Welcome to The Friends Theory, where we unravel sitcom chaos to make sense of modern life.

This week: Janice, the lessons we can't escape, and why your "OH. MY. GOD." moment might be the universe trying to teach you something.

3-minute read. Nasal-spray necessary.

The One Where Janice is The Universe

Insights from "The One With the Candy Hearts" (Season 1, Episode 14)

Janice. A woman with a phrase so memorable you don't even need to say her name to know who it is. A catchphrase that lives rent-free in your head like the lesson you can't quite learn.

🎬 Picture it:
Chandler's on Joey's double date, already bracing for disaster. Then his blind date walks in and it’s—nasal thunderclap—Janice. Again.

He tries to bail. He fails. Cue overpriced champagne and a Rob Roy (because nothing says self-sabotage like ordering a Rob Roy you don’t even want), one spectacular lapse of judgment, and a hallway "reunion" the next morning that feels like déjà vu in leopard print.

Because here's the thing you already know: Chandler doesn't just end up in this mess. He orders it off the menu. 

Ever Been Here?

We all have a Janice. Some of us have several.

Mine usually shows up in the form of people I say "yes" to when my gut is screaming "no." Bosses who bulldoze, colleagues who ignore boundaries, people who drain more than they give.

And every time, I'd think: "Why does this keep happening to me?"

Plot twist: I wasn't cursed. I was complicit. I was teaching people what I'd tolerate by ignoring my own gut. The universe wasn't punishing me… it was showing me what I was allowing. Different leopard print, same lesson.

My lesson was about building self-worth instead of losing myself to people-pleasing. But everyone's Janice teaches something different. Maybe yours is about letting go of perfectionism, or learning to be vulnerable, or setting realistic expectations.

Try This On - The Janice Principle.

Later in the episode, Janice drops the mic:

She's talking to Chandler, but equally? She's talking to all of us.

The people, habits, or situations that keep reappearing in your life aren't accidents. They're invitations to finally learn whatever you've been avoiding.

Here’s what worked for me:

• Trust your gut the first time it speaks up

• Value yourself first → respect follows

• Set the boundary early instead of retrofitting it later

• Stop aiming to be liked at work. Start aiming to be respected

Your lesson might be completely different. The point isn't the specific change, it's recognizing the pattern and doing something about it.

Because when you do? Janice doesn't need to keep showing up with nasal thunder to make the point.

Final Thought- Learning The Lesson

Janice appeared in 19 episodes of Friends. That's about the same number of times it took me to learn that my self-worth shouldn't depend on keeping everyone else happy.

And here's the nugget: the lesson isn't to avoid every Janice. It's to stop inviting her back.

So next time you hear that nasal "OH. MY. GOD."—pause.

Ask yourself:

Because the real power move isn't avoiding the pattern. It's breaking it. (Preferably before leopard print shows up at your door.)

See you next Tuesday
Lucy xx

P.S Got your own Janice story? Press reply - sometimes sharing these patterns out loud is exactly what breaks them.

P.P.S. If you're looking for nasal spray, start here👇

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