When my stomach starts talking to me, it's usually just time to have a snack. Or if I’m sitting in the back of a taxi speeding down a windy road, my tummy might be warning me of impending car sickness. But if you manage to become really in tune with your gut, it might even be able to save your life.
Redditors have recently been discussing moments when they narrowly escaped danger by trusting their intuition, so we’ve gathered some of their most unsettling stories below. Reading through these experiences might give you chills, knowing how terribly wrong things could have gone, but they’re also important reminders to always listen to your instincts! And keep reading to find a conversation with Intuitive Advisor Lynn A. Robinson, M.Ed.
#1
Was very ill, woke up to vomit and made it to the sink. Thought about rinsing it and go back to bed, but felt like I should turn the light on. Did, and it was full of blood. If I'd gone back to bed I would've bled to death in my sleep. I got a fun ride to the hospital at 2am. Luckily that bleed finally got me onto the transplant list. And 2 years later I got my nice pre owned piece of liver. September 30th will be my 8th liverversary! Yay!
61points
#2
When I was in college, I lived in a sketchy part of Chicago (Humboldt Park/Logan Square before gentrification).
I liked to take late night strolls, even when I was living in that neighborhood as a 20-year-old woman. Yeah, I know. Pretty dumb of me.
One night, I was feeling stressed out so I embarked on one of my late night strolls.
I was walking along a somewhat busy road. Cars were zooming past me. Pretty normal. I wasn't paying much attention because I was too wrapped up in whatever was stressing me out that night. Suddenly, a chill shot up my spine. Hyperviligance washed over me and I became more alert than I had ever been. Something was wrong. Someone was watching me.
I quickly spotted a car. It was driving in the opposite direction, a little slower than usual. It was too dark for me to see anyone inside the car, and the car was pretty unassuming. But I still knew something was off. They were watching me. I just knew.
The car drove past me and then made a u-turn. Now it was right behind me, creeping along the curb.
Luckily, there was a Walgreens a few blocks ahead. I started walking faster, and the car eventually sped past me and disappeared into a corner. I somehow knew I wasn't safe yet, so I still sprinted to Walgreens.
I told the security guard what happened, and we both went outside. The car was parked up the street, about 50-100 feet away. The security guard was a big guy who looked intimidating. He marched toward the car, and the car immediately backed up, made a u-turn, and then booked it out of there. The security guard called the cops, and they drove me home.
I never took a late night stroll again.
My gut made me more alert, but it was really the security guard who saved my life. I'm positive that if he wasn't there that night, something bad would've happened to me. I wish I could find that security guard to thank him.
I liked to take late night strolls, even when I was living in that neighborhood as a 20-year-old woman. Yeah, I know. Pretty dumb of me.
One night, I was feeling stressed out so I embarked on one of my late night strolls.
I was walking along a somewhat busy road. Cars were zooming past me. Pretty normal. I wasn't paying much attention because I was too wrapped up in whatever was stressing me out that night. Suddenly, a chill shot up my spine. Hyperviligance washed over me and I became more alert than I had ever been. Something was wrong. Someone was watching me.
I quickly spotted a car. It was driving in the opposite direction, a little slower than usual. It was too dark for me to see anyone inside the car, and the car was pretty unassuming. But I still knew something was off. They were watching me. I just knew.
The car drove past me and then made a u-turn. Now it was right behind me, creeping along the curb.
Luckily, there was a Walgreens a few blocks ahead. I started walking faster, and the car eventually sped past me and disappeared into a corner. I somehow knew I wasn't safe yet, so I still sprinted to Walgreens.
I told the security guard what happened, and we both went outside. The car was parked up the street, about 50-100 feet away. The security guard was a big guy who looked intimidating. He marched toward the car, and the car immediately backed up, made a u-turn, and then booked it out of there. The security guard called the cops, and they drove me home.
I never took a late night stroll again.
My gut made me more alert, but it was really the security guard who saved my life. I'm positive that if he wasn't there that night, something bad would've happened to me. I wish I could find that security guard to thank him.
