Tweet this Video
Share on Facebook
Share via E-mailI attract the weirdest people everywhere I go! Here are just a few of my stories of being accosted, and totally creeped out. 
About Lynn Terry
I'm best known online for my Internet Marketing Blog and my Low Carb Diet blog (where I also talk about my fun travel adventures). But there is SO much more to me than work, food & travel. Which is why we're here. ;-) So let your hair down and let's have some REAL fun! *cheers*
23 Responses to “Freak Magnet”
Leave a Reply
Subscribe
Follow, Friend, Like & Share With Your Friends!
You need to take Karate lessons. Who knows, you might even meet “the one” there!
This is a very interesting thing. and the dog training is a good idea.
Now I’m a bit worried about my grand plan of going on a road trip across America. It may not be such a good idea, especially if I would do that alone? I don’t think that I’m a freak magnet myself, but maybe it’s because it’s still relatively safe in Finland. Not enough freaks to go around or something..
Just don’t plan to take a road trip with ME haha
I’ve always wanted to do a road trip across the US myself, Satu. But going it alone was a sobering thought. If you decide to do it, let us know okay? Maybe we could see a few sight together when you’re in my area (North Central Texas).
Wow I was really surprised and shocked listening to that video. I grew up in a fairly rough area of London and I learned very young that the way to scare off any kind of bullyy is to MAKE A BIG FUSS – because they rely on your not doing that. Like that jerk in Sydney, if he asked me if he could kiss me my first reaction would be to say very loudly “no, you can’t kiss me but you can f*** off!” and the second would be to complain loudly and firmly to the McDonald’s staff that I was being harrassed and let them deal with it.
I understand that you probably learned as a child to “keep things quiet” and not upset or embarrass anyone … but you can make different choices now. I really hope you can find the support you need to do that.
And you’re right – don’t get a gun unless you’re absolutely sure you would use it if necessary (I know I never would).
That is true, and is my major problem. I have to learn to change my response. Avoiding confrontation, trying to keep the peace, not antagonizing the situation, “fight or flight” was always “flight”… those are deeply ingrained responses to my environment that I am working hard to change.
It’s taking a bit of “head work” to work through all of this, which is not at all pleasant, but I am excited about making BIG changes!
Somewhere in all of these videos and your eventful history there is a book just waiting to be unleashed on the world. I believe what we project into the world comes back around to us. You must believe that too from what you say about you projecting something that even Slim is picking up on now.
I also believe in affirmations, as they affect the energy around us and how we feel about ourselves.
You might try switching from “I’m a freak magnet” to something like “I attract interesting people.” or “I attract fun people”, whatever you feel comfortable saying.
You could try using affirmations daily and especially whenever you go out in public, like –
I’m comfortable wherever I go.
I project confidence and strength to those around me.
I am safe in my surroundings.
I enjoy the freedom to travel without fear.
I have a new found peace when I am away from home.
There are a myriad of affirmation ideas online, but I’m trying to think of phrases specifically related to your concerns. I have to confess – I don’t do affirmations on a regular basis. Usually I just don’t think about doing them. But I have used affirmations in the past with great results when specific things were worrying me. It certainly couldn’t hurt!
Keep us posted,
~ Sherie
Affirmations are good, and those are some great suggestions. Thank you Sherie! I think hypnosis would be a good start in putting these thought processes into place, given how deeply ingrained my fears and concerns are at this point… many of them coming from a place further than my memory reaches (given my head trauma).
Hey Lynn,
Great video! Your experiences are probably much more common that you might expect.
I don’t say that to scare you, but rather, because it is a fact that there are classic freaks on the streets and in public places.
I think the suggestions above are great and your dog training has made you aware that sometimes education can be the key to being more prepared for these situations.
Just like learning to do affiliate marketing you can learn to protect yourself when you are “out n about” as we Canucks say. Check out some programs that teach how to stay safe on the street.
Just one example: http://www.blog4safety.com/2010/03/staying-safe-in-public-places/
I spent four years doing security work on weekends in our community when our daughters were in their teens. It was an opportunity to learn how freaky the streets and public areas can be of even a small community like ours. My daughters thought it was great after they got over the fact that I was out there. They would say that the freaks knew who I was and NOT to mess with my daughters.
A different approach maybe, but if it kept them safe it was worth it.
I hope you are having an AWESOME thinking about getting some “being safe on the streets” training day!
smiles,
p.s. Please learn the basics of being safe in public. It only takes one bad experience and then it is too late…
You’re a great father, Gary…
Holy Smokes Lynn! I remember you telling me you were mugged when you were walking down the street, I’m guessing that’s a different time than the one you just described.
