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Lucky -- that's something we all would like to be. Some of us believe we are; others struggle to believe in luck at all. Me? Well, I believe we create our own luck. And I'm not alone in this belief. Many psychology experts believe that we have the power to create our own luck without even realizing it. According to an article I recently read on Oprah.com: "Experts agree that with a few simple steps, you can significantly increase the chances of meeting your soul mate, finding the right business partner, or steering your life in a new direction. That might sound unlikely or even naive, but there's real science to prove that while you can't control the randomness of life, you can definitely create your own luck."
And, according to Dr. Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, "we have far more control over the element—and outcome—of chance in our lives than we realize. In fact, he argues that only 10 percent of life is truly random—the remaining 90 percent is actually defined by the way you think." In the article, I also found this nugget from Dr. Wiseman: "'Lucky people create, notice, and act upon the chance opportunities in their lives,' Wiseman notes. If luck means being in the right place at the right time, he adds, 'being in the right place at the right time is actually all about being in the right state of mind.'"
I really believe what Dr. Wiseman is saying. Sure, we'd love to go around claiming that circumstances are everything -- but they're not. Yes, they can impact your life to some degree, but you also have a lot more power than you realize (which is both awesome and terrifying!). It's up to you to find the luck in your life. So here are some tips from the article (each followed with my own insights) on how you can create your own luck -- starting right now!
4 Ways to Create Your Own Luck
Prepare Your Mind. If you want good things to happen to you, you have to get yourself in a good -- positive! -- state of mind. I've mentioned this countless times before but I'll write it again: if you'd not looking for good things in your life, you won't find them. How you view the world is all up to you, and luck is exactly the same way. If you're on the lookout for lucky things, you'll find them!
Give Chance a Chance. If you want to have good luck in your life, you have to put yourself out there. Staying home all the time and sticking only to your routines is a sure way to remain luck-less. You have to put yourself out there -- change things up a bit -- if you want to encounter all the good luck that's out there in the world. Switch up the way you do things -- or the things that you're doing -- and you may just catch a lucky break.
Relax. According to Dr. Wiseman, if you're stressed out or focused on the negative things in your life, you're not likely to notice the luck that may be coming your way. Hard as it might be to do sometimes, remember to relax and keep your life in perspective. Doing so will help keep your mind open to the positive, lucky things happening all around you. And going with the flow can lead you to exciting new opportunities, which are often the sources of good luck!
Build Your Network of Luck. Dr. Wiseman advises us to do two things: stay connected to the people we know and make new connections when we can. Why? Because the bigger your network is, the more opportunities you'll have to get lucky (and, no, I don't mean like that). Putting yourself out there and really making an effort to connect with others will open doors that otherwise would have remained closed. It takes effort to keep up connections, but the more work you do, the more luck you'll have!
Regardless of your belief (or not) in luck, you can't deny that the tips above are great ways to cultivate a more positive life. The more you open your mind, the more you experience, the more you're going to get out of your one and only life. Luck might seem, at times, like it's out of reach -- but, really, it is up to you. Starting today, take Dr. Wiseman's advice (after all, with a name like that, how can you not?) and start creating your own luck!
Good article for today! I would agree that you can create positive situations and interactions in your life simply by being present, open-minded and frankly just pleasant to be around. I'm not sure if it's luck or some sort of attractive magnetism - the idea that you're positive and fun to be around and that draws people and opportunities to you.
Either way, I agree that you can create it or destroy it with personal attitudes.
Have a fun and safe St. Patty's!
Posted by: Dan Blakely | March 17, 2011 at 06:21 AM
Dan - Thanks! I can't say I get all the credit -- having built upon some of the material from Oprah's article -- but I'm glad you liked it! You're so right that positivity draws people to you and the more people you have around you, the more chance you have to be lucky. Opportunities are everywhere if we stay open-minded! Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!
Posted by: positively present | March 17, 2011 at 07:15 AM
I think this is so true, and had thought to myself recently that I am creating my own obstacles in going for and getting to the life I want (rather what I want to achieve in my life). Frame of mind is so true, and when you are dealing with heavy things..that you seem to get a break then something else comes up..can really take a lot of you and stunt your positivity. Positive thoughts and things can certainly be there in spite of all that, but staying there with all of that going on gets tough.
I know I've missed some opportunities that really could have me in a different and better space now, and I'm doing my best right now to be sure I am ready for them when I see them again. It's not easy, but I'm pushing myself. =)
Thanks Dani for sharing this info.
Posted by: Saggleo | March 17, 2011 at 11:48 AM
You rarely disappoint. I love your posts and am continually impressed by life lessons that you "get". It's taken me a little longer, but it's never too late!! I wish I could bottle positivity and sell it:) Thanks for making my day, writing the words that express so well how I feel.
Posted by: Michelle | March 17, 2011 at 06:45 PM
Hi there! I really love your posts. They are so inspiring. I wanted to ask you, what if someone had some really great opportunities come their way and through no fault of their own, they just didn't work out. They are fairly positive with other people but it seems like the Universe is teasing them, presenting them with great opportunities and then nada. What is one to do when they feel deflated and defeated? Thanks :)
Posted by: Cindy | March 18, 2011 at 11:24 AM
This is great, thanks! It's like the law of attraction, we attract what we exude. Sometimes it's hard to embrace positivity, but I think it's worth the work, so much is at stake! The outcome of our lives and dreams, so precious.
Posted by: Leah | March 18, 2011 at 02:07 PM
Cindy - Thank you so much! It thrills me to know that you find the posts inspiring. You've raised a really great question. Sometimes it can seem like great opportunities are coming along but they just don't work out. It can be incredibly frustrating when this happens (and hard to keep thinking positively!), but the way I see it: if something doesn't work out, it doesn't work out for a reason. Every time I've wanted something badly and not gotten it, it turned out that something much better came along at a time when I was really ready for a great opportunity. I know that might sound cliche, but it's completely true. It's important to keep that thought in mind when feeling defeated. Also, even if one opportunity doesn't work out, you still have the ability to create your own opportunities. Keep looking for them -- they are everywhere!
Leah - You're welcome! It's exactly like the law of attraction, which I've found to work pretty well in my own life. It might sound odd, but a positive attitude really DOES attract positive things. Thanks for stopping by!
Posted by: positively present | March 18, 2011 at 03:27 PM
Saggleo - Oddly enough, one of the hardest things to do sometimes is not create our own obstacles. It's strangely easy to stand in our own way, especially when it comes to luck. As you said, it's not easy to stay positive and open-minded when things are tough, but it's critical if you don't want to miss out on positive opportunities!
Michelle - Thank you! :) Your comment put a big smile on my face. I'm so glad to hear that you enjoy reading my posts and that you can really connect with what I'm writing about. It's such a great outlet for me personally and it makes me very happy to know that you get something out of my words as well. Thanks for reading!
Posted by: positively present | March 18, 2011 at 03:30 PM