51points
#3
I was driving my family in our suv and was stopped at a light to make a left turn. I get the green arrow and start to hit the gas when I hear my husband scream “STOP!” I slam on the breaks and a giant pickup truck runs the red from our left and screeches to a stop 30 yards past the intersection. I definitely would’ve been k****d and my entire family injured.
So we all take a deep breath and I tell my husband I hadn’t seen the truck so it’s a good thing he did. He says he didn’t see the truck.
Then why did you yell “STOP!” I ask him. He says he didn’t yell stop. The kids say no one yelled anything.
To this day I swear I heard an audible voice telling me to stop. But no one else did.
So we all take a deep breath and I tell my husband I hadn’t seen the truck so it’s a good thing he did. He says he didn’t see the truck.
Then why did you yell “STOP!” I ask him. He says he didn’t yell stop. The kids say no one yelled anything.
To this day I swear I heard an audible voice telling me to stop. But no one else did.
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47points
To learn more about this topic, we got in touch with Lynn A. Robinson, M.Ed. Lynn is an intuitive advisor and author of Divine Intuition: Your Inner Guide to Purpose, Peace, and Prosperity, and she was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about why it's important to listen to your gut.
"Trusting your instincts is so important because it’s like having an inner GPS—you might not know why something feels right (or wrong), but deep down, you do," the expert shared. "It’s your built-in wisdom, guiding you toward choices that truly fit (and keep you safe!)"
#4
Went on a date with someone from Tinder.. The whole time he’s talking about himself, it’s nothing but the worst of the worst stories, about him being a*****e to his multiple exes but blaming them, telling me how his daughter hates him, and other horrible stuff that I can’t even bring myself to say.
While he’s talking I’m pretty much having a panic attack, the voice in my head is saying “calming GTFO!” So I say I have to go to family dinner, he’s making every excuse to keep me and for me to go home with him so I just get in my car and go.. we’re at a Starbucks outside.. he follows me! So I call my mom, she tells me to go over and that she’s calling the cops.
Luckily she lives in a gated community where a guard is at the booth so he can’t follow me in. He turns around and speeds off. The cops get there I give them all the information I have on this guy, he went in to details about his life and I told the cops everything.. turns out this guy kidnapped and brutally r***d a girl and was on the run and was stupid enough to tell me his real name when we met in person. It was a long summer of multiple court dates just to end in him getting a b******t sentence.
While he’s talking I’m pretty much having a panic attack, the voice in my head is saying “calming GTFO!” So I say I have to go to family dinner, he’s making every excuse to keep me and for me to go home with him so I just get in my car and go.. we’re at a Starbucks outside.. he follows me! So I call my mom, she tells me to go over and that she’s calling the cops.
Luckily she lives in a gated community where a guard is at the booth so he can’t follow me in. He turns around and speeds off. The cops get there I give them all the information I have on this guy, he went in to details about his life and I told the cops everything.. turns out this guy kidnapped and brutally r***d a girl and was on the run and was stupid enough to tell me his real name when we met in person. It was a long summer of multiple court dates just to end in him getting a b******t sentence.
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44points
#5
Not me, but my dad was maybe 100 feet from being on the 35W Bridge in Minneapolis when it collapsed. He said he didn't know why, but his foot just gravitated to the brake pedal and he slowed way down, and sure enough right after that the bridge went.
The creepiest thing was watching security cam footage where we could see his car. It was surreal seeing how close my own dad was to death.
The creepiest thing was watching security cam footage where we could see his car. It was surreal seeing how close my own dad was to death.
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42points
#6
Not my gut feeling, but my mom's. She wouldn't let me go out of town for a weekend with my best friend. We were supposed to go to an overnight picnic, where her older, responsible guy friend would "escort" us in his safe, new car. My mom categorically refused, and my teenage self became hysterical to the point of slamming doors and yelling profanities at her.
