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This article was reviewed by Candace Gasper and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Candace Gasper is a Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant and the Owner of Digital Candy, a social media agency. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is an expert in social media and content creation, specializing in working with local businesses to share their narratives and help them expand their reach. Candace received her Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparels, and Textiles from the University of Kentucky.
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You hop out of bed, put the coffee on, and throw some bread in the toaster. Something catches your attention and a few minutes later you can smell the toast burning. You decide your hunger is more important than being on time so you spend another 5 minutes making new toast. On your way to work, you see a giant crash on the highway. In fact, it’s right where you would have been had you left home on time. The inconvenience of the burnt toast saved you from a much greater tragedy. This is the burnt toast theory—the idea that small annoyances are the universe’s way of helping you or saving you from disasters. We’ll break it all down!
Burnt Toast Theory Meaning
Burnt toast theory is the idea that minor annoyances and inconveniences are actually the universe’s way of preventing even worse things from happening (or causing good things to happen). The theory is based on the idea that having to remake toast in the morning can have major ramifications for the day.
Steps
Applying the Burnt Toast Theory
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Pause whenever something bad happens and take a deep breath. It’s easy to just react in the moment whenever something annoying happens, so try to start monitoring your emotions more thoughtfully and catch yourself before you start to spiral. In that moment of immediate anger or annoyance, just pause, take a deep breath, and accept the feeling.[2]
- This takes practice! Don’t get annoyed if you start to try incorporating the burnt toast theory in your own life and you just can’t spot the “burnt toasts” when they come up. Stick with it. It gets easier.
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Let the inconvenience go and look for the next blessing. The gap time between your “burnt toast” and the benefit of this annoyance cannot be known ahead of time, so channel your inner Buddha and let the obnoxiousness float away. Look for the next pleasant surprise in your life!
- Know that the annoying moment brought you to this point where you can be delighted with something good.
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Go forward knowing that everything happens for a reason. Once you’ve gotten used to applying the burnt toast theory in your own life, you’ll start to feel like everything is in balance. Whatever bad event happens will surely be matched with a good event in the future. There’s no need to get bent out of shape when things don’t go your way.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
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Burnt toast theory only applies to minor annoyances and inconveniences. It does not apply to serious trauma or life-changing obstacles. In fact, trying to spin serious issues into “glass half full” scenarios is often a form of toxic positivity.[5]Thanks
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A TikTok creator created the idea of burnt toast theory. You can view the original explanation of the theory here on TikTok.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.tbsnews.net/splash/explainer-what-tiktoks-burnt-toast-theory-735002
- ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/burnt-toast-theory-tiktok-meaning-benefits-8928878/
- ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/burnt-toast-theory-tiktok-meaning-benefits-8928878/
- ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/burnt-toast-theory-tiktok-meaning-benefits-8928878/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/toxic-positivity
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