So I had a major breakthrough last night. I don't work weekends, so I usually stay up a little later than when I have to work. Last night, I made grilled cheese in a pan for supper. I went to bed about 11:15 pm. About 12:30 last night, I thought I smelled something weird. I then had this thought "What if your apartment is on fire?" Even though I already knew I had turned the burner off, I felt compelled to double check. When I got back to bed, I experienced a perfect storm of what ifs. I always get what ifs in a string about 10 at a time. But never like I had last night. They were coming fast and furious. It was hard to deal with. I was only partially awake, so I don't even remember what they were. But they were random and many different themes.. But I decided that I was not going to do anything. I just said NO. I acknowledged they were there but didn't respond to them in any way. I didn't argue with them and I didn't ruminate. I just laid in bed and waited.. They continued to swirl for a few more minutes, but then they just stopped. I was blown away and realized I had just experienced a major victory against my OCD. It also made me realize just how far I have come. Just a few short weeks ago, this never would have been possible. So if you are feeling discouraged and like you aren't making progress or like you will never be able to beat OCD, remember this story. OCD is tough, but WE are stronger. We CAN beat it.