Really, Dana? Come On.

I was secretly taking a class, learning about guardian angels and guides and their role. I say secretly because being “different” isn’t easy.

Around the same time, I was training for a run. And during one long run, the kind where you really have to push yourself, I saw them. Foggy outlines of people, human-shaped, right there with me. It was startling and, well, scary. But, at the same time it felt like they were cheering me on. I was so confused.

It was emotional. It was overwhelming. And it felt real, undeniably real.

Then I thought, Really, Dana? Come on. You obviously weren’t breathing right.

That worked for a little bit. I started genuinely worrying, like, was I going to see spirits pop up at work? In my car? Follow me home? I grew up watching every horror movie under the sun, so my imagination did not need any help. This “what if” spiral took on a life of its own.

Eventually, after sharing with a friend, I sat my husband down. I had kept it quiet from him up until then, and I had really thought about how to tell him. But, in the moment I was fumbling and blurted out: “On my run, I saw dead people. And a lot of them.”

His response? After realizing this wasn’t a joke he didn't miss a beat. “I don’t know what to do with this. Do you need mental health help?”

We laugh about that now. He told me we will figure it out. And that’s exactly what we did. I leaned into classes and this time he knew. I shared everything and he was so great and accepted this new part of me.

Fast forward a few months, I still haven’t shared my journey with many—though I think I had actually already told my daughter by then. I found myself not just in a class but on a journey of discovery. I found myself trying out different tools, including intuitively reading oracle cards. We were on vacation and honestly, I was excited about my experiences. I remember really wanting to tell my son, but I kept pulling back. His girlfriend was right there with us, and luckily, I’d already opened up to her and had her full support. So, in true Dana form I just blurted out: I had a card reading to do then I would join them at the pool.

My son didn't miss a beat either. “Card reading? You sacrificing chickens in here?”

I just laughed, left him right there with his dad and his girlfriend to talk it out, and head to the pool.

I share both of these because I think people assume this path showed up for me all at once, fully formed and all zen. Not at all. It came with doubt, fear, horror-movie flashbacks, and a husband quietly wondering if I needed a therapist. It came with keeping it secret, then having to explain myself to the people I love, more than once, in ways that felt awkward and vulnerable. I still haven’t told everyone, but they will find out when they need to.

The truth is, the harder I tried to explain things away, the more undeniable it got. And the deeper I leaned into intuitive studies and did the work, the more fear I released. The more people I found to help me get out of my own way. And thanks to the teachers, and to my friends, my guidance, and my own intuition, my life has genuinely changed for the better.

I feel free. I feel purposeful. And these days, when something like this happens, I don’t waste much time asking “really, Dana?” anymore.