The next day I find out my best friend and another girl were decapitated in a car accident. The guy drove drunk waaaay too fast on a country road. The car hit the gravel on the side of the road, and the car flipped a few times before hitting a tree that ripped the car in half. My best friend's parents had to identify her remains through jewellery they found at the scene.
She was 17, I was 16. My mom saved my life that day. RIP Anna.
The next day I find out my best friend and another girl were decapitated in a car accident. The guy drove drunk waaaay too fast on a country road. The car hit the gravel on the side of the road, and the car flipped a few times before hitting a tree that ripped the car in half. My best friend's parents had to identify her remains through jewellery they found at the scene.
She was 17, I was 16. My mom saved my life that day. RIP Anna.
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40points
We also asked Lynn if she had ever been in a situation where listening to her intuition saved her. "A few years ago, some friends invited me on a ski trip. I really wanted to go, but I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that I should say no," she shared. "In the end, I declined—and I’m so glad I did. On their way to the ski resort, they were in a serious car accident, and two of them had to be taken to the hospital."
#7
My buddy’s sister moved away from home, and within the first week of her living in her own home a man comes up to her door and asks her if he can “use her phone in her house because he is lost”. She didn’t buy it, felt uncomfortable and said no. Few hours pass, she walks outside to multiple police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Turns out the guy went next door and m******d her 2 neighbors who let him in.
40points
#8
I was in a shared Uber with one other girl I don’t know, both in the back. We’re driving through the city and some guy off the street asks the Uber driver for a ride a few blocks away through his driver side window.
To my surprise, the Uber driver says yes! Like, WHAT?! This guy was not a paid pick-up, he was just some guy who asked a random stranger for a ride. Us and Uber driver were talking about some liberal topics, so maybe he thought we’d be cool about it? The guy hops in the front street, starts chatting it up with the Uber driver. We’re driving a couple blocks, and he keeps saying “Right over here, just a couple more minutes” and we’re getting farther and farther from the main drag.
I speak up and say “Sorry, where did you say you need to go again?” and he replies “Just around the corner,” and I say “If it’s just around the corner you can walk then, right?” and he starts getting snippy and ignores me and says to the driver “Come on, man - just a couple more blocks” and the Uber driver is like “Yeah, sure thing.”
I had to have a Karen moment and get loud and be like “No, stop the car. You are not paying for this ride, I am. You can walk from here. I’m uncomfortable, and you need to get out of the car NOW.” The guy looks at the driver like “What the f**k?” and the driver is like “Sorry, but she is paying and I need to respect that” and kicks him out.
Turns out there was a string of car jackings and robberies in that area that he was taking us. I’m guessing he was taking us to his buddy’s spot who were armed.
No f*****g way, dude. Uber driver got reported. Ladies, learn to not be polite.
To my surprise, the Uber driver says yes! Like, WHAT?! This guy was not a paid pick-up, he was just some guy who asked a random stranger for a ride. Us and Uber driver were talking about some liberal topics, so maybe he thought we’d be cool about it? The guy hops in the front street, starts chatting it up with the Uber driver. We’re driving a couple blocks, and he keeps saying “Right over here, just a couple more minutes” and we’re getting farther and farther from the main drag.
I speak up and say “Sorry, where did you say you need to go again?” and he replies “Just around the corner,” and I say “If it’s just around the corner you can walk then, right?” and he starts getting snippy and ignores me and says to the driver “Come on, man - just a couple more blocks” and the Uber driver is like “Yeah, sure thing.”
I had to have a Karen moment and get loud and be like “No, stop the car. You are not paying for this ride, I am. You can walk from here. I’m uncomfortable, and you need to get out of the car NOW.” The guy looks at the driver like “What the f**k?” and the driver is like “Sorry, but she is paying and I need to respect that” and kicks him out.
Turns out there was a string of car jackings and robberies in that area that he was taking us. I’m guessing he was taking us to his buddy’s spot who were armed.
No f*****g way, dude. Uber driver got reported. Ladies, learn to not be polite.
