Feeling anxious or stressed? You need to know about the 'burnt toast theory'.

You know those days when something really bloody inconvenient happens? Like, you lock yourself out of the house, you miss the bus when you're already running late, your sleeve gets stuck on a door handle as you're running out of the house, etc, etc.

Yep. Those kinda days.

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If you're anything like us, it can set you off in a bit of a 'why me' spiral, and it makes you just want to curl up and start the day all over again. 

But there's a certain concept that's gone viral on social media, and it's about to change the way you think of life's (annoying) inconveniences.

It's called the 'burnt toast theory'.

What is the 'burnt toast theory'?

According to TikTok content creator Ingrid (offthe__grid), the 'burnt toast theory' is all about the universe dishing out 'inconveniences' to protect you from something. 

"I recently learned about the burnt toast theory and it’s really been helping me accept things that are out of my control," she said. "So if you’re an anxious girlie, anxiously attached girlie, whatever, listen up."

As she goes on to explain, the burnt toast theory is the idea that if you, for example, burn your toast before work this adds "five to 10 minutes to your trip." And while it might just seem really inconvenient, it's "actually saving you from something catastrophic."

"Maybe save me from a car accident. Maybe save me from someone who you don’t want to run into," said Ingrid.

"But this is the idea that inconveniences in our lives, or when something releases us in the universe, it’s either saving us from something more detrimental or pushing us in the direction that we need to go in."

Burnt toast theory:

If you burn your toast in the morning, the time you spend making another toast may have saved you from a car accident; or make you late to a meeting but you meet someone on the way that becomes special in your life.

A reminder that the universe protects you. pic.twitter.com/On9XMFNhJw

— Satvik Sethi (@sxtvik) April 7, 2023

Ingrid goes on to say that adopting this theory has essentially helped her learn that there are some things in life she can't control.

"Of course, you won’t know exactly what the burnt toast has saved you from, but that’s not the point. The point is to allow you to accept things in life that are completely out of your control. Give you more peace and ground you."

Just watch her explanation below:

@offthe__grid Monday morning thoughts… shoutout to the internet for sharing this wisdom so passing it along 💖❤️‍🩹 #therapytiktok #advice #anxiousattachment #fyp ♬ original sound - Ingrid

The post racked up hundreds upon hundreds of comments, with people weighing in on the concept.

One person wrote, "I believe in this 100 per cent! Esp [sic] after reading the stories of how some people missed work for whatever reason were spared from 9/11. I lean into inconvenience."

"Firm believer that redirection is protection," said someone else.

Another follower wrote: "Okay so how do I get my job to understand the burnt toast theory..?". 

Honestly, same.

While there's no way to actually... prove... whether the 'burnt toast theory' is a real thing that actually exists, you gotta admit — it is a helpful (and positive) way of thinking when things kinda just... go to s**t.

Do you believe in the 'burnt toast theory'? What are your thoughts? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: TikTok/@offthe__grid.