Why do I get an accessed none every time I try to read my widget reference

Everytime I add a reference to my widget and try using the reference I get an accessed none error “Blueprint Runtime Error: Accessed None trying to read property MainMenuWidgetRef from function: ‘SetStats’ from node: Switch on Int in graph: SetStats in object: ThirdPersonCharacter with description: Accessed None trying to read property MainMenuWidgetRef” My references worked before and now won’t work anywhere where I have to access variables between bluprints, I don’t know if I changed a setting or if my code is bad but this is the only place I have the bluprint attempt to access variable from another blueprint and the errors come from this one.

How do you save your reference to the widget?

I have a variable in my character that is just set as the main menu widget

Okay I figured it out I feel really dumb I forgot to set the variable from the create widget node, I just had it in sitting in the variable list on its own.