Change Your Luck

Do you sometimes curse your luck?  Do you find yourself in really bad situations?  Feel trapped?  Helpless?  Feel like the whole world is out to get you?  Angry?

Yup.  I feel that way too sometimes.  I guess everyone does.  

Now, lately, I've been trying to figure out why some days are good days and some days are bad days.  Are the stars just outta whack?  Or is it something that I can change?  Do I really not have any control over my luck?  

Here's what I've learned about bad luck:

1. When I'm overly tired or overly stressed, bad things tend to happen.
2. When I expect bad things to happen, bad things happen.
3. When I say to myself, "This is a bad day," then the day gets worse.
4. When I am around other people who are in a bad mood, bad things happen.
5. When I try to do too many things at once and I lose my focus, bad things happen.

For Example: A few years ago I was in Chicago presenting at a conference.  I was walking down a sidewalk in a strange city with way too many awesome things to look at.  Did I watch my step?  Was I distracted?  Was I having a bad "lucky" day? 

Here's what happened:

When things like this happen, it makes me feel like this:

Why me???!!!!

But I really know screaming won't help.  Nothing I can do but accept and move on.

So, I've been testing my "good luck" theory lately. 

Things I've learned about good luck:

1. When I'm well rested and not experiencing much stress, good things tend to happen.
2. When I expect good things to happen, good things happen.
3. When I say to myself, "This is a great day!" then the day gets better and better!
4. When I am around other people who are in a good mood, good things happen.
5. When I focus and take my time, good things happen. 

 I'm still testing this theory, but honestly, I think the difference between a good day and a bad day may just boil down to my own attitude. 

If I'm in a bad situation but calm, I tend to get more help from others than if I'm screaming and demanding.  

If I was trapped in a pillory or stocks and screaming and kicking and yelling, then no one would probably want to let me loose.  If I keep my wits and ask nicely and calmly for help, then help is more likely to be there for me.

I think luck is kinda like that.

 

I also think that you have to be able to recognize good luck when you see it.  If an opportunity presents itself and you do not recognize it as an opportunity, then it passes you by.  

Be open-minded and watchful and you'll see more good luck coming your way.

Attitude again.

In a similar vein, I've become fairly fascinated with feng shui, which is about how energy flows in your environment, and how that energy affects your life.  I'm wondering if having everything placed for optimum energy flow affects luck.

I know that if I have a table with a sharp corner placed where I hit my leg on it constantly, I can say the bruises are bad luck, and continue to hit my leg, OR I can move the table or buy a table with rounded corners. 

If I choose to continue to ignore the problem and continue to hit my leg, then I will eventually come to live with dread of hitting the table corner again.  The energy I have to spend dreading that happening will cause me to be tired and stressed, which will cause bad things to happen. 

This means that things in your environment can cause stress and since stress affects luck, there may be more to feng shui than most people think.  

Anything and/or anyone in your life that does not take good care of you needs to be changed.  Bad job?  Bad home?  Bad car?  Bad relationship? Frenemies? Change all that you can as soon as you can to make yourself happier.  The happier you are, the luckier you will be.  Happiness attracts happiness.  Love attracts love.  Good luck attracts good luck.

In closing today's post, I just want to emphasize that you must BELIEVE in good luck in order to bring good luck into your life, but believing alone is not enough.  You also have to be open-minded, watchful, willing to make changes, and willing to always encourage yourself.  Love yourself.  Say aloud every morning, "Today is going to be a "good" lucky day!" and believe it.

Having said that, I must add: Do not be discouraged if the day doesn't work out as planned.  The truth is sometimes good luck is disguised as bad luck.

Here's wishing you a "good" lucky day!