I think you deserve an award every time you step out the door, lol! Honestly watching these two videos I’m feeling extremely lucky right now to have never been alone, mugged or stalked (knock on wood).
I hope you get whatever signal you are sending figured out so you can send one that says ‘Sane People ONLY’!!
LOL yes, there are many more stories I didn’t share for the sake of time. It’s been a crazy thing, and going on for years!
Sadly, it’s not just complete strangers – but I also tend to attract a certain type of friend, or people in general, in my life. I don’t choose them, I attract them (this, after much “head work” on the topic, lol). So definitely something I am working hard on at the moment!
OMG OMG OMG
Carry a whistle – a good one (the metal type that cops use). The sound is so different from a car horn that it gets a lot of attention.
For the Starbucks guy, I would have either moved, or backed my chair into him to let him know that I knew he was there. (I’ve done that a few times and the other person usually moves to avoid the attention.)
For the McDonald’s guy, I would have told him to leave me alone (in a loud voice) and, when he didn’t, I would have yelled for someone to call the police.
For the guy who touched Slim, he would have gotten the “get your f***** hand away from my dog” statement.
Now…I am just the opposite of you when it comes to the type of people approaching me. 90% of the time, mine aren’t creepy. They are appear friendly, and usually want to ask a question – e.g., do I know where something is, how do I get to this place, where did I get whatever, etc. (Maybe I look like what people imagine the lady who answers 4-1-1 looks like????) In most cases, these people mean no harm. HOWEVER, that’s not always the case.
There’s the guy who surprised me in my driveway trying to get me to switch my trash service. He got to see the nice man in the police car and chat for a few minutes. (We have very good neighborhood watch here.)
There’s the guy who was jogging towards me as I walked out of the grocery store who was asking for money to buy gas. He also talked to the nice man in the police car.
There’s the guy who pulled his truck so close to my driver’s door that I couldn’t get out (as WalMart). He left his engine running, and his passenger glared at me the whole time. When I worked for the police department, we called this, “JDLR”: just doesn’t look right. These 2 guys got to talk with 2 nice men in the cars with the big shiny lights. The driver ended up going to jail since he had a warrant for his arrest (DUI).
Then there’s the guy who was leaning against my brand new $45k Mercedes who wouldn’t move when I told him to get his a** off my car (also at WalMart). He also was visited by the nice man in the police car. In fact, when he saw the car with the shiny lights coming, he decided to run. Surprise! He was an illegal alien and was also arrested!
I have no problems being vocal (well, duh!) when I am even the slightest bit uncomfortable. I also (obviously) have no issue calling the police. (Can you tell I worked in law enforcement?) I would rather look like a hysterical fool than face the potentially bad consequences.
Other things…
* I never park where someone in the store cannot see me (such as WalMart).
* I never park next to a car with someone just sitting in it.
* I never park next to a van or truck (as mentioned, above).
* If anyone comes inside my “comfort zone” (which is about 30 feet I’m guessing) I make it a point to let the other person know that it’s not ok to come closer (either by physical gesture or verbal statement).
As for hotels…
=> I always ask for an employee to walk me to my room.
=> If someone is standing too close to me at the registration desk, and the employee says my room number, I ask for another room and have them write down the number – away from the counter – and give it to me in a folded piece of paper.
=> I always ask for a room by the elevators…never at the end of the hall or by the vending machine area (for the reason you mentioned).
=> The only time I will stay at a hotel with doors on the outside (versus interior hall) is if I’m with someone.
While I do not like guns, if I lived too far out of a suburban area, I would have one that I was properly trained to use.
Great advice, Cindy!
My real issue is that I freeze up in situations. I am working very hard to UNdo ingrained responses. That’s my biggest bit of work at the moment.
To give you an example, I was out with Bridgett and Carol the other day after the Product Camp Nashville event. They took me back to my car in the parking garage, and as we were standing there, me getting my things out of her trunk, a security guard walked up. Uniform or not, my first response was fear when someone walked up – and I about mowed down Bridgett and Carol both to get away from him. LOL. Bridgett answered his question and that was that, and then we all had a good laugh at me.
I’m working very hard at maintaining mental control (not letting fear take over) and at being more assertive. It doesn’t come natural for everyone, unfortunately. I should think defense training would help me in that department, which is something I’m considering…
With respect Lynn, I think you’re going about it backwards. You can’t “maintain mental control” until you’ve changed the pictures in your head and the “stories” you tell yourself. And they come from the way you see yourself, your world and your place in it. Without changing that, you’ll always be fighting against yourself.
