re thoughts, conversations, or coincidences that keep coming up again and again. If you’re operating on autopilot, you’ll miss them entirely. But when you’re present, you’ll start noticing these recurring themes in your life.
Here’s what helps me notice these nudges:
✧ Slowing down: You can’t catch subtle signs when you’re rushing through life.
✧ Being present: When you’re fully in the moment (not rehashing the past or planning the future), you pick up on things you’d otherwise miss.
✧ Believing things are working in your favor: This openness helps you recognize opportunities.
✧ Seeing the good: Looking for the positive creates a different awareness.
You have to slow down enough to see the magic, and you have to be willing to follow it even when it makes no logical sense—especially when it makes no logical sense.
I think we all get these nudges, but most of us are too busy, too focused on our plans, or too skeptical to notice them, let alone follow them.
What If It Leads Nowhere?
I’ve been asked if I’ve ever followed a synchronicity that didn’t lead anywhere meaningful. Truthfully, I can’t say that’s happened yet. Even when something initially seems random or pointless, I’ve learned to reserve judgment.
Take the improv workshop, for example. In the moment, it felt challenging and uncomfortable—not immediately rewarding. But I could already see how it was teaching me exactly what I needed to learn about perfectionism and presence.
I’ve learned that you often can’t connect the dots looking forward—only looking backward. Something that seems random today might make perfect sense six months from now when it connects to something else.
The Surrender Experiment
I think of this whole pull following approach as a kind of surrender experiment. Can I let go of needing to know where everything is leading? Can I trust that there’s an intelligence at work that might have a better plan than my limited mind could devise?
It doesn’t mean I do nothing or have no goals. I still take action, but it’s more like inspired action rather than forced action. I follow the energy, the excitement, the curiosity, the pull—rather than just following a plan I made when I had much less information than I do now.
The relief comes from not having to figure everything out. From not having to know the entire path before taking the first step. From trusting that the next synchronicity will appear when I need it.
Your Turn to Follow
I’m curious—have you noticed synchronicities in your own life? Those coincidences that seem too perfect to be random? Those persistent nudges toward something that makes no logical sense?
What might happen if you followed just one of them, even if it seems silly or impractical?
I can’t promise where your synchronicities will lead. But I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be more interesting than if you stick to only what you can plan and control.
What nudge or coincidence have you been ignoring lately that keeps trying to get your attention?
This week, when you notice something that feels like a synchronicity—a pull toward something, a recurring theme, a “coincidence”—follow it instead of dismissing it. See where it leads, without expectations.
Glow for it 
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