Two bad things happen back-to-back and suddenly your brain starts writing a story.

Maybe this always happens to me.

Maybe things are getting worse.

Maybe this is a sign of what comes next.

But coincidence is not a forecast.

A few events happening close together can feel like a pattern long before there is enough evidence to call it one.

That matters because once you expect something to happen again, you start looking for proof.

You notice every example that confirms the prediction.

You overlook the ones that do not.

And eventually, a handful of unrelated moments can become a belief about your future.

Pay attention to patterns.

Learn from experience.

Take warning signs seriously when the evidence supports them.

But do not let randomness convince you that the next chapter ...