Visualizing different situations and changing your imagined response to them could help, especially if you could go back over past situations and change their outcome in your mind. So might NLP; I used a particular technique called “reframing” and another from Tony Robbins called “swooshing” (at least that’s my name for it now) to totally remove the mental charge over a past situation. 10 years of anguish disappeared in about 30 mins and have never returned!
The Sedona Method video I mentioned before has a similar purpose (if you missed watching it free, I believe you can buy it for $20 or something).
Self-defence training might help you feel more empowered, even if you never use it. Everything is a mind game
True. I’m discovering it’s a lot more work than I realized. Especially given my immediate reaction just the other day, lol. I’ve really been digging deep and looking to implement serious positive change… but I’ve reached a point of exhaustion with it at the moment. Change is not easy, and facing your “negatvies” (fears, demons, whatever you want to call them) is challenging to say the least.
Onward and upward, after a brief break to regroup!
Goodness, Lynn. As a man I guess I don’t always realize the things that women go through just to go about a normal life. I’ve lived my whole life in a huge metropolitan area and nothing like those things ever happens to me.
When I was a nerdy teenager I got into martial arts quite a bit– though I’ve never once needed to defend myself. I would suggest you take a good self defense course sometime. A good one can train you to avoid problem situations altogether, as well as deal with them when they happen.
Take care of yourself. Lots of people like you, including me.
Thank you Wade
I use to know some people into martial arts and it seems to be great for building a sense of inner strength and confidence as much as physical strength or techniques. It could be helpful.
Being female and doing most of the things I do alone it is amazing I have not been a freak magnet, too. Of course, now I’m wondering if it’s only because I haven’t noticed… lol. I’m usually concentrating on what I’m doing or where I’m going or the next thing I have to do, and I barely notice people around me. That might not be a good thing, eh? (I sometimes joke that the grass out my front door could be neon orange and it would take me three days to notice it.)
I’ve never met you in person so would have no clue about “vibes” you might unknowingly send out. Body language has always been something that has interested me, though. I wonder if there are experts in that field who could help you figure this out.
Personally, over the years I’ve developed a way of “being in public” that I guess keeps the weirdos away. I walk with a pretty determined step and pace. I am not a “window shopper” and never just stroll along casually because I’m usually just wanting to get things done and get on to the next thing. I wear comfortable clothing and it’s almost never “flattering” at all. I’m nowhere near as attractive as you are as far as looks. I have my keys in hand before I walk out of a store/building. This is the only place I pay attention to what/who is around, when I’m walking through a parking lot or garage. I’m rarely out at night anymore. I don’t know if this has really played any part in deterring weirdos or not. It’s interesting to think about.
I’ll also share this, for what it’s worth. Many years ago my grandfather passed away and in going through is clothes he had a nice jacket that I liked and thought “that’s cool, looks warm, I can wear that sometime” so I took it. Over the next couple of years I wore the jacket quite a few times. Then someone told me it was a “police jacket” (my grandfather was retired from the Tulsa Police Dept). I had no idea, there was nothing on it to identify it. It was black, with orange lining, and an imitation fur collar. Once the person told me this I realized that people had treated me differently when I wore the jacket… it’s hard to describe but it was like suddenly I got more respect… much more. People gave me more “personal space” than before, too. I just never put it together. I noticed the same from then on when I wore the jacket. One safety class I took years ago suggested buying a pair of handcuffs and carrying them on your beltloop like cops do, nothing else, just the handcuffs. It sends a message to the “undesirables” that you’re probably a cop, and it’s perfectly legal for a citizen to own them, etc.. Now, I would never go that far, but it makes me wonder if there might be something you could wear or carry, something small, that would be a signal to the freaks to not mess with you. Like I said… for what it’s worth.
I get that same “personal space” reaction when I have Slim with me.
He’s MY police jacket! lol…
I’m thinking hypnosis may prove helpful.
Interesting, I do believe that what a person is admitting energy wise is picked up on by others. Which leads some people to have a lot of the same sort of experiences. I think that you are admitting fear, subconsciously and they are picking up on it. Which is something that can be worked on, with a lot of positive thinking in social settings.
The whole thing really intrigues me. Although really funny and some frightening at the same time.
Even though you have gone through many of these things when you do go out, don’t expect for them to happen again. Because when you expect it to happen, you are living in that fear and your body projects that physically and I believe that humans can pick up on energy waves from one another subconsciously.
Live in moment and not on the expectation of fear when you go out. I hope that changes things for you.
I think I was in your room with Nicole and Tracy that afternoon with the guy with the vending machine. That was weird. Lol……….
You were! LOL. That still gives me the hibby jibbies
I agree. It intrigues me as well. Especially the more I study it, and specifically the more I study myself and my responses. Becoming aware is the first step!