Do we create our own luck?
By Kiersten Ahlm
Whether it was throwing a penny in a fountain or wishing on a falling star or an eyelash — I never missed a chance to make a wish as a kid. But, alas, I never got that pet monkey, nor did my family move to Hollywood so that I could become a famous actress. Therefore, I finally concluded that there was more to good fortune than simply sending your wish out into the universe which, don’t get me wrong, can sometimes be powerful too!
It turns out, creating your own luck is a culmination of skills that can be developed, as well as a perspective. Richard Wiseman, author of the book The Luck Factor believes that luck is “a way of seeing yourself which then has impact on how you behave and how you think and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” (Via the article “Is luck real, and can you change yours? It’s complicated.” from The Washington Post). Lucky people tend to have certain characteristics, and with St. Patty’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to share with you a few of them.
They keep an open mind.
Sometimes, when we have laser focus on something, we miss other opportunities. But if we keep an open mind and remain flexible, we open up our world to more possibilities and that can make you feel more optimistic, which is another characteristic of lucky people.
They have a growth mindset.
Lucky people tend to accept and learn from adversity. This helps them gain clarity and see a way forward in a situation. Having this skill also gives them the confidence to take more risks, which is another characteristic of lucky people. In contrast, people with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are what they are and don’t like to challenge them.
They listen to their intuition.
When you can quiet your mind and trust your instincts, you make better decisions, which can help minimize misfortune as well as maximize an opportunity. Listening to your intuition can also increase your confidence and even make you more creative!
They step outside of their comfort zone. Lucky people push themselves. They go to that party alone; they take those singing lessons or introduce themselves to someone they admire. I mean, you could be the next Harry Styles, but you won’t know until you try, right?
I wanted to do a little side note here for my fellow introverts, who have a harder time with this one. Going to a big party by yourself is probably not really in alignment with who you are, and being true to yourself is undoubtedly part of creating your own luck. But consider going to a different coffee shop to do some work, or submitting a writing piece to a publication that interests you. Stepping outside of your comfort zone doesn’t have to mean submerging yourself into a sea of people. And introverts typically possess all the other characteristics of creating luck.
I will leave you with this quote by the great Thomas Edison who said, “Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” So keep an open mind, embrace challenges and step outside of your comfort zone. I hope you were able to take something from this, even if you already consider yourself lucky. As I see it, you can never have too much luck!
Kiersten Ahlm is an integrative nutrition coach who specializes in blood sugar balance. To find out more about her services, check out her website at www.kahlmcoaching.com.