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38points
#9
Three years ago I was planning a major fundraising event. I was working ridiculous hours trying to make sure everything was going to run smoothly. I had worst case scenarios planned out like a crazy person. One day I was climbing the stairs after getting home rather late when I became unnaturally short of breath. As I sat on my bed my breathing returned to normal. My face became hot with what I can only assume is what's considered a hot-flash in older women. I started to tingle with fear. I don't know how to explain it exactly. It was like I could feel electricity in the air warning me something was wrong.
I immediately packed my laptop, paperwork, extra clothing, toothbrush, and so on, and I slowly walked down the stairs to my car driving myself to the ER. As soon as I got through the doors I collapsed, unable to breathe. I don't recall everything that happened right after, but what I do recall was being in the hospital for 8 days because both of my lungs were littered with blood clots. I had gotten a blood clot in my lower left calf from sitting & working too many hours on the event. It broke loose and spread throughout my lungs (the Doctor said it looked like my lungs were filled with popcorn). Had I not driven myself to the hospital when I did, the nurse said I would have died. I will NEVER ignore shortness of breath again, and I WILL trust myself when I KNOW something is wrong.
I immediately packed my laptop, paperwork, extra clothing, toothbrush, and so on, and I slowly walked down the stairs to my car driving myself to the ER. As soon as I got through the doors I collapsed, unable to breathe. I don't recall everything that happened right after, but what I do recall was being in the hospital for 8 days because both of my lungs were littered with blood clots. I had gotten a blood clot in my lower left calf from sitting & working too many hours on the event. It broke loose and spread throughout my lungs (the Doctor said it looked like my lungs were filled with popcorn). Had I not driven myself to the hospital when I did, the nurse said I would have died. I will NEVER ignore shortness of breath again, and I WILL trust myself when I KNOW something is wrong.
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37points
So how can we get better at listening to our gut if we've gotten used to ignoring it? "Intuition is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets," Lynn says. "It can show up in all kinds of ways: a sudden ‘aha,’ a quiet inner voice, a nudge to speak up or take action, a gut feeling, or even a message in a dream. Try practicing with small decisions throughout your day by simply pausing and asking yourself, ‘What’s my intuition telling me?'"
#10
I was a young, naive freshman in college and had basically no experience talking to boys. This guy had sat next to me for My whole 2 hour psych lecture and casually talked to me the whole time. Just little comments about the lecture, showing me things on his laptop. Innocent stuff. When lecture ended and we got outside it was POURING. Like, to this day I’ve seen rain like that maybe twice in my life. Rain that would physically HURT to walk in. He offered me a ride and I said yes, but as he was pulling the car up I thought to myself “don’t get in” and took off running to my dorm. Saw him on the news a few months later for raping two women.
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36points
#11
Relaying a friends story:
He was living in London and about to catch his usual bus when he felt like a cigarette. Just as he lit up he could see his bus pull around the bend. He considered throwing out his Ciggy but thought, bugger it, I really want my smoke, next bus was six minutes away. So he didn't board his bus and watched it drive a bit down the road when suddenly he was knocked to the ground by a powerful unseen force. His bus was the victim of a terrorist bombing and exploded just after the stop.
He was living in London and about to catch his usual bus when he felt like a cigarette. Just as he lit up he could see his bus pull around the bend. He considered throwing out his Ciggy but thought, bugger it, I really want my smoke, next bus was six minutes away. So he didn't board his bus and watched it drive a bit down the road when suddenly he was knocked to the ground by a powerful unseen force. His bus was the victim of a terrorist bombing and exploded just after the stop.
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35points
#12
Almost 8 months pregnant, normal, complication free pregnancy. Walking through the grocery store i had a twinge of a headache. Told my husband we needed to go home.
At home i took a shower and relaxed a bit, but got an urgent "impending doom" feeling. Still just a tiny headache, not even enough for a tylenol. Packed my toddlers diaper bag and requested we go to urgent care.
The whole ride there i felt fine, wondering what i was even going to tell them at check in. But that "you're not okay" feeling was still looming.
We pulled in, i carried my sleeping two year old inside and basically said, "Im pregnant and something isnt right."
My blood pressure was 256/148. I had a seizure 7 minutes after getting in the room. If i had told my husband to drive past and go to the ER, we would have been stuck in traffic, as a truck had rolled over. If i hadnt left the grocery store or my house when i did, theres a chance i wouldnt have made it.
We got a ride to the hospital when i was stable, i was induced at 35ish weeks, and my son was born perfectly fine, albeit small. I stayed on blood pressure meds for 8 days before it went back to normal.
At home i took a shower and relaxed a bit, but got an urgent "impending doom" feeling. Still just a tiny headache, not even enough for a tylenol. Packed my toddlers diaper bag and requested we go to urgent care.
The whole ride there i felt fine, wondering what i was even going to tell them at check in. But that "you're not okay" feeling was still looming.
We pulled in, i carried my sleeping two year old inside and basically said, "Im pregnant and something isnt right."
My blood pressure was 256/148. I had a seizure 7 minutes after getting in the room. If i had told my husband to drive past and go to the ER, we would have been stuck in traffic, as a truck had rolled over. If i hadnt left the grocery store or my house when i did, theres a chance i wouldnt have made it.
We got a ride to the hospital when i was stable, i was induced at 35ish weeks, and my son was born perfectly fine, albeit small. I stayed on blood pressure meds for 8 days before it went back to normal.
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33points
Finally, Lynn added that one of the best ways to tap into your intuition is by asking it questions. "Try asking, ‘What’s my right next step in life?’ or ‘What do I need to know about this situation—or this person?’ The answers might not come right away. They often show up when you’re least expecting them—while walking the dog, riding the bus, or even in the shower!"
And if you'd like to get even better at trusting your gut, be sure to visit Lynn's website for more info!
#13
When I woke up and felt the need to go to the ER even though I couldn't explain what was wrong. When we got there the cauterization from my tonsillectomy ruptured and I lost 1/6th of my blood in about 20 minutes.
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30points
#14
When I was in college one day my friends and I went to the mall, when we were leaving it was already late at night. My friends houses were just a few blocks away from the mall but mine was pretty far away so I told them I'll take a taxi. I was waiting on the sidewalk and since it was late at night there weren't many people outside. When a taxi was coming I put my hand out to signal that I need a ride. When it stopped my hand was reaching for the taxi door handle but then all of a sudden this strong gut feeling came over me and it kept repeating in my mind "Do not go in".
It was so strong that I chose to trust it instead of ignoring it so I opened the door of the taxi and said "Never mind sir" and got a good look at the man's face. The man insisted for me to come in but I just closed the door on him and walked away. There was another taxi coming and that's the one I took but in a glimpse of an eye I saw the other taxi driver opening his door. He closed it again when the other taxi was approaching me and he drove off and I got onto the taxi that stopped in front of me.
The next day it went on the news that there was a r**ist playing a role of a taxi driver and was caught by the police yesterday because he decided to go out late at night in an attempt to catch his next victim. When it showed the picture of the man my heart dropped.
It was the same guy I saw as the taxi driver yesterday.
From that day on, I always trusted my gut.
It was so strong that I chose to trust it instead of ignoring it so I opened the door of the taxi and said "Never mind sir" and got a good look at the man's face. The man insisted for me to come in but I just closed the door on him and walked away. There was another taxi coming and that's the one I took but in a glimpse of an eye I saw the other taxi driver opening his door. He closed it again when the other taxi was approaching me and he drove off and I got onto the taxi that stopped in front of me.
The next day it went on the news that there was a r**ist playing a role of a taxi driver and was caught by the police yesterday because he decided to go out late at night in an attempt to catch his next victim. When it showed the picture of the man my heart dropped.
It was the same guy I saw as the taxi driver yesterday.
From that day on, I always trusted my gut.
29points
#15
I don't know if it was a gut feeling so much as good timing but as a kid me and my brother shared bunk beds, I had the bottom bunk. Every night I would get up to get myself a drink and go back to bed. I was maybe 6 when one night I get up to get my feckin juice and I barely had stepped out of our bedroom when there was a loud cracking sound. This woke my parents and the three of us rushed back to find that the wood supporting the top bunk matress had split and was now stabbing jaggedly into my mattress and pillow. A few seconds earlier or a minute later I would've been asleep there.
Also my brother didn't wake up the whole time, despite his bed giving out under him and dropping him several feet 🤷♀️.
Also my brother didn't wake up the whole time, despite his bed giving out under him and dropping him several feet 🤷♀️.
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26points
#16
Not me individually, but we were three couples traveling from TX to CO. One car and one Suburban. We'd swap out couples, women, men. We were up in the mountains and the weather was getting iffy pretty quick; overcast with mist in the upper elevations. One of the women was getting upset by the mile. The mountain road was a succession of curves. We had to leave one area to go to the next one and she cried and told her husband, something is wrong. We're not supposed to go up there. Stop, please turn around!
They had been married for decades and he later said, "I've learned to listen to her." So we did. It was several miles to the small town we just left. We got coffee at a drive in and after a while she calmed down. The server came by with coffee and asked which direction we were driving. She told us. "No, you won't. We just heard on the radio they had a big landslide on that road. The sheriff and state police have blocked it off. A couple cars slid down the hillside. No word on them yet."
They had been married for decades and he later said, "I've learned to listen to her." So we did. It was several miles to the small town we just left. We got coffee at a drive in and after a while she calmed down. The server came by with coffee and asked which direction we were driving. She told us. "No, you won't. We just heard on the radio they had a big landslide on that road. The sheriff and state police have blocked it off. A couple cars slid down the hillside. No word on them yet."
26points
#17
Not my own but one time I scrolled through my fb feed and a suggested group had a post by a woman who was grieving the sudden loss of all her pet rats over two days. It had just been posted, halfway round the world- it was late night for them.
I felt the nagging in my brain and joined the group, waited for approval and finally was able to comment "hey if you don't have a carbon monoxide alarm, get fire fighters out immediately- do not go to bed!"
She thankfully saw that comment of mine right as she was about to go to bed- called the fire dept out and had an air quality test immediately. They might have all died in their sleep if not for my niggling feing.
I felt the nagging in my brain and joined the group, waited for approval and finally was able to comment "hey if you don't have a carbon monoxide alarm, get fire fighters out immediately- do not go to bed!"
She thankfully saw that comment of mine right as she was about to go to bed- called the fire dept out and had an air quality test immediately. They might have all died in their sleep if not for my niggling feing.
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26points
#18
Not really a life saving moment but avoiding a visit to the hospital. I was staying the night at my grandmas house and I had to get up to use the restroom. I was walking in the dark and I stopped. I had this bad feeling so I switched on the light. Right in my path way a couple feet away was a baby scorpion. I had a huge chance of getting stung.
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25points
#19
I was off work the day of the Boston Bombing and wanted to go shopping. I had an errand to run in Cambridge across the river but I wanted to go to a store right where the b**b ended up going off. I was just about to go there when something in me told me I should do my errand first.
Lo and behold as I cross the river, I get a flurry of texts from people asking if I'm ok.
Lo and behold as I cross the river, I get a flurry of texts from people asking if I'm ok.
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25points
#20
A gut feeling saved my life, but it wasn't my gut feeling. My mom knew something was wrong with me as a baby, even after the local doctors told her nothing was wrong when she took me 23 times. (deep South doctors)
She didn't relent, and trusted her gut, and drove hours away to an actual city in our state where they found my cancer. Too much later and I'd have been dead. My so thankful for my mother, but trusting her gut and sticking with it.
She didn't relent, and trusted her gut, and drove hours away to an actual city in our state where they found my cancer. Too much later and I'd have been dead. My so thankful for my mother, but trusting her gut and sticking with it